Marriage equality advances, governor makes cynical offer

http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1

The last vestige of a politician who knows he is on the wrong side of a civil rights issue is to ask for a referendum.


Gov. Chris Christie did just that today, as the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced legislation that would legalize same-sex marriage in the state. On the surface, this would seem like a significant concession on his part — polls have shown support in recent years.

But that is not the point. Same-sex marriage is a civil rights issue. Allowing the state to retain an outmoded and religiously based definition of marriage treats gay and lesbian couples as second-class citizens. Pretending to address this issue by offering a public vote on whether gays and lesbians should be treated as equals under the law is cynical and cowardly.

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Author: hankkalet

Hank Kalet is a poet and freelance journalist. He is the economic needs reporter for NJ Spotlight, teaches journalism at Rutgers University and writing at Middlesex County College and Brookdale Community College. He writes a semi-monthly column for the Progressive Populist. He is a lifelong fan of the New York Mets and New York Knicks, drinks too much coffee and attends as many Bruce Springsteen concerts as his meager finances will allow. He lives in South Brunswick with his wife Annie. View all posts by hankkalet