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Less than 24 hours after the state assembly sent a same-sex marriage bill to his desk New Jersey Governor Chris Christie followed through on his promise to veto the measure, and continued his call for a ballot question. In his veto, the governor cited a continued belief that citizens should decide whether or not to redefine the state’s legal definition of marriage, and included a proposal for the creation of an ombudsman to oversee compliance with the state’s existing civil union laws. Many say the existing laws are both flawed and discriminatory. State Senate President Steve Sweeney(D) condemned the move, saying that Governor Christie, “had a chance to do the right thing, and failed miserably.” (image courtesy of flickr user bobjagendorf) source

Posted by Scott Craft • 0 Comments • Permalink

05 Jul 2011 16:50

Unfortunately, this disease, where a man has sex with a man, which is absolutely unnatural and shouldn’t happen but it is happening, is spreading around the world and has also come to India. Even in our country the numbers of men having sex with men is significant.
Indian Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad • Making comments about the AIDS virus. He later tried to clarify that he didn’t mean gay people, but it’s kinda hard to prove that when he’s quoted saying this. He claims that it only sounded like this because of the way he said it in Hindi, but there’s no way of telling if that’s true. Let’s hope not, because placing a stigma on an entire group of people is wrong, but especially when it comes from government official, simply because it has more impact. source

Posted by Justin Jones • 0 Comments • Permalink

My baseline is a strong civil union that provides them the protections and the legal rights that married couples have. And I think that’s the right thing to do. But I recognize that from their perspective it is not enough, and I think (it) is something that we’re going to continue to debate, and I personally am going to continue to wrestle with going forward.
President Barack Obama, in a December news conference • Discussing his “evolving” views on gay marriage. Tonight, Obama will host a gala as a fundraiser for his campaign — the first of its kind for gay donors. With the gay marriage bill in New York being hanging over his head, this gala will really put his “evolving” view on the issue to the test. Lots of people are criticizing Obama for his stance on gay marriage — especially his progressive base. It’s also worth noting that Obama supported gay marriage back in 1996. It’ll be interesting to see how this gala pans out tonight, because this will come up. source

Posted by Justin Jones • 0 Comments • Permalink

This is not about religion, this is about civil rights.
Sharon Baum, a protester for gay marriage in New York • Describing her take on the gay marriage situation. (Another take, from 80-year-old Ginny Winn: “If this passes, we will become Sodom and Gomorrah.”)Tension is growing as the bill to legalize gay marriage hits in a critical stage — one that requires at least some Republican support to make it happen. It’s a key battleground state for the gay rights movement: If gay marriage passes in New York, there’s a good chance it will set a precedent that other states will follow the Empire State’s lead. A large number of people on both sides of this bill have come forward to protest a decision that could go either way at this point. Keep an eye on this today, guys. source

Posted by Justin Jones • 0 Comments • Permalink

Spend a few hours with this package, guys. The Times wrote three stories for the piece, but the readers submitted 32 of their own equally moving stories. It makes for a very powerful package — in a time where not every corner of society accepts homosexuality, the Times has stepped up to tell some of the stories that need to be told the most — from that of a young Christian girl, to another about a high school ROTC student. It’s a moving read that sends a positive message, too, one we’re all familiar with: It gets better. source

Posted by Justin Jones • 0 Comments • Permalink