Pride and Politics: The Tale of a Big Story in a Small Town

Same-sex marriage is at the epicenter of the debate between Right and Left in America, and no community is more at the crossroads of this volatile political and social issue than New Paltz, NY. On Feb. 27, 2004, when Mayor Jason West solemnized the marriage of 24 gay and lesbian couples, New Paltz made news. From nearby New York City to Topeka, and from Paris to Tokyo, New Paltz became the small town byline for the big story. Erin Quinn, the award-winning reporter for the New Paltz Times and Woodstock Times, experienced the unfolding drama from a unique vantage point as a "native" and insider to the story. Like a microcosm for the national debate that raged during the political campaigns in the fall of 2004, New Paltz was often divided by those who supported same-sex marriage and those who did not. Quinn recounts the national media frenzy that ensued, and details how New Paltz was a magnet for all sides of the American political spectrum.