Social conservatives say gay marriage is not needed because the state’s civil union law affords protections, and argue that if New Jersey citizens approve of same-sex marriage, then it should be passed through the legislature, as happened in New York, rather than be imposed by the judiciary.
The lawsuit came less than a week after New York legalized gay marriage.
“We feel like there’s real momentum for marriage equality right now especially in the Tri-State area,” Gorenberg said. “At this point New Jersey in standing alone in Tri-State field and not in a good way at all. It’s the only state in the Tri-State region that is not allowing for marriage equality for same sex couples and we think that must end.”
In an interview over the weekend, Gov. Chris Christie again repeated his opposition to same-sex marriage.
“I believe marriage should be between one man and one woman. That’s my view, and that’ll be the view of our state because I wouldn’t sign a bill like the one that was in New York,” Christie said.
They're going to face an uphill battle as the New Jersey Supreme Court refused to take up an earlier case and lawmakers in Trenton have been unable to pass their own version of a gay marriage act.
In time, I think New Jersey will pass a gay marriage bill, but this wont be the way to do it. Besides, those in New Jersey will simply cross the Hudson River to get married in New York.
And like in New York, it wont be the end of the world when gays are allowed to marry. Life will go on. Gay couples will be afforded protections and benefits seen by married couples that married couples (and families in general enjoy and take for granted) including the right to visit their spouses in hospitals, be privy to medical decisions, and a whole host of financial benefits. Many of those are provided under the New Jersey civil unions law, but these plaintiffs are claiming otherwise.
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