Mayor Caterinicchia – For Gay Marriage

Gay Marriage made legal in Columbus by final decision on resolution.
Mayor Caterinicchia is signing the Gay Marriage Resolution into Columbus law, he will not veto.

“I have decided to lead with my heart,” announced Mayor Daniel J Caterinicchia of Columbus as he discussed the change to his initial position on gay marriage and will be signing the resolution into law.

The new law has been in debate in city legislature before arriving at Caterinicchia’s desk. On Tuesday July 20, 2010, Caterinicchia announced his decision to sign the council resolution. This is a change from his standpoint up until the prior evening when the bill arrived at his office. Emotion breaks through his composure at times as he explains why this happened.

Caterinicchia has “wrestled with” his previous statements related to gay marriage. When the bill was passed through legislature and the final decision was his, it “forced [him] to search my soul for the right thing to do.” He feels that, “the right thing for me to do is sign this resolution.” Stating that his “opinions have evolved significantly.”

Caterinicchia insists that, “I owe all of Columbus an explanation for this change of heart.” He elaborates that he “just could not bring myself to tell an entire group of people in my community that they were less important.” He address people who may have found his changed position surprising explaining that, “all I can offer them is that I’m trying to do what I believe is right.” His daughter and members of his staff are homosexual and he wants “for them the same thing we all want for our loved ones “

“I couldn’t say to them that their marriage was any less meaningful than my marriage to my wife Rana.”