LGBTQ news and entertainment
From MSNBC:
A majority of voters in New Jersey want current Gov. Chris Christie to drop his appeal of a state judge’s ruling that gay and lesbian couples have the right to marry, a new poll found.
Sixty-one percent of the state’s residents oppose the governor’s wish to block marriage equality, and 32% agree with him, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Thursday. Opposition to the appeal is 79% among Democrats and 42% among Christie’s fellow Republicans.
|
| Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey |
Fantastic op-ed from the editorial board of the Newark Star-Ledger today:
Christie’s words — leave it to voters, not judges or politicians — portray a man who wants history to take its own course, without meddling from the government. His actions, on the other hand, have stonewalled New Jersey’s march toward equality at every turn. Christie could borrow a page from President Obama, who allowed his stance on same-sex marriage to evolve and ultimately dropped the federal government’s defense of the doomed Defense of Marriage Act. Or from Christie’s own party, Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, who reversed course on same-sex marriage after learning his son is gay.
Christie says New Jersey’s best path toward a marriage equality decision is to hold a referendum. That gives Christie his political out — and leaves the basic rights of gay people subject to the whims of a political campaign. The civil liberties of a minority shouldn’t be subject to majority rule. The popular consensus on same-sex marriage is inevitable. Christie can position himself on the right side of history, in this case, simply by getting out of its way.
(h/t JMG)
From the Associated Press:
A New Jersey judge has denied a request from Gov. Chris Christie’s administration to delay the start of gay marriage in the state until after a legal appeal is final.
“Granting a stay would simply allow the state to continue to violate the equal protection rights of New Jersey same-sex couples, which can hardly be considered a public interest,” Judge Mary Jacobson wrote.
The ruling Thursday from Judge Mary Jacobson moves the state a step closer to start recognizing same-sex nuptials on Oct. 21. That’s the day Jacobson had said in a previous ruling that the marriages had to be allowed.
But Christie’s administration is expected to appeal the denial to a higher court. The administration has already asked the state Supreme Court to reverse Jacobson’s earlier ruling that the state has to allow gay couples to get married.
On a recent campaign stop at the Edison Diner in New Jersey, one of the voters in attendance, Bert Bueno, brought up the issue of marriage equality and asked why Gov. Christie opposed the legislation:
“How come you’re in opposition?” Bueno, a straight woman, asked the Republican leader.
“Listen: Lots of different people have different views on this,” Christie responded. “I think marriage should be between a man and a woman. … My view is: If you want to change it, put it on the ballot. Let everybody decide. It shouldn’t be decided by courts. It shouldn’t be decided by politicians in Trenton. It should be decided by everybody. If the majority of the people of New Jersey want same-sex marriage, I’ll enforce the law.”
In a four-minute exchange, Christie claimed that he has gay friends and relatives, and he contested Bueno’s stance that marriage equality is “a human rights issue.”
“The fact is: We’ve been very supportive of a lot of other things, like banning gay conversion therapy,” said Christie, who signed a bill last month that banned use of the discredited practice on minors. “This is an issue where we have an honest difference of opinion. OK, so you put it on the ballot — you vote your way, I vote my way. And whoever gets the most votes wins.”
A recent poll found that 62% of registered New Jersey voters support the September 27 decision of Superior Court judge Mary Jacobson to legalize same-sex marriage, which would go into effect October 21, barring any delays or appeals on the Governor’s behalf.
(via Advocate)
A once high-profile opponent of same-sex couples’ marriage rights took aim Monday at Gov. Chris Christie’s decision to sign legislation into law that would ban therapy aimed at changing the sexual orientation of minors.
Maggie Gallagher, the former head of the National Organization for Marriage, who has kept a low profile over the past year, reappeared on the public scene Monday to attack the New Jersey governor for his bill signing.
“The new law communicates to gays and lesbians seeking to conform their lives to their values that they are second-glass [sic] citizens, without the same right to seek help that other people enjoy. It is a right of self-determination that Gov. Christie has shut down,” Gallagher said in a statement in her role as chairman of the Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund.
New Jersey’s LGBT group, Garden State Equality, defended Christie and the legislation — an unusual position for the group that has been fighting Christie on his opposition to marriage equality.
“It’s not about self-determination. What she’s advocating for is taking away self-determination from the youth of New Jersey,” Garden State Equality executive director Troy Stevenson said.
More at Buzzfeed
Today New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will sign into law a bill that bans “ex-gay therapy” for minors:
“Government should tread carefully into this area,” he said in the signing note, which was obtained by The Associated Press, “and I do so here reluctantly.”
“However, I also believe that on the issues of medical treatment for children we must look to experts in the field to determine the relative risks and rewards,” Christie said, citing a litany of potential ill effects of trying to change sexual orientation, including depression and suicide.
“I believe that exposing children to these health risks without clear evidence of benefits that outweigh these serious risks is not appropriate.”
Gay rights groups say the practice of conversion therapy is damaging to young people because it tells them that it’s not acceptable to be whoever they are.
Christie’s signing message also declares that he believes that people are born gay and that homosexuality is not a sin. The Associated Press notes that such beliefs are “inconsistent with his Catholic faith.” We’ll see how that squares with the far-right fringe whose support Christie will need should he run for President in 2016.
(source)
Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul recently referred to Gov. Christie and folks in New Jersey as “gimme, gimme, gimme” in terms of wanting government help after Hurricane Sandy.
This was Gov. Christie’s response.
BAM.
A new survey shows Hillary Clinton and Chris Christie virtually tied in Iowa as opponents in a hypothetical 2016 presidential run:
Clinton and Christie are each favored by 41 percent of the Hawkeye State’s voters.
But if Vice President Joe Biden is the Democratic nominee he would get clobbered by Christie, 49 percent to 32 percent, the Quinnipiac University poll showed.
Biden would even lose to Wisconsin’s Republican Gov. Scott Walker, 46 percent to 39 percent, in a state that Democrats took in six of the last seven presidential races.
The poll also revealed an emerging gender gap: Clinton beats Christie among women, 47 to 37 percent. But the New Jersey governor has his own 10-point edge among men, who favor him by 45 to 35 percent.
Christie has a slight 37 to 36 percent edge among independent voters. In contrast, Biden loses the independents to Christie, 52 to 21.
“Look, I know he has to appeal to the crazy right wingers in his party. But the fact is, he’s not as forward-thinking as an eighty-seven year-old lady who wears a crown on her head. It’s pathetic.”
– Queen Elizabeth, as told to Andy Borowitz on Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey vetoing marriage equality
(graphic by Memeographs)
Gov. Chris Christie, who vetoed a bill that would have made marriage equality a reality in New Jersey, may want to pay attention to the very solid majority of his peeps who would like to see same-sex marriage happen in the Garden State.
According to a new poll by Quinnipiac University, 60% of New Jersey support marriage equality versus 31% who oppose.
In my opinion, two things are important here:
1. Equal rights for all is easily the right thing to do. No-brainer for most.
2. And, when the solid majority of the people want this issue passed, it seems like another no-brainer.
Gov. Christie – pay attention.
Sometimes, that’s all you have to do to know which way to go.