The bad thing about yesterday was that state politicians in Albany—the center of heterosexual evil in the Northeast—voted down gay marriage. The shiny silver lining was that we met State Sen. Diane Savino, new speechifying hero of equality!

Savino was roundly cheered for her speech on the House floor yesterday urging her colleagues to support gay marriage. It concluded, "We have nothing to fear from love and commitment."

Her colleagues did not agree! But Savino's speech is well worth watching, particularly for her skewering of the whole idea of "sanctity of marriage," which she contrasts with, you know, reality shows about women competing to marry a dwarf. So who is this ray of light from Albany's dark, homophobic sould?

  • She represents District 23, which includes southern Brooklyn and the Northeastern portion of Staten Island. She is the Wu-Tang Clan's official representative!
  • She is strongly pro-union!
  • "Senator Savino has passed important legislation, including a law that ended the 5-year statute of limitation on sexual assualt, a bill establishing a task force for the prevention and treatment of cervical cancer, the Olive Oil Labeling Bill, which prohibits additives in virgin olive oil, the Prompt Pay Bill, which ensures prompt payment to construction contractors and their employees, a cost-of-living increase in the death benefit for widows and widowers of police officers and fire fighters killed in the line of duty." She is protecting your olive oil!
  • She is prone to self-disclosure while speaking on causes personally important to her. In a speech about a recent DUI bill, she revealed that her parents were alcoholics. Brave!
  • Also she wants people to be quiet on the Staten Island ferry!
  • After Gov. Paterson blamed some of his problems on his race, Savino instead blamed his problems on the fact that he was blind, and does not read braille, and has aides reading him the papers and whatnot, and wasting time. That was a little insensitive!

Overall she seems like a good egg, so don't mess up and kick her out, Staten Island. We know how you are over there.