In his last days as mayor of Newark, New Jersey, Senator-elect
Cory Booker has plans:
[...] to start the ball rolling on marriage equality in New Jersey by marrying several same-sex couples at 12:01 a.m. Monday, Oct. 21, BuzzFeed has learned. [...]
The only remaining question is whether the New Jersey Supreme Court will issue an order before then putting marriage equality on hold while it considers an appeal of the trial-court decision that led to Booker’s plans.
According to information provided to BuzzFeed, wedding plans are moving forward at this time, with at least 10 couples and their families expected to attend the early Monday morning event.
Take that as a reminder of the difference between a Wall Street Democrat like Booker and basically any Republican. Like, say, New Jersey Gov.
Chris Christie, whose administration is appealing the trial court marriage equality decision and who:
[...] said Tuesday that if one of his four children came out as gay, he would “grab them and hug them and tell them I love them.”
He would also tell them “that Dad believes that marriage is between one man and one woman,” he said.
I love you, kiddo, but not enough to jeopardize my chances in a Republican presidential primary by thinking that the child I love should have the right to marry the partner they love.
Marriage equality will come to New Jersey, sooner or later. Here's hoping it's Monday soon.
11:48 AM PT: Suck it, Gov. Christie, and celebrate it, people of New Jersey. Marriages can go forward Monday:
The seven-member New Jersey Supreme Court today issued a unanimous ruling that a stay of a lower court order would not be in the public interest after the State of New Jersey failed to demonstrate how gay marriages would harm the state.
An appeal of today’s ruling is expected in January, but same-sex marriages will proceed in New Jersey in the meantime.