Original post by in Community, Podcasts, TFO News

COLUMBUS, Ohio (TFO News) — City council in Ohio’s capital has voted in favor of a measure expressing support equal rights for same-sex couples, and the ability to legally marry in Ohio.

“I’m a big believer that Columbus is America’s 21st Century City. It’s important for America’s 21st Century City to lead the way. We’ve been trying to shape and lead this conversation here in Ohio. The Mayor and I are fully committed and have been talking about Marriage Equality for a couple of years,” Columbus City Council President Andrew Ginther tells TFO News.

Ginther says the move was made now because he believes it’s only a matter of time before same-sex couples have the rights to marry, as well as opposite-sex couples.

Executives with the group Why Marriage Matters Ohio were at Columbus City Hall to receive the resolution of support in person.

“This is the first municipality in the state of Ohio that has passed a resolution in support of Marriage Equality. It will be the first of what we expect are many. But it is important that we do it here in the capital city,” Why Marriage Matters Ohio Campaign Manager Michael Premo tells TFO News.

We asked Ginther about whether the Columbus City Council resolution would be going against an historical grain in Ohio, given that Governor John Kasich and Attorney General Michael DeWine are against same-sex marriage.

Ginther said, “I respect the Attorney General and the Governor. I believe they’re wrong. On this issue, they’re on the wrong side of history. I believe that the voters in 2004 put this Amendment in place and I believe that if the voters of this state had an opportunity to weigh in again, they would change their minds. That they believe everyone should be treated fairly and that there’s no place in this state or this city for one family to be more valuable to the government than another.”

Premo described what steps Why Marriage Matters Ohio are taking to expand the effort to all corners of the state, beyond the historically progressive urban cores of Ohio’s largest cities.

“We’re asking everybody to pick ten people that they’re willing to have a conversation with about Marriage Equality. List those ten people. Goto our web site, WhyMarriageMattersOhio.org, and sign up and say ‘I’m willing to have conversations’. Report back, let us know how those conversations go. Because we know that the single most important thing to move forward as the freedom to marry is conversations. People talking about why it’s so important to them, either LGBT or an ally, because every day that people are denied the freedom to marry, there’s harm done to those families,” Premo said.

Ginther summarizes.

“These are hard-working people. They play by the rules in supporting their families. The least the government should do is respect and value them.”

(The Columbus measure was a “Resolution or Expression”, according to the city agenda. Number 0249X-2014: To express Council’s support of marriage equality and our appreciation for the work of Why Marriage Matters Ohio.”
Sponsors: Andrew Ginther, Hearcel Craig, Shannon G. hardin, Zachary M. Klein, Michelle M. Mills, Eileen Y. Paley and Priscilla Tyson)