Gay marriage debate goes to Senator's door

 The gay community in Queens is calling on residents to unseat five state senators.    The five — Hiram Monserrate (D-Corona), George Onorato (D-Astoria), Shirley Huntley (D-Jamaica), Joe Addabbo (D-Howard Beach) and Frank Padavan (R-Bellerose) — voted against legalizing same-sex marriage. The bill failed 38 to 24, though a companion bill has passed the Assembly multiple times. 

   About 100 people gathered in Jackson Heights on Monday to denounce what they see as discrimination against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. The rally, organized by City Councilmember-elect Danny Dromm and a variety of LGBT groups, drew local politicians and religious leaders from across the borough. 
   “It is a shame that ... government today is still denying people equal rights,” said Councilman and city Comptroller-elect John Liu (D-Flushing). 
   Protesters said they see marriage as a civil right and feel they are being treated as second-class citizens. 
   “I don’t want to go to Massachusetts to get married,” said Laura Cadorette, who has been with her partner, Jessica Davis for 18 years. “I live in New York.” 
   Cadorette added that gay couples shouldn’t be seen as a threat. “We own a co-op, and we go to work, and we walk our dog,” she said. “There’s not a lot to be afraid of from us.” 
   Christian and Jewish leaders who joined in Monday’s rally argued that people shouldn’t use their faith to oppose same-sex marriage. 
   “Those who would deny others the blessings they claim for themselves shouldn’t be so sure they speak for the almighty,” said Rev. Charles McCarron of the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island. “God isn’t an excuse for homophobia.” 
   Those at Monday’s rally said they feel let down by their senators and added that they think Monserrate’s “no” vote was particularly unrepresentative of his constituents. 
   “We have the second largest LGBT community outside of Manhattan,” said Assemblyman Michael Den Dekker (D-Jackson Heights), adding that all three members of the Assembly whose districts overlap Monserrate’s voted for gay marriage. 
   Protesters also decried Monserrate and Addabbo for what they see as turning tail. While serving on the City Council, both voted to extend certain rights to same-sex couples. Several of the people at the rally said they supported Monserrate’s bid for the Senate because they thought he would help legalize gay marriage and are dismayed that he did not. 
   Monserrate did not respond to requests for comment. 
   Addabbo defended his position, saying he supports equal rights but that “the rights that I have voted for in the City Council were vastly different than marriage equality.” 
   Addabbo, who represents the relatively conservative Howard Beach area, added that the majority of his constituents oppose gay marriage and said he hopes he will be judged on the body of his work, not just one issue. 
   While they didn’t vote for gay marriage, Addabbo, Monserrate, Onorato and Padavan said they are open to the idea of civil unions, which are legally recognized unions that entitle same-sex couples to many of the same rights that married couples enjoy. 
   Janet Kash, a spokeswoman for Onorato, said the senator believes marriage must be “between one man and one woman” but that he “understands that civil unions help to provide legal protections for same-sex couples.” 
   Civil unions are available to same-sex couples in nearly 20 countries and 12 U.S. states. 
   But gays in Queens don’t want to settle.