News :: GLBT
Same-sex marriage defeated in New Jersey by Hannah Clay Wareham
Associate EditorThursday Jan 7, 2010 The New Jersey Senate Jan. 7 voted down "The Freedom of Religion and Equality in Civil Marriage Act," the bill that -- if signed by Gov. John Corzine -- would have made the Garden State the sixth state in the nation to legalize same-sex marriage.
After hours of debate, the Senate saw an end vote of 20 against, and 14 for. There were 4 abstentions and 2 senators absent.
Garden State Equality, the grassroots organization fighting for same-sex marriage in the state, aim to continue the fight. "With today’s vote in the state Senate, the New Jersey legislature defaulted on its constitutional obligation to provide same-sex couples in New Jersey equal protection," Garden State Equality Chair Steven Goldstein said at the post-Senate vote news conference. Partnering with Lambda Legal, Goldstein and his organization plan to bring marriage equality to New Jersey this year. "Though we didn’t achieve our final victory today, we’re better positioned than we were a few months ago to win marriage equality. So if you’re wondering how we feel, it’s complicated," he said. "On the one hand, we resent, more than you can imagine, remaining second-class citizens a bit longer. On the other hand, the ball has moved forward. The public record for the courts is mighty, and we’re closer than ever to winning."
Prior to the vote, the Senate heard remarks from Senator Sandra Cunningham (D). A descendant of African American slaves, Cunningham detailed America’s "history of inequity for black people" and said, "I cannot in good conscience not support anyone’s fight...to have a kind of life that we all want to have.
"All of us have a right to dignity, a right to love, and a right to respect."
Hannah can be reached at hclaywareham@baywindows.com.
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