Out of the way, Chris Christie. Mercer County Superior Court Judge Mary Jacobson (pictured) ruled today that Garden State gay couples can marry beginning October 21.
“This unequal treatment requires that New Jersey extend civil marriage to same-sex couples to satisfy equal protection guarantees of the New Jersey Constitution as interpreted by the New Jersey Supreme Court in Lewis,” wrote Jacobson. “Same-sex couples must be allowed to marry in order to obtain equal protection of the law under the New Jersey Constitution.”
According to Associated Press, the judge accepted the position of lawyers from gay rights groups that the state is now blocking citizens from receiving federal benefits.
Gov. Christie is opposed to gay marriage and his administration is expected to appeal.
UPDATE:
Politico reports that Christie’s press secretary released a statement just after the ruling that reads, “Governor Christie has always maintained that he would abide by the will of the voters on the issue of marriage equality and called for it to be on the ballot this Election Day. Since the legislature refused to allow the people to decide expeditiously, we will let the Supreme Court make this constitutional determination.”
dregstudios
We need an across-the-board decision by the Federal Government. Here in TN, they’ve gone as far as to create a new holiday- “Traditional Marriage Day” in which the wording of the bill quotes The Holy Bible. Why does the State feel it has the right to continually define marriage? Exactly what is “Traditional” Marriage in Tennessee seeing as even Interracial Marriage is STILL outlawed by the State Constitution along with Same Sex Marriage? http://dregstudiosart.blogspot.com/2013/08/on-wrong-side-of-hypocrisy-traditional.html
MikeE
ah yes, Governor Chris Christie, a proponent of the “needs of the few outweigh the needs of the many” philosophy. or in this case, “the needs of the one outweigh the needs of the many”.
Isn’t it incredibly arrogant that he should veto a bill that is passed by a majority of ELECTED statesmen?
veto powers should only exist to avoid the possibility of “tyranny of the majority” situations, where a majority decide to strip away rights from a minority. they should NEVER exist in a case of STOPPING equality.
deepwell
fat overbearing bore Christie. rude, mean spiteful, evil, liar, turncoat, kissass, liver lips, Christie. someone needs to stick a hand up his ass and pull out the devil alien.
TampaBayTed
Somebody forgot to tell him the day of the Mafia don is past.
robho3
Hey deepwell……. was all that hate you just spewed out really necessary. I don’t like Christie’s views on this either but him being fat has nothing to do with anything. Maybe net time post a mature logical response without the name calling. Thanks!
Kieran
The NJ Legislature has voted to approve gay marriage. Polls show the majority of the people in NJ now support gay marriage. The NJ judiciary has clearly shown support for gay marriage.
But one man in NJ likes gay marriage about as much as he likes dieting. So therefore no gay marriage in NJ.
NJ is kind of like Italy under Mussolini.
maxdadmark
@robho3: I’m sorry, but if you think that his morbid obesity has “nothing to do” with his thinking, behavior, and self-image, then you are emotionally “immature.”
bmwblonde
@roho3 – Christie may be an ignorant, prejudiced Neanderthal twit – but he IS fat. And I I (in the abstract) feel sorry for him for the latter, but not for the former. And likely he is being a TOTAL cynic – trying to earn right wing political points for preaching hate. So I suggest you save your politically correct “compassion” for some fat person who is NOT a destructive A-hole.
andy_d
@deepwell: There is also the homonym “boor” that is equally appropriate. Shame the man will not face the facts that the state legislature and now the state courts support us in this issue.
John Doe
It reminds me of a few years ago when another politician defended anti-gay laws in federal courtrooms. Oh, but because he’s a Democrat we can look past Obama’s years of hurting gays.
I certainly don’t favor or support Christie. But, the double-standards in some of the above posts is…. not surprising.
Today’s politicians are not leaders for the most part. They do what is politically safe.
hyhybt
Welcome news. (And good news even for Christie)
Charli Girl
Oh it’ll be boring without the “good ole boys” They KNOW its all over but the crying but like Ted Cruz they wanna do a song and dance! So let’s just have fun with them and amuse them…lol
Dakotahgeo
@deepwell: Ewwwwwwwww… not MY hand!!! Better a lit stick of dy-no-mite and watch the Krispy Kreme filling flyyyyyyyy!!!
jckfmsincty
I support anything that could prevent Governor Christie from ever being in the White House.
contos
@maxdadmark: I’m sorry, but calling roho3 “emotionally ‘immature’” is name-calling, and is emotionally immature. Nothing roho3 said about deepwell’s response was disrespectful. Your response was disrespectful. People that resort to name-calling are using bully tactics to push people around that they disagree with.
contos
@bmwblonde: Genuine compassion isn’t about political correctness , it’s about treating all human beings with basic respect, humanity, and empathy — including, and especially, people you disagree with. It’s not very popular these days to be compassionate. People are in love with being outraged and couldn’t care less about civility. One only has to look at Washington D.C., or the comments on this website, to see proof of that. Being snarky and name-calling may make some people feel temporarily feel better about themselves, but it’s ultimately not a very effective way of changing people’s minds.
Dakotahgeo
@contos: Thank you, contos!
Caleb in SC
@MikeE: You nailed it perfectly. That has always been my bitch with Christie. He is a big proponent of majority rule only when it suits him politically.
tdx3fan
@John Doe: The fact that we forgive Obama for his years of stupidity concerning the matter has very little to do with his political affiliation and everything to do with the fact that he no longer is openly opposing gay rights. If Christie wants to start allying with us instead of trying to thwart us at every turn, he will be forgiven just as quickly. We tend to champion the stories of those who have come to see the light in this community.
Charli Girl
@tdx3fan: SO TRUE!!!
tdx3fan
@contos: Let the PC crap die. Name calling is a common tactic, and is completely acceptable when the adjectives that are being used to describe the subject fit.
FelicitasPope
my mother recently purchased Nissan 370Z Convertible just by part time work from a computer. redirected here,,, 2.gp/rFvA
jwrappaport
Jabba the Hutt 2016!
the other Greg
@dregstudios: “Traditional Marriage Day” in Tennessee?:
Wearing a “wife-beater” shirt? Then, beating your wife?
Then, fucking your sister-in-law? Fucking your sister? Fucking your nephew?
Then, (after church on Sunday of course), cooking up some meth and doing it all over again?
And I’m guessing NASCAR is involved: the “sport” of watching traffic turn left.
Sounds like an interesting cultural tradition!
the other Greg
Christie should wake up from his sugar-induced slumber.
He doesn’t have a real reason to oppose this, he’s just worried about the 2016 primaries. He shouldn’t be, since a slight majority of REPUBLICAN voters nationwide now favor gay marriage. If he really wants to be president, he might as well “evolve” on this one.
EGO
Kudos to Mercer County Superior Court Judge Mary Jacobson. I doubt that Christie’s appeal will amount to anything. That is the problem with Christie and other people of his ilk, they have a problem learning and advancing to current times.
HirsuteOne
This the result of the 2006 Lewis v. Harris NJ Supreme Court ruling ordering the NJ legislature to do something, either marriage or civil unions. Christie’s appeal will amount to nothing. Does he think the NJ Supreme Court suddenly changed their mind on the issue?
Dakotahgeo
@HirsuteOne: Yeah, he probably does. Gov. CRISpy Kreme is not the brightest streetlight on the Boulevard! nor in politics!
StephK
How a morbidly obese narcissist was able to stand in the way between the citizens of New Jersey and their marriage rights is unbelievable. However, a Superior Court judge has saved the day, and the Christie appeal to repeal will amount to nothing. The State of New Jersey is more intelligent and fair to its citizens than the governor will ever be.
As a citizen of the Garden State and an avid Christie watcher, I have to agree with HirsuteOne..Christie may be self-serving, manipulative and a legend in his own mind, but the sharpest knife in the drawer he isn’t.
Geoff B
My guess is he knows he’ll lose and he’s only posturing since he’s going to run in 16. And we should hope he does. If a Repub wins the White House, would you rather have him or Cruz, Santorum, Paul, or Rubio? I know I’m playing Devil’s advocate here, but suppose the economy tanks in the next two years and there is a backlash against the Dems. I’m not crazy about Christie either, but he’s a lot better than the alternatives.