Both sides in NY gay-marriage tilt get ugly online

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — The fight over legalizing gay marriage in New York is getting ugly online.

New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan has blogged that he loves gay people who want to get married but still ardently opposes gay marriage. He’s been one of the targets of cyber abuse. The vulgarities have prompted the banning of some commenters on the Catholic church’s Facebook and Twitter pages.

Senate Republican leader Dean Skelos has also closed down the comments on his Facebook page after supporters of gay marriage used vulgarities and posted the home addresses of senators opposed to gay marriage.

Democratic Sen. Diane Savino, who supports gay marriage, also had an onslaught of offensive postings by opponents.

The question in New York is viewed as a pivotal moment in the national gay rights movement.