Voice for Equality: Rochester, NY Mayor Robert Duffy

Robert "Bob" Duffy is the Democratic mayor of Rochester, New York. He was elected the 65th mayor of the city in November and took office on January 1, 2006. Prior to running for office, Duffy served as the city's Police Chief from 1998-2005, and as Deputy Police Chief from 1992 to 1998. Mayor Duffy has helped to secure a substantial influx of state aid for Rochester and launched a program to demolish vacant and derelict houses in city neighborhoods. He has also played a major role in redeveloping the Midtown Plaza property in the central business district of the city. Learn more here.

In an eloquent May 2009 Op-Ed piece, Mayor Duffy called upon the New York State Senate to immediately pass a marriage equality bill, and in so doing, established himself as a strong voice of reason and fairness in upstate New York. Among his comments were these words:

I was raised in a deeply religious family. In fact, my mother was actually a Catholic nun for a time. I am well aware of the Church's teachings. I hold my faith and the Bible dear. But I also cherish our Constitution. To me, this is not about my faith in God. It is about equal rights for all.As police chief and now as mayor, I have spent my career upholding our Constitution to ensure all citizens are not denied their rights because of who they are. In my mind, sexual preference is not a choice or one's decision. I believe it is inherently part of our being. The right to marry is a fundamental human right that is being denied to an entire class of people solely because of who they are. It's not fair, it's not right and it's not American. [Link]

Freedom to Marry salutes Robert Duffy as a Voice for Equality! Learn about other Voices for Equality here.

If Mayor Duffy's support inspires you, get involved. Support the urgent marriage equality effort in New York here and in New Jersey here.

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