WW II Vet for Marriage Equality in New York

Edward Hinz, a Word War II veteran from Long Island, has filmed a video in the New Yorkers for Marriage Equality series from the Human Rights Campaign on behalf of his gay grandson.

In the video, Hinz says, "Seventy years ago, I fought in World War II. Today, I'm fighting for my grandson's right to marry in New York. He and other gay people should be able to marry the person they love."

The message from Hinz arrived on Wednesday as Republican state senators in Albany continued to meet behind closed doors into the afternoon to decide whether they will bring the marriage equality bill to the floor for a vote, likely within the next three days. Only one more vote, which must come from a Republican senator, is needed to pass the bill, where 31 senators, including 29 Democrats and 2 Republicans, have said they would vote yes for the measure. However, for purposes of political cover, more than one Republican might be likely to step forward and commit to voting yes.

The New Yorkers for Marriage Equality campaign, which has appeared online and on New York City's Taxi TV, features video testimonials from high-profile and everyday people with connection to the state in order to raise awareness of the issue. So far, HRC has released videos from Harold Ford, Jr., Michael Strahan, Ben & Jerry, Broadway Actors, Vanessa Williams, Anna Wintour, Larry King, Sean Avery, Julianna Margulies, Bill T. Jones, Sam Waterston, Christopher Meloni, Mario Batali, David Chang, Tom Colicchio, Lucy Liu, Bill Bratton & Rikki Klieman, Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Former New York City Mayors Ed Koch and David Dinkins, Russell Simmons, Mark & Sunrise Ruffalo, John Slattery, Joan Rivers, Barbara Bush, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Whoopi Goldberg, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Kyra Sedgwick & Kevin Bacon, Fran Drescher, Moby, Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe, Julianne Moore, and Kenneth Cole.