It was especially crucial for the bill to pass at this point, since outgoing Governor Jon Corzine, a Democrat, had promised to sign it into law, while incoming Republican Governor Chris Christie is on record as being opposed to the bill.
Still, as painful as it always is when a vote goes against us (and honestly, nothing could be more painful or downright infuriating then the idea that our basic civil rights are something people can vote to deny us!), this was just a setback, not a defeat. Stephen Goldstein, the director of Garden State Equality, had this to say:
"Though we didn’t achieve our final victory today, we’re better positioned than we were a few months ago to win marriage equality. 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."
It sounds like the New Jersey courts are the next stop in the fight for equality there.
The new year started with joyous wedding ceremonies for same sex couples in New Hampshire, and that is the image I'm going to carry in my mind all year, through the inevitable ups and downs of this ongoing fight.
The new year started with joyous wedding ceremonies for same sex couples in New Hampshire, and that is the image I'm going to carry in my mind all year, through the inevitable ups and downs of this ongoing fight.
No comments:
Post a Comment