The Power of One

" For a long time, we had officials who just posed all day, and I was determined to get things done." - David A. Catania

Tuesday December 15, 2009 marked a huge landmark for not only the GLBT community but for David Catania as well. The DC Council with a 11-2 to vote passed the same-sex marriage bill which will allow hundreds of couples to enjoy the same rights as their heterosexual counterparts. This victory comes as a surprise in a city where conservatism still reigns over the hundreds of political pawns in the Chocolate city. However a person who should be proud of their hard-work and effort is David Catania. 12 years ago Catania, a Republican, was elected to the DC Council. 12 years ago no one including, Catania believed, that they would see the day when same-sex marriage would become a reality. At the age of 41 and now an member of the Independent party, Catania with the help of thousands of supporters, have achieved what very few Metropolitan cities wish they could do for their gay & lesbian constituents

So now what is to become of the bill and the city of DC? Now that the Council has passed the bill, Mayor Adrian Fenty has to sign the bill, which he has promised to sign before Christmas. After the Executive signature, the bill must go under a 30-day legislative review in order to become an official law and the 6th location in the United States to legalize same-sex marriage. True, this is a milestone but there still is more work to be done and barriers to pass.

Analysts from the Office of the Chief Financial Officer estimates if the bill passes into law, that in the next 3-years over 10,000 same-sex couples could get married in the District; 2,000 of which are already Metropolitan residents. From those statistics the District could generate over $20 million dollars in same-sex marriages alone in one fiscal year! (Can we say pay increase maybe for District government workers?!?!?) Of course there is always backlash when it comes to matters such as same-sex marriage. Many organizations and religious leaders have spoken their distaste in the bill. The Archbishop has even threatened to end services to the homeless and poor in DC because of the same-sex bill. What the homeless and poor have to do with any of this, is the million-dollar question of the day!

At the end of the day rather you agree or disagree with same-sex marriage, from this story we can all learn the power of one. Catania, although at time his tactics were radical, he still pushed his and thousands of Americans' agenda to victory. Sometimes it only takes one catalyst to spark a whole reaction!