And no this is not a preamble to our Tiger Woods coverage tonight at 11 - although it could be, and we will have the latest twists in this all-too-human drama of the world's best golfer and the now-lawyered-up young women he reportedly/allegedly/apparently chose to fool around with.
Instead, it's prelude to the same-sex marriage debacle in the New York State Senate. That legislative body yesterday overwhelmingly defeated a bill that would have legalized same-sex marriages. These are the same folks who managed to shut down state government this past spring because they couldn't compromise on a power-sharing arrangement after some members got their feelings hurt; the same folks who raised taxes by 50 percent and still couldn't come up with a solution to solve a $3 billion budget gap.
I understand that some people don't accept homosexuality. I don't agree with their positions, but I get it. Fear, ignorance, religious beliefs - whatever the reason, there are some people who, no matter what, will never accept homosexuality; just like there are still people who don't like anyone who's not of their skin color or ethnicity.
But this issue of same-sex marriage - confounds me. For several reasons.
First, if someone doesn't think gays and lesbians should get married to partners of the same sex, then the person who thinks that way shouldn't get married to someone of the same sex. But why make it illegal for other people to do it? Why tell others who they're allowed to marry, or not?
Don't like same-sex marriages? Then my advice is not to marry someone of the same sex. But please, what right does anyone have to dictate how others should believe? We wouldn't do it with religion. We wouldn't say two people of different skin colors can't marry (although this country used to do that - and not that long ago). Why do it with gays and lesbians?
Second, the same people who bemoan same-sex marriages often pontificate about the sanctity of marriage. Let's suspend reality for a moment and ignore that this sacred institution has a 50 percent failure rate, and let's just concentrate on the concept of marriage. Wouldn't those who proclaim that marriage as an institution is something to protect - wouldn't they WANT people to get married? Wouldn't they WANT as many marriage converts as possible?
And if gays and lesbians want to get married, wouldn't they embrace them as congregants to the institution? Seems to me they would.
Third, with so much anger and hatred in the world, why are we not toasting those who seek and proclaim their love for each other?
We are all bundles of contradictions, and I get it. But I don't get this contradiction.
Tonight at 11 - more reaction to the Senate's ruling.
Also at 11, one year ago today, 25-year-old Laura Garza disappeared. She was last seen at a nightclub in Manhattan with a sex offender named Michael Mele. He is now in prison for not telling authorities that he had moved from his parents home in Newburgh to his own apartment in Wallkill last year. He has not been charged, but there is a bucket load of evidence that is now undergoing forensic and DNA testing.
Tonight, Garza's family and friends will hold a vigil at the nightclub, to remember her and push authorities to find her.
We're also looking into the newest iPhone application - that is supposed to help New Yorkers find parking spots. It's an interactive app - called Spotswitch - that allows a driver who is about to pull out of a space to let others know the spot is available. In theory, some other Spotswitch member can show up before first driver leaves. We'll see.
We'll also have any breaking news of the night, plus Lee Goldberg's chilly AccuWeather forecast, and Rob Powers (in for Scott Clark) with the night's sports. I hope you can join Liz Cho and me, tonight at 11.
BILL RITTER