Voting on marriage equality is "ridiculous and offensive" but we are winning!

The New Jersey legislature recently voted to approve same sex marriage. The Republican governor, Chris Christie, immediately vetoed it. He says maybe it would be okay if the state put gay marriage up for a referendum and voted it in, but he is not going to let mere elected representatives change this law.

Newark Mayor Cory Booker was asked about the referendum idea at a press conference. His response seems far more authentic than what we usually hear from politicians. It's worth watching this nearly five minute clip.

"We should not be putting civil rights issues to a popular vote! No minority should have their rights subject to the passions and sentiments of the majority … we've created a second class citizenship in our state. …Let's stop the ruse. We have two types of citizens in our state … we're not treating everybody equally under the law. …We're talking about equal protection under the law; that was never something that should go out to a popular vote….Thank God -- Jackie Robinson, there wasn't a popular vote whether he should be a professional baseball player. .. [The debate on same sex marriage is] ridiculous and offensive …"

***Since many politicians aren't ready yet to do the right thing, the fight goes on. The current phase includes getting the Democratic Party on record in favor of legalizing same sex marriage. That should happen in the 2012 party platform. For this, there's a clear majority among Democrats. And marriage equality polls well among independents as well. It's fast becoming a non-issue except for some Republicans. (Graphic depicts the results of five recent polls via Daily Kos.)

One obstacle to the Dems doing the right thing on marriage equality is the President's position: though his administration has been very good for LGBT equality, he's personally still weaseling about marriage -- still "evolving." One of the ways we hold the President's feet to the fire on this is to push the Democratic platform committee to adopt a marriage equality plank and to support Dems in states where marriage equality will be on the ballot.

A petition urging the committee to do the right thing seems a worthy cause.