Tag: marriage equality

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New Jersey: Senate approves gay marriage bill

New Jersey lawmakers in the state Senate passed a bill legalizing gay marriage for the first time Monday, despite Gov. Chris Christie’s insistence that he will veto such legislation.

The Senate’s 24-16 vote sends the bill to the Assembly, which is expected to pass it on Thursday.

Six states and Washington, D.C., allow gay marriage, and Washington state will be added to that list when Gov. Christine Gregoire signs legislation legalizing same-sex marriage Monday.

Christie, a Republican, has said he does not believe marriage laws should be changed but does support New Jersey’s civil union law, which grants gay couples the legal protections of marriage.

Christie said he wants to put a change in the definition of marriage to a public vote.  But gay rights groups oppose a referendum. They see gay marriage as a civil rights matter and argue that it should not be up to the masses to protect the rights of a minority group.

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Excellent commentary on marriage equality – Elizabeth Danu

Terrific article on the eventuality of marriage equality on Yahoo News by Elizabeth Danu. Here’s just some excerpts:

Despite the efforts of conservatives who fear that allowing gay couples the dignity of marriage will cause an apocalypse, the tide is turning relentlessly toward allowing gay marriage. Like it or not, it’s here to stay. Washington is on the verge of becoming the seventh state to make same sex marriage legal, according to the Associated Press.

The legal process of making unfair discrimination going away has always been lengthy and difficult, but eventually it happens. It’s called progress. This morning I was listening to the radio to commentary about Proposition 8. The parallel was drawn between gay marriage and interracial marriage, which at one time was illegal. I’m sure somebody thought the sky would fall and the Earth open to swallow us all if we allowed people of different races to marry, but ultimately reason won out.

What will happen if same sex couples are allowed to marry? They will. So what? Now can we focus on something important, like fixing the economy, creating some jobs, ending global warming?

Women had to fight for the vote too, which in hindsight was absurd. Someday the absurdity of Proposition 8 will be just as obvious.

Read the entire article on Yahoo News.

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Rick Santorum responds to Prop 8 decision

Yes – Rick Santorum is finally getting it.

Yes – “irrational hatred and bigotry toward a group of people” is the only reason you would DENY equal rights to fellow Americans.

Yes, Rick, you finally see the light.

A civil marriage license is issued by a civil government – NOT a church – and that, by it’s own definition, makes this a civil rights issue.

Rick is so offended by the word ‘bigot’ – and yet it’s just a word. An accurate word to describe his position against the civil rights of gays and lesbians.

Let’s look up the definition of the word “bigot” – shall we?

From the Merriam-Webster dictionary:

“Bigot: a person who is obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices; especially : one who regards or treats the members of a group with hatred and intolerance”

It’s a word. A word that neither good or bad; it’s simply a word that describes someone who is ‘devoted to his or her own opinions.’ Sounds like folks like Rick Santorum, doesn’t it?

Why be mad Rick? It just is what it is…

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Washington state marriage equality bill passes in the House

The Washington House of Representatives has passed the bill (55-43) in favor of marriage equality! Once signed by Gov. Christine Gregoire, Washington will become the seventh state (plus Washington, D.C.) in the U.S. to legally recognize same-sex marriage.

The governor is expected to sign the bill into law next week, though those against marriage equality are expected to try and get a referendum on the ballot to counter the bill. Marriages could then be put on hold until the November vote, or otherwise begin as early as June.

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Marriage equality bill introduced in Illinois

A marriage equality bill has been introduced in Illinois by Rep. Greg Harris (D-Chicago), the Chicago Phoenix reports:

“It marks the next step in our journey toward full marriage equality in our state,” Harris told Chicago Phoenix. “It’s not going to happen quickly, it’s not going to happen without a lot of hard work.”

If passed, the new law would amend the Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act,  allowing the voluntary conversion of a civil union to a marriage.

Out lesbian lawmakers Rep. Deborah Mell (40th District) and Rep. Kelly M. Cassidy (14th District) are co-sponsors of the bill.

Writes Equality Illinois CEO Bernard Cherkasov in an email:

“We commend these leaders for taking yet another step towards full equality for lesbian and gay families in Illinois, and we are grateful to them for their leadership. This is just the beginning: the road to marriage equality is sure to be long, but it is one that we must travel together.

”

“In following experiences of thousands of couples in civil unions over the past year, we confirmed what we always suspected to be true: that creating a separate institution to provide substantially the same rights did not add up to full equality under the law. A pharmacist who denied prescription pick-up to the patient’s civil union partner didn’t think it’s the same thing as marriage. A coroner who refused to issue a death certificate to civil union partner survivor did not think that civil unions are the same as marriage. Tax preparers, estate planners, employers and employees do not think that civil unions are the same as marriage. Separate is not equal. And we at Equality Illinois will not rest until gay and lesbian couples in every corner of the state – who are equal in love – are also equal in marriage.”

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BREAKING: Federal Appeals Court finds Prop 8 unconstitutional

From Think Progress: In a 2 to 1 ruling, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed Judge Walker’s decision declaring that Proposition 8 violates the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses of the Constitution.

“Although the Constitution permits communities to enact most laws they believe to be desirable, it requires that there be at least a legitimate reason for the passage of a law that treats different classes of people differently. There was no such reason that Proposition 8 could have been enacted,” the ruling states.

“Proposition 8 serves no purpose, and has no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in California, and to officially reclassify their relationships and families as inferior to those of opposite-sex couples,” Judge Stephen Reinhardt wrote in the majority opinion.

The court said gay marriages cannot resume in the state until the deadline passes for Proposition 8 sponsors to appeal to a larger panel of the 9th Circuit. If such an appeal is filed, gay marriages will remain on hold until it’s resolved.