NJ Gov. Christie Calls for Voter Referendum on Marriage Equality

Latter Day Pontius Pilot, Gov. Chris Christie

As support for marriage equality builds in the New Jersey state legislature, LGBT advocates were hopeful that Republican Governor Chris Christie was coming around. Just yesterday Christie announced his nominations for two positions on the NJ Supreme Court, which includes Bruce Harris, 61, the openly gay former mayor of Chatham, NJ.

On Tuesday, however, Christie dashed the hopes of Marriage Equality supporters, saying he would veto any legislation aimed at legalizing Marriage Equality and  called for the issue to be put to a public vote. From NJ.com:

"I think this is not an issue that should rest solely in my hands, or the hands of the Senate President or the Speaker or the other 118 members of the Legislature," he said. "Let's let the people of New Jersey decide what is right for the state."

That's right, gays and gals. One more republican refusing to do his job and instead counting on mob rule to to resolve the foremost civil rights issue of our time.

Christie went on to say, "Let's make sure that political maneuvering is not what judges this and let's make sure this is not someone just trying to have fun and create a campaign issue," he said. "The institution of marriage if too serious to be treated like a political football."

Excuse me? Using same-sex marriage as a wedge issue to get the homophobic Republican base to the polls is a tried and true GOP political maneuver. The Bush campaign did it very successfully in '06 and North Carolina is doing the same in the coming primary in May with Amendment One.

Washing your hands of a controversial issue involving the rights of human beings and throwing it to the angry mobs goes all  the way back to Pontius Pilot. Abdicating your responsibility instead of showing true leadership is nothing more than cowardice, especially when new polling shows that 52% of New Jersey voters now favor marriage equality.

If Governor Christie can't take the heat, he should get his fat ass out of the kitchen.

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Related articles

• Marriage Equality Gaining Momentum in Two States with Catholic Governors (and Among Catholic Mayors, too) (newwaysministryblog.wordpress.com)
• NJ Gov Raises Issue of Gay Marriage (myfoxphoenix.com)
• Gov. Christie Says He'll Veto A Gay Marriage Bill If Passed in NJ (philadelphia.cbslocal.com)