Assemblywoman Inez Barron of East New York, one-half of everyone’s favorite black revolutionary power couple, voted against marriage equality last night. Apparently, the “freedom” in the Freedom Party doesn’t extend to gays who want to marry, not even black ones. We shouldn’t be completely surprised: she voted against it last time, as well.

So why did she issue this press release last year for Martin Luther King Day that says, in part:

“We who serve in the Legislature must follow Dr. King’s lead and recommit ourselves to replacing ignorance with understanding, hatred with tolerance, resignation with hope and theoretical equality with actual, applicable equality.

To do that, we must ensure fair wages in the job market, keep the college dream alive for those who seek it, provide affordable health care for families and individuals, increase assistance for our neediest community members, support marriage equality for all New Yorkers and rid our communities of intolerance and violence.”

Which is it, Assemblywoman? Is striving for marriage equality in keeping with Dr. King’s legacy of tolerance, or not? Her district office told me that Viola Plummer, who handles the Assemblywoman’s communications, would be in at 11:15 this morning. She’s still not there. Multiple calls to her Albany office have not been picked up. I’ll update when I hear anything.

UPDATE (3:05 PM) I finally got a hold of Viola Plummer, who pronounces herself “flabbergasted.” She continues, “I have known her many years… and I have not heard that sort of thing from her.” So Team Barron right now has no details on why that line was included in a press release. Expect an official reply later.