NJ Senate Oks Same-Gender Marriage Bill In Milestone Vote

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trentonThe New Jersey state Senate passed a bill legalizing same gender marriage this afternoon by a vote of 24-16.

Two Republicans, Sen. Jennifer Beck (R-Monmouth) and Sen. Diane Allen (R-Burlington) voted yes on the bill.

“We have some among us who are separate and not equal,” Beck said.

The bills passage elicited a round of applause from those in the audience wearing blue in support of the bill, which Gov. Chris Christie has promised to veto. Sen. Ray Lesniak (D-Union), a co-sponsor, raised his arm in victory and said “Yes!”

Two Democrats, Sen. Ronald Rice (D-Essex) and Sen. Jeff Van Drew (D-Cape May), voted no.

The 24 votes in favor of the bill leaves supporters three votes short of the 27 votes they would need to override Christie’s veto.

The debate lasted less than an hour, with only Sen. Gerald Cardinale (R-Bergen) speaking against the bill.

“The essential characteristic of a marriage, the very definition of the term, is it involves at least one male and one female,” Cardinale said. “Do not break with thousands of years of civilized tradition. This bill opens Pandora’s box.”

The Assembly will take up the bill on Thursday.

Christie, who opposes same gender marriage, wants to put the issue on the ballot in November, but Democrats have rejected that option, saying civil rights should not be subject to popular vote.

“We should not be in the business of legally sanctioning homophobia,” Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen), one of the sponsors of the bill said. She added legislators were elected to lead, “not to abdicate leadership and cut and run when the job gets hard.”

{Star Ledger/Matzav.com Newscenter}


12 COMMENTS

  1. disgusting & a embarassment

    to get out of the USA & be on your way to Eretz Yisroel. dont wait until NJ & THE USA go down more in other ways i.e. the economy, taxes, corruption etc… go NOW to eretz yisroel where the economy is better & CLOSER TO HASHEM.

  2. “nothing will help us – WE NEED MASHIACH!!!!!!!!!”

    MASHIACH only comes if we bring it-by fighting against the world’s decay.

  3. this is so discriminatory. i have a table and chair that have been together for over 10 years now. of course there were some rough times , they both have bruises to show. and also the chair enjoys hanging out with other chairs while the table is really much steadier. but all in all it really is a pretty good match. i cant get any traction on my push to legalize their marriage! it is completely disgusting this discrimination! now the chair is so distraught it is starting to fall apart!and i cant find the provision in the UNIVERSAL health care bill to pay for its treatment. i mean the chair is in the universe so it should have the right to the health care it needs. you just cant trust todays politician to do the right thing anymore.

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