Mayor Street Steals my Idea: Will Perform a Same-Sex "Marriage" Saturday

Outgoing Mayor John Street will "Officiate" at a Gay Union this Saturday at City Hall. The move, of course, will be met with the usual bunch of assholes (no pun intended) who will claim it is evil, a sin, yadda yadda yadda...

The move is a bit surprising since John Street has been considered an enemy to the Gay community for years. Street said he was asked to officiate at the ceremony for Ryan Bunch and Micah Mahjoubian, a longtime colleague, this Saturday.

I'd just like to say I'm glad he used my idea. OK, maybe not, but from my own campaign lit:

SAME-SEX MARRIAGE: Philadelphia has an incredibly large homosexual population, and I believe in the right of two consenting adults being allowed to marry if they please. If elected, I will allow the City of Philadelphia to marry same-sex couples. For those of you oppose this plan, think of this; Philadelphia will see an expanded revenue base thanks to more money from marriage licenses, marriage taxes, and the like. I rather call it marriage, though; Civil Unions doesn't really have the same benefits and it almost makes homosexuals seem like second-class citizens, and I don't like that. The City Government will recognize these marriages and give them full benefits.

I'm still calling this another win in the "Larry West actually DID something positive by running", although I'm more likely than not am wrong for doing so. But, damn it, I'm still smiling about this!

Or not.

"Micah is my friend. He has been in my campaign and has been in my administration for eight years," Street said. "I've come to respect him as a person, and if this is something he would like for me to do, then I'd like to do it for him."

About 125 guests are expected at the ceremony, which will have no legal weight since Pennsylvania prohibits gay marriage.

"It's not marriage. It's not real marriage. They can't be married," said Street, a Seventh-day Adventist. "It's not a religious ceremony. I mean, it's not really marriage."

OK, so not really a win for same-sex couples, either, but I guess it's a bit of a start. I can only hope Mayor-Elect Nutter decides to do this, and then some, by just legalizing the thing, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania be damned (Some pun intended)!