Good news today indeed:
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/...
The Supreme Court on Wednesday struck down the Defense of Marriage Act, the 1996 federal law that prohibits married same-sex couples from receiving federal benefits.
In a 5-4 ruling written by Justice Anthony Kennedy, and joined by the liberal-leaning justices, the Court struck down the law that prohibits same-sex couples from receiving federal tax, retirement and immigration benefits.
The decision means married couples will be treated equally by the federal government regardless of their sexual orientation. - TPM, 6/26/13
Today is a great day for marriage equality, love and LGBT rights. But today also makes it official that Governor Chris Christie (R. NJ) is on the wrong side of history:
http://www.nytimes.com/...
Gov. Chris Christie vetoed a newly passed bill on Friday that would legalize same-sex marriage in New Jersey, setting a difficult path for advocates who vowed to fight “with every last breath” to override him.
The governor’s veto was conditional, asking the State Legislature to amend the bill, so that rather than legalizing same-sex marriages, it would establish an overseer to handle complaints that the state’s five-year-old civil union law did not provide gay and lesbian couples the same protections that marriage would.
Mr. Christie also affirmed his call for the Legislature to put a referendum on same-sex marriage on the ballot in November.
“An issue of this magnitude and importance, which requires a constitutional amendment, should be left to the people of New Jersey to decide,” the governor said in a statement. - New York Times, 2/17/12
Though Christie may be letting the voters decide on this issue, his veto last year still puts him on the wrong side of history. And what's worse is his veto was really nothing but a political act to help him get in good with conservative Republican voters for 2016. Tessa Bitterman, State Senator Barbara Buono's (D. NJ) openly gay daughter, has been calling Christie out on this:
http://www.philly.com/...
The youngest daughter of state Sen. Barbara Buono, Christie's opponent in the November election, wrote a scathing letter today to Buono supporters on the governor's opposition to same-sex marriage. In it, Tessa Bitterman, a 22-year-old San Francisco resident following her mother's footsteps to law school, says she is a "gay American" and Christie is a "giant roadblock to New Jersey achieving equality for all."
Christie last year vetoed a bill that would have legalized same-sex marriage, saying voters should decide in a referendum. But Democrats refused, saying civil rights shouldn't be put on the ballot.
Bitterman had been non-existent on the campaign trail up to this point. But she has surfaced during a major week for gay issues. In New Jersey, the Democratic Legislature is poised to send Christie a bill that would ban gay conversion therapy for minors. While gay conversion therapy -- in which therapists try to turn gays straight -- is not widespread in New Jersey, the issue will be seen as a litmus test of Christie's stance on gay issues. - Philadelphia Inquirer, 6/24/13
You can watch Bitterman's video here:
Christie deserves to get hammered on this issue. He may be a Koch Brothers foot soldier but he's not fooling anyone that he's a devout religious conservative. Last year, Christie denied gay couples the right to wed for his own political gain. So he's not only on the wrong side of history, he's also a self serving politician who's too focused on becoming President instead of his current job. New Jersey voters need to get this through their heads. I say lets help Buono's campaign to expose Christie and get someone who truly supports LGBT rights elected this year:
http://www.buonoforgovernor.com/