N.J. Senate continues to hear gay marriage bill debate

By Statehouse Bureau Staff

December 07, 2009, 9:10PM

Tony Kurdzuk/The Star-LedgerPeople both for and against bill S1967/A2978 sit in an overflow room at the Statehouse this evening as they listen in to a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the bill which would allow gay couples to marry.TRENTON — More than six hours after it began, the debate over whether New Jersey should allow same-sex marriage continues in the Statehouse.

The Senate Judiciary Committee has heard from Orthodox Jews and Catholic officials opposing same-sex marriage on religious grounds, as well as civil rights leaders and legal experts who support it based on constitutional grounds.

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• Full Star-Ledger coverage of the Gay Marriage Debate in New Jersey

• N.J. polls show that most residents say gay marriage is not a ‘major issue’

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Hundreds of people signed up to speak, and people waiting to testify gathered in another committee room. Some ordered pizza deliveries to the Statehouse tonight.

Tony Kurdzuk/The Star-LedgerA group of Hasidic Jewish men stand in protest outside the Statehouse Annex this afternoon before the Senate Judiciary Committee began its hearing on bill S1967/A2978.Committee Chairman Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-Bergen) said he doesn’t expect a vote until almost midnight.

Testimony was emotional, with speakers appealing to lawmakers on religious and personal grounds.

“This is an existential threat to our religious communities,” said Rabbi Noson Leiter of Torah Jews for Morality. “This is not tolerance. This is barbarism.” (My own note: Of course, since gay peole killed dinosaurs, they must be capable of killing Jews as well.)

Allen Neuner, 57, of Somerville said a civil union, which was legalized in 2006, is insufficient for him and his partner of 10 years.

“Getting a civil union would mean admitting before God and man that we’re second-class citizens in our own state,” he said. “Quite frankly, I’m not going to insult my partner by asking him to enter a second-class relationship.”

A few testy moments occurred shortly after 8:30 p.m. when attorney Tom Prol, representing the state bar association, spoke about a New Jersey Civil Union Review Commission report that found civil unions were not giving same-sex couples the protections of marriage as the law intended.

Sen. Gerald Cardinale (R-Bergen) challenged Prol, asking him if he could honestly say the commission was unbiased. Prol said he could.

Cardinale then referred to law school as a place where people spend three years learning to lie. (My own note: It’s really funny to hear a politicition accusing a lawyer of lying.)

“You are not lying effectively,” the senator told Prol, then launched into a short speech where he noted the importance of lawmakers having the “consent of the governed.”

His speech ended when Sen. Nia Gill (D-Essex) broke in, asking, “Senator, are you asking a question?”

Gill then addressed Prol, saying, “You are not a liar and we apologize.”

Applause erupted before the hearing continued.

Although the committee was expected to approve the bill, it’s unclear if it has enough support to pass the entire Senate, where it could reach the floor for a vote as early as Thursday.

By Mary Fuchs and Chris Megerian/Statehouse Bureau

I have to say that I’m indeed appalled by the hatred that some people have against other people.

Activist of the Day: Chris Pesto

Chris Pesto, a junior drama major at Syracuse University, felt uncomfortable when he saw Open-Air Campaigner evangelist Michelle Deferio standing on campus with her anti-gay sign, so he decided to create a bit of his own drama:

Writes Pesto: “This woman was wearing a ankle-length corduroy skirt, which, as we all know, is a fashion nono. So, in order to make her feel uncomfortable, I stood next to her and held a sign that said Corduroy skirts are a sin! I don’t think I have ever drawn so much attention in my life. SO many people asked to take a picture with me, I got laughs, high fives and there were the few that even cursed off the woman standing behind me. As I drew interest to what was going on with myself and the woman with the hateful sign, I started to draw a crowd that stood with me in support. Before I knew it I had 100+ people holding signs for gay rights asking people to honk their horns to support. I was interviewed by a news station, and more than 5 student organization papers, and the post standard of syracuse.”

(via slog)

This happened on November 18th, 2009. Two weeks later on December 2nd, New York Senate voted against legalizing gay marriage in the state. Hate and fear are a sin.