Comments about ‘NJ Gov. Christie vetoes gay marriage bill as vowed’

'In returning the bill to the Legislature, Christie reaffirmed his view that voters should decide whether to change the definition of marriage in New Jersey.' - Article

Pathetic.

So, the vote goes through the NJ House.

The vote goes through the NJ Senate.

And Christy claims marriage should be put up to public vote?

This is a desperate last cry for those against gay marriage. Unable to present one shred of evidence of the 'harm' of gay marriage. They instead rally around the 'public vote'...

and ignore the elected officials.

When, they are one.

I will ask a very simple question.

Was YOUR marriage, put up to a public vote?

"I have been just as adamant that same-sex couples in a civil union deserve the very same rights and benefits enjoyed by married couples as well as the strict enforcement of those rights and benefits,"

This was exactly the point of the ruling by the 9th Circuit Court of appeals. If civil unions provide the very same rights and benefits as marriage, then the ONLY possible purpose served by denying same sex couples the use of the word "marriage" is to disparage, degrade, and diminish their relationships and make them second class citizens!

If there is no difference, then just call it marriage!

I am Glad to See a Good Governor like Christie who values what the people should do and is to vote and choose freely, if this is a good thing or not, Just like California who chose against prep 8.
The gay Train is been derail and hopes is the people will do the right thing like California did.Absolutly not to gay marriage.

If gay marriage was put on a referendum on all 50 states to vote for or against, would the public be willing to abide by the results. The answer is NO, because there would always be gay rights advocates who were sure churches out spent them and browbeat their members into voting against gay marriage. Those who advocate gay marriage are the vocal-very vocal-minority and would not be able to accept any kind of defeat. Pagan, I am sure you will have one of usual long,documented rebuttals---so lets have it. I think the only thing we are able to agree on is that we will never be able to agree.

I have said it repeatedly rights should not be up for a vote and it should not be up to any governor to decide.

@ticoloco and dlw7

in a recent poll 54% of MJ registered voters support gay marriage, Thirty-five percent oppose gay marriage.

the overwhelming majority of recent polls also show that the MAJORITY of americans support gay marriage. You can whine and cry all you want but change is coming and you are on the wrong side of history.

There is still hope for good to prevail when there are men like Christie serving as governors. We can only hope more elected officials will have the courage to stand up to those who would define marriage out of being an institution that works to encorage the raising of children by their biological parents.

thanks governor!

@john pack lambert
right because as we have discussed before gay and lesbians never have biological children right? Oh wait no thats right they actually do.

@dlw7
we can put it to a national vote as soon as you agree to place your civil rights up for a national vote.

@ Phranc; Sir/Madam, You are wrong. Polls are only as reliable as the places, times, and people doing the polling. That is why Gov Christie wants it on the ballot, so that everyone, whether they live in a big city, urban areas or rural setting can weigh in on the issue. The majority of people in the United States are NOT in favor of gay marriage, yet, the minority like yourself try to convince the rest of us that gay marriage is totally acceptable to everyone. You are wrong, totally.

How right you are, A Scientist! Moderate Republicans - who know better - dare not say it for what it is: Disapproval of homosexuals. Nothing more, nothing less. But they won't say it.

I guess we know who won't be getting reelected.

Gov. Christie claims that the public should decide. Isn't that the point of our entire governmental system? Representatives are elected BY THE PEOPLE to speak FOR THE PEOPLE. The State congress has made the peoples' wishes clear... why should there need to be any further debate on the matter?

This is not a civil rights issue. The topic of discussion is whether or not we should redefine marriage. The LBGT community have all of the rights that everybody else has. They can get married, but it has to be a man and a woman.

So your refutation to phrancs post pointing out that the polls do to agree with you are that the polls are all wrong and do not post any evidence to support your claims? May I suggest you may want to try a little harder next time if you want to convince anyone you have a leg to stand on.

It is rude to put words in people's mouths. If we say we love our gay brothers and sisters just as much as straight people, no one has the right the judge our hearts in the matter. A person can hold a belief about whether something is right or wrong without hating an individual who disagrees. Or do some of you only define yourselves by your sexual preferences? Personally, I feel there is a lot more to people and choose to find things to love about everyone.

@future president
unfortunately for you the courts have determined that your argument holds no water since their is no valid reason to deny them the right to marry someone of the same sex and that their rights to marry is actually guaranteed under the 14th amendment rights. If you hope to be a future president you may want to actually learn the constitution and maybe come up with some talking points that have not been talked to death already.

SammyB, I won't put words in your mouth. But I will ask you to consider why it is, with all the abounding love for each other, we continue to deny marriage to committed couples. If you believe, as Gov. Christie states, that discriminiation is patently wrong, then why are homosexual couples left out? If we love, why don't we let?

EDM,

I love my children but I can't support them when they make choices that I know will hurt them. I sincerely believe in an afterlife and I believe that Heavenly Father teaches that this unnatural practice hurts our spirits. I have friends and relatives that are gay and I am happy to report that they know full well that I do not judge their choices, and I love them deeply. But they also understand that I can't pretend to agree with that one aspect of their life. Why is it that you feel I don't have a right to an opinion on the issue? Or that if my opinion is different than yours, that it means I am hateful?

@sammyb
I do not see anyone on this thread calling you hateful or telling you you don't have your right to your opinion. I for one really appreciate the honesty of telling people why you actually do not supporting gay marriage instead of hiding behind lies and false claims as many on these threads like to do. It is when people start spreading hurtful lies and half truths that i get upset. I can respect your religious objections and have no interest in trying to connivence you to change them.