Jason West told more than 60 students Thursday night that marriage equality is inevitable, and will happen during their generation.

West, mayor of New Paltz, N.Y., currently is facing 24 criminal charges after performing civil marriage ceremonies for 25 same-sex couples. If convicted, he could receive up to of $24,000 of fines and 24 years in jail, West said.

“It was the best day of my life,” West said, describing the first marriage he performed.

West began his speech — the keynote address of the Rainbow-Alliance-sponsored Rainbow Week — reminiscing about his belief in the “cartoonish third-grade image of the U.S.” and how this belief in something better led him to politics. Northwestern was the first college West visited on his speaking tour.

“Every generation since (our independence) has taken up that battle to continue and expand freedom and democracy,” West said.

He said permitting gay marriage is part of that expansion of freedom. He also said it was legal to grant marriage licenses to gays because New York defines marriage as an act between “parties.”

McCormick senior Gareth Hayes disagreed.

“I believe in marriage equality, but I don’t agree with the way he did it,” Hayes said. “I would rather have (legalization) on a statewide or national basis.”

Weinberg freshman Mara Motley, however, said she supports West’s decision, adding that the criminal charges he faces are bogus.

“You shouldn’t be punished for standing up for something you believe in,” she said.

West also said the media coverage of his actions surprised him. After California officials handed out marriage permits to same-sex couples, West said he figured it was old news. To him, marriage equality is natural.

“One of the powerful things about this movement is that it’s not a big deal,” he said. “Our kids are going to look at us and say, ‘What the hell were you thinking?'”

Ellen Bird, co-president of Rainbow Alliance, organized the event and said she was excited to have had West speak at NU.

“It is such a political year for this issue so we thought he would appeal to a large audience,” said Bird, a Weinberg sophomore. “He’s young and he speaks to our generation and our age.”

Paul Shay, a first-year graduate student at Kellogg Graduate School of Management, agreed with Bird.

“It was really interesting to hear his perspective, especially coming from a straight man,” he said.

West concluded his speech by encouraging students to be active in politics. He said three questions everyone should ask themselves are, “What do I want?” “Who can give it to me?” and “How do I get the power to make them?”

“It’s not a faceless enemy,” he said. “Keep in mind change is because of shift in pattern, not because of persuasion.”