"As a Catholic, I was raised to believe that marriage is between a man and a woman. I am not here, however, as a senator who is just Catholic. I am also here with a background as an attorney, through which I look at things and I apply reason. [...] I cannot legally come up with an argument against same-sex marriage. Who am I to say that someone does not have the same rights that I have with my wife, who I love, or to have the 1300+ rights that I share with her? [...] I cannot deny a person, a human being, a taxpayer, a worker, the people of my district and across this state -- the state of New York -- and those people who make this state the great state that it is, the same rights that I have have with my wife." -- New York State Senator Mark J. Grisanti (R, 60th district), just before the vote in the state senate on same-sex marriage, 2011-06-24
( full text of the speech (these bits are pulled from three different sections of it) )