Health & Fitness
Marriage Equality vs. National Ambitions
Marriage equality has finally arrived in New Jersey. On October 21st, on the order of a superior court judge, same-sex couples will finally be able to marry. But there’s still a big roadblock in the way – Governor Christie’s national ambitions.
In 2012, this governor was given the opportunity to sign a bill that would do exactly what the court decided last week – give our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters fundamental marriage rights. But, in a move that appealed solely to the national Republican right and revealed a lot about his misguided priorities, this governor vetoed it. And now, he’s directing the Attorney General to appeal the court case all the way to the state Supreme Court.
Governor Christie’s opposition to LGBT rights stands in direct contrast with the ruling of the court and the opinion of the vast majority of New Jerseyans, the people he claims to represent.
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With the decision to appeal the ruling, Christie is putting his own political and personal ambitions ahead of equality for all, and just look at what the media is saying about it.
John Nichols of The Nation wrote that Christie’s continued opposition to marriage equality is “because he does not want those social conservatives in Iowa to think he cleared the way for fair treatment of lesbians and gays.”
Find out what's happening in New Brunswickwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The Star-Ledger Editorial Board said that Christie “…had to appeal the ruling, given his national ambitions.”
It’s time that we all told this governor that his policies of exclusion and his national ambitions have no place in New Jersey. Barbara Buono has been a champion for marriage equality, vigorously advocating for equal rights for LGBT New Jerseyans and committing to sign marriage equality into law as governor. The way to show this governor that we will not allow him to expand his national profile by denying marriage equality to gays and lesbians is with a vote for Barbara Buono for Governor on November 5th.
Click HERE to watch our new web video, "David & Rich," and see how the recent court decision will impact gay and lesbian couples in New Jersey.
