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PDF versionChurch lobbying effective in NJ same-sex marriage debate
Jan. 19, 2010
Steven Goldstein of Garden State Equality addresses a rally in Trenton, N.J., Jan. 7 after the state senate defeated a same-sex marriage bill. (Chuck Colbert)
TRENTON, N.J. -- Even before the final vote tally, backers of a same-sex marriage bill in the New Jersey Senate knew it would fall short, cosponsor Sen. Loretta Weingberg, D-Teaneck, said following the Jan. 7 vote.
The bill needed 21 votes to pass; it garnered only 14, with a lone Republican supporter. Twenty senators voted against the measure, including six Democrats.
Key to the defeat of the measure, opponents and supporters agreed, was the lobbying effort mounted by the Catholic church.
“[The bishops] were critical,” said Sen. Raymond J. Lesniak, D-Union, a Catholic and a lead sponsor of the bill. “They defeated it,” he added. “The bishops lobbied lawmakers directly, getting people to make phone calls, send e-mails, arrange meetings with legislators. It was the most intensive lobbying by the Catholic church that I have ever seen.”
For months the New Jersey bishops and their lobbying arm, the New Jersey Catholic Conference, spoke out against the same-sex marriage legislation Ñ from the pulpit, in press releases, in statehouse testimony, and through more than 150,000 signatories on a petition against the measure.
The bishops also designated Sunday, Nov. 29, 2009, as a “day of prayer for the vocation and sacrament of marriage,” saying that “society faces serious challenges” from proposed same-sex marriage legislation “that would change the definition of marriage as a union of one man and one woman.”
But the battle is not yet over, as gay marriage advocates vowed to fight on in state court.
“We’re not waiting out the term of any new administration to bring equality to same-sex couples,” Steven Goldstein, chairperson of the pro-gay marriage advocacy group Garden State Equality, told reporters following the vote. Goldstein was referring to incoming Republican Gov.-elect Chris Christie, who was to take office Jan. 19. Christie has made clear he opposes same-sex marriage and will “not sign a bill if it came to my desk.”
In 2006, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled unanimously that same-sex couples must be treated equally under the state constitution. Lawmakers enacted civil unions to comply with the court ruling. Supporters of same-sex marriage argue that civil unions fall far short of the court’s requirement.
“The requirement to ensure equality for same-sex couples, established by the New Jersey Supreme Court in its decision in our marriage lawsuit in 2006 [Lewis v. Harris], has not been met,” Kevin Cathcart, executive director of the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, a national gay-rights legal advocacy group, said in a statement. “There is enormous, heartbreaking evidence that civil unions are not equal to marriage, and we will be going back to the courts in New Jersey to fight for equality.”
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But Patrick Brannigan, executive director of the New Jersey Catholic Conference, believes a legal challenge will be unsuccessful. Rather, he said, the civil unions statute should be properly implemented. “It is a basic principle of public policy that when laws are violated, they should be enforced and penalties imposed,” he said.
Meanwhile, same-sex marriage supporters won a victory in December when the District of Columbia City Council passed a same-sex marriage act that makes the nation’s capital the first jurisdiction below the Mason-Dixon line to allow same-sex couples to wed. Under the District’s home rule charter, however, all laws passed by city council are subject to approval or rejection by the House and Senate. The bill was transmitted to Capitol Hill on Jan. 11 for the required 30-day review period. If Congress does not contest the city’s action, the act could take effect March 2, according to the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest gay-rights advocacy organization.
In San Francisco, a federal court begun hearing evidence on the issue of whether California’s Proposition 8 banning same-sex marriages violates the U.S. Constitution’s equal protection provisions. That suit could eventually go before the U.S. Supreme Court.
[Chuck Colbert is a freelance writer living in Cambridge, Mass.]
It's not Church
It's not Church "lobbying"--it's the Church doing her job: proclaiming the GOSPEL of Jesus Christ....
Anonymous, thank you for your
Anonymous, thank you for your comment. I appreciate your perspective and, clearly, there are many who agree with you. Yet, I have to say, my reading of the gospel of Jesus Christ renders a different verdict on this issue and, again, there are many who agree with this different perspective. I hope you can join with me in respecting one another's view.
Have you heard of the
Have you heard of the principle of noncontradiction? Two opposites cannot simultaneously be true. Either marriage is only between man and woman or it is not. The two opposing views cannot be reconciled, nor should that which is wrong be respected even though one should have a measure of respect for the misguided people who hold wrong views.
Jesus never imposed marriage
Jesus never imposed marriage between a man and a woman…..You probably mean the gospel of Paul who was probably gay himself.
Did not our Lord speak of one
Did not our Lord speak of one man leaving mother and father and cleaving to woman? If you acknowledge the Catholic Church to be the true Church, then do you not accept that the Holy Spirit guides the teachings of the Church regarding sexuality through the ages? Also, as a homosexual myself, I would like to know what you are implying about St. Paul. If St. Paul was homosexual-- so what? Are his teachings and opinions somehow invalid because of his orientation? I have a same-sex orientation, and I oppose same-sex marriage on both religious and constitutional grounds-- are my opinions less valid because I am homosexual? I am deeply offended by the implication that same-sex attracted individuals are somehow "inferior," or are incapable of living up to the demands of chastity.
The legislators are just
The legislators are just biding their time. This vote was done after the November election, so they knew a Republican Governor is likely to veto it. If it was an Democratic governor it probably would have passed without an veto threat.
I see same-sex marriage coming to New Jersey and there is nothing that the Bishops or Rome can do about it. Even the major Catholics for Marriage wing of the name knockoff Catholics for the Common Good: A New Catholic Action (Prop 8ers) said in a recent email that while they won some battles, they feel they lost the war and will be in shelter/retreat mode for younger generations.
Equal rights will come to NJ, probably the next time an Democratic governor is elected or you have a safe 2/3rs veto override in the legislature.
Except, you forget that this
Except, you forget that this was voted on while there was still a Democrat as governor who vowed to sign the bill.
No, "Anonymous," it's
No, "Anonymous," it's lobbying. And each and every not-for-profit organization doing so should lose its tax-exempt status as a result.
Equal protection under the law applies to everybody. Any part of "everybody" you don't understand?
Everybody has the right to
Everybody has the right to marry someone of the opposite sex. That's the law now. That's equal protection. Same sex couplings cannot be marriages; that is a matter of biology and definition. Equal protection has nothing to do with understanding the true definition of marriage.
More bishops who don't
More bishops who don't understand how their intolerant actions are related to the homosexual who takes a beating after coming out of a gay bar.
More bishops who tolerate same-sex relationships amongst themselves and their
subordinate priests but who will not countenance society's accepting and
blessing same-sex unions.
The only difference is that gay bishops and priests don't marry their long-term, same-sex partners.
So this is a church
So this is a church victory...but what have we won? Whom have we "saved" by this action? What sin have we prevented? The sin of extending health insurance benefits to same-sex partners? The sin allowing them to be treated as "next-of-kin" in the case of catastrophic injury or illness? The sin of extending inheritance rights to the lifelong partners of gay people?
If homosexual sex is the sin (as opposed to merely being homosexual), then barring homosexual marriage will not prevent anyone from having sex. It will only make it harder for gay people to take responsibility for their partners. Ultimately, it will make Christianity less appealing to gay people.
A pyrrhic victory, at best.
I completely agree with Susan
I completely agree with Susan Lersch. No matter what the superstitious beliefs lobbying directly invalidates the separation of church and state. A law that this country was founded on.
“[The bishops] were critical,” said Sen. Raymond J. Lesniak, D-Union, a Catholic and a lead sponsor of the bill. “They defeated it,” he added. “The bishops lobbied lawmakers directly, getting people to make phone calls, send e-mails, arrange meetings with legislators. It was the most intensive lobbying by the Catholic church that I have ever seen.”
That is the epitome of a confession.
I completely agree with Susan
I completely agree with Susan Lersch. No matter what the superstitious beliefs lobbying directly invalidates the separation of church and state. A law that this country was founded on.
“[The bishops] were critical,” said Sen. Raymond J. Lesniak, D-Union, a Catholic and a lead sponsor of the bill. “They defeated it,” he added. “The bishops lobbied lawmakers directly, getting people to make phone calls, send e-mails, arrange meetings with legislators. It was the most intensive lobbying by the Catholic church that I have ever seen.”
That is the epitome of a confession.
If the Church lobbies to
If the Church lobbies to impose its views on the entire population, then surely it should pay taxes like everybody else.
Way to show the love and
Way to show the love and compassion of Christ! Go Jesus PAC!
"Church lobbying effective in
"Church lobbying effective in NJ same-sex marriage debate"
Lets be honest with that title:
"Church bigotry effective in keeping NJ from giving all it's citizens equal rights"
It is NOT about the Church
It is NOT about the Church "doing her job"! The People of God ARE the Church. It is unthinkable that Christ would EXCLUDE homosexual persons who LOVE each other from marriage. Homosexuality is not something a person chooses. It is WHO they are and not something that they suddenly decide to try. The dark and sinister forces behind denying same sex couples the right to marry are, for the most part, but not all, right wing reactionary elements of humanity that love to EXCLUDE and DEVALUE other human beings. They apply this hatred to women when it comes to equal access to ordination to the priesthood. It is shameful and evil to hate and exclude others. Christ did not and would not do this. Ignorance is no excuse for disenfranchising a whole group of human beings and the Catholic Church can't get this right because we have essentially been a Church of white power hungry men who really do not follow Christ and his examples. Hypocrites come in all shapes and sizes, and Catholic bishops and especially the cardinals and pope fall right into this group. The power holders in Rome do not want equal protection for all and the strange little bishops in America want a red hat from the pope so they can have MORE power and control of other human beings. They are poor examples for any Christian, Catholic or non-Catholic to follow.
The Catholic Church treats
The Catholic Church treats adoptees with the same disdain
and their undue influence in Trenton has prevented adoption
reform for 30 years. It's criminal.
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