NJ Gays get Civil Unions Or Something - Political Forum

Coyote Says · 10-25-2006, 04:07 PM

This just in:

Quote:

HELD: Denying committed same-sex couples the financial and social benefits and privileges given to their married
heterosexual counterparts bears no substantial relationship to a legitimate governmental purpose. The Court holds
that under the equal protection guarantee of Article I, Paragraph 1 of the New Jersey Constitution, committed samesex
couples must be afforded on equal terms the same rights and benefits enjoyed by opposite-sex couples under the
civil marriage statutes. The name to be given to the statutory scheme that provides full rights and benefits to samesex
couples, whether marriage or some other term, is a matter left to the democratic process.

[emphasis mine]
...

15. To bring the State into compliance with Article I, Paragraph 1 so that plaintiffs can exercise their full
constitutional rights, the Legislature must either amend the marriage statutes or enact an appropriate statutory
structure within 180 days of the date of this decision. (p. 65)

http://www.blogs.nj.com/uploads/246474-opinion.pdf

Quote:

BREAKING NEWS
(AP)

Updated: 16 minutes ago

TRENTON, N.J. - New Jersey’s highest court ruled Wednesday that gay couples are entitled to the same rights as heterosexuals but that lawmakers must determine whether the state will honor gay marriage or some other form of civil union.
Advocates on both sides of the issue believed New Jersey posed the best chance to become only the second after Massachusetts to legalize gay marriage because its high court has a history of extending civil rights protections.
Instead, the Supreme Court stopped short of fully approving gay marriage and gave lawmakers 180 days to rewrite marriage laws to either include gay couples or create new civil unions.

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/15416613/

3 down, 47 to go....

sglaine · 10-25-2006, 04:10 PM

(LOL) Good place for it. There not in my back yard.

Ygorl · 10-25-2006, 04:14 PM

The way it reads to me is that they won't necessarily be called the same THING (marriages).

The Court holdsthat under the equal protection guarantee of Article I, Paragraph 1 of the New Jersey Constitution, committed samesexcouples must be afforded on equal terms the same rights and benefits enjoyed by opposite-sex couples under the civil marriage statutes. The name to be given to the statutory scheme that provides full rights and benefits to same sex couples, whether marriage or some other term, is a matter left to the democratic process.

Hmmmm... the democratic process ? So, some judge with his head up his robe won't be able to force this state to call them "marriages" ?

The PEOPLE will have to VOTE on it ?

Maybe I'm confused. I thought the stench from the bench could tell us what to do and create and make social policy for us all ?

Coyote Says · 10-25-2006, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thane

The way it reads to me is that they won't necessarily be called the same THING (marriages).

Yeah, that's what I got out of it too.

Cheer up, Thane, I'm starting to entertain the possibility, at least, that we don't have to call them marriages. As long as the end result is the same. Many people are stubbornly prejudiced against gays and I'm starting to wonder if calling it "marriage" is going to have any positive effect on that.

Besides, you know us ***s. We like to be "special".

Ygorl · 10-25-2006, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coyote Says

Yeah, that's what I got out of it too.

Cheer up, Thane, I'm starting to entertain the possibility, at least, that we don't have to call them marriages. As long as the end result is the same. Many people are stubbornly prejudiced against gays and I'm starting to wonder if calling it "marriage" is going to have any positive effect on that.

Besides, you know us ***s. We like to be "special".

Well screw you buddy. Trust me I'm WAY more special than you or ANY homos.

I'm a loyal GWAR fan. We ARE very special people:

http://gwar.net/blog/5

All in fun ok ?

Well maybe. I speak from the mouth of GWAR :-)

Coyote Says · 10-25-2006, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thane

Well screw you buddy. Trust me I'm WAY more special than you or ANY homos.

I'm a loyal GWAR fan. We ARE very special people:

http://gwar.net/blog/5

All in fun ok ?

Well maybe. I speak from the mouth of GWAR :-)

Yeah I know you're just giving me shit GWARboy....

Ygorl · 10-25-2006, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coyote Says

Yeah I know you're just giving me shit GWARboy....

He ehhhehheeee.... now go and purchase all of their CD's and join the slaves of GWAR

You might actually enjoy the music of "Frontline assembly" and their offshoot female vocalist project "delirium".

http://www.mindphaser.com/

I'm serious. I think you'd probably enjoy the music by these guys.

Moose · 10-25-2006, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thane

The way it reads to me is that they won't necessarily be called the same THING (marriages).

The Court holdsthat under the equal protection guarantee of Article I, Paragraph 1 of the New Jersey Constitution, committed samesexcouples must be afforded on equal terms the same rights and benefits enjoyed by opposite-sex couples under the civil marriage statutes. The name to be given to the statutory scheme that provides full rights and benefits to same sex couples, whether marriage or some other term, is a matter left to the democratic process.

Hmmmm... the democratic process ? So, some judge with his head up his robe won't be able to force this state to call them "marriages" ?

The PEOPLE will have to VOTE on it ?

Maybe I'm confused. I thought the stench from the bench could tell us what to do and create and make social policy for us all ?

Yep, just like the judges with their "heads up" giving the election to George. Activist judges, it's got to be a love/hate relationship for you.

Moose · 10-25-2006, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thane

Well screw you buddy. Trust me I'm WAY more special than you or ANY homos.

I'm a loyal GWAR fan. We ARE very special people:

Would that be special ed?

superbug · 10-25-2006, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moose

Yep, just like the judges with their "heads up" giving the election to George. Activist judges, it's got to be a love/hate relationship for you.

You mean the judges that followed the law in '00? Get over the 2000 election, it was 6 years ago, you lost.