Christie expands public worker fertility insurance coverage to include lesbians

TRENTON — Lesbians and other people who want to use non-conventional means to conceive a child are entitled to insurance coverage for fertility treatments if they work for state government or the public schools, under a measure Gov. Chris Christie signed into law Monday. The law mandating coverage for infertility was defined narrowly, sponsors say, taking… Read the rest of this entry »

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Sonnek-Schmelz Blasts RNC Over Gay Marriage

Brent Sonnek-Schmelz at the Pink Prom in Asbury Park, May 7. photo via facebook

Brent Sonnek-Schmelz, the GOP candidate challenging Congressman Frank Pallone in New Jersey’s 6th Congressional District (Middlesex and Monmouth Counties), criticized the Republican National Committee for falling to soften its stand against gay marriage.

“Let me be blunt, the Republican National Convention’s Platform Committee did a terrible disservice to the Republican Party, by failing to recognize a clearly self­evident diversity of opinion within our ranks on the issue of same-sex marriage,” said Sonnek­-Schmelz, pointing to a failed amendment offered by openly gay Washington, DC Delegate Rachel Hoff. “How can we expect men and women who share our beliefs on lower taxes, balanced budgets, school choice and a strong national defense to stand with the Republican Party, when the Party won’t stand with them when it comes to something so basic as the ability to marry someone you love? We can and must do better. I am eager to be part of a new generation of Republicans with the courage to continue changing hearts and minds on this issue by making my voice heard.”

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Same-Sex Marriage Legalized

Kissing Brides, Heather Jensen and Amy Quinn, an Asbury Park Councilwoman, celebrate their marriage shortly after midnight on October 21.2013 facebook photo

The United States Supreme Court made history Friday when it ruled that same-sex couples can get married in all 50 states. There were two questions at hand. One, does the Constitution force states to marry same-sex couples? And two, does it require states to recognize same-sex marriages from other states? The court decided that states must… Read the rest of this entry »

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Gallagher on Power and Politics this weekend

Luke Margolis, Art Gallagher and Jay Lassiter on the News12 set

Your favorite blogger appears on News12’s Power and Politics with Luke Margolis this weekend opposite the indefatigable Democratic activist Jay Lassiter.

Our topic was Congressman Chris Smith’s commitment to human rights and his controversial comments regarding LGBT rights vs human rights last month.

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Congressman Smith: LGBT persons should be treated with respect and compassion

Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ-4), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Sub-Committee on Africa and Human Rights, responded to the controversy about a remark concerning homosexual rights and human rights that he made during a hearing last week on combating violence inflicted by the terrorist group Boko Haram in Nigera with a statement issued to MoreMonmouthMusings:

“All governments have a duty to protect everyone and I am unequivocally opposed to acts of violence against anyone,” Smith said, “All individuals, including LGBT persons, should be treated with respect and compassion.”

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Florida’s ban on same-sex marriage expires Jan. 6 � or not

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Evangelicals with gay children challenging church

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N.J. Senate pulls gay marriage bill

N.J. Senate pulls gay marriage bill (via NJ.com)

TRENTON — State Senate Democrats have pulled from consideration a bill that would write gay marriage, already legal in New Jersey by court order, into the law books. Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg said Sunday that she decided to follow the…

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Gay Marriage and The Church

By Bader George Qarmont

As New Jersey became the 14^th state in the Union to license gay marriage, I am left wondering why and what is next. Will this judicial activism have any impact on churches? Some may think I am over reacting, but I fear that the church is 15-25 years away from being forced to perform same sex marriage or risk losing tax exemption for discrimination. A Pastor threating to close his church doors before doing so, is no threat at all.

If a church wants to continue to practice the Biblical definition of marriage, it needs to protect itself.  I see a potential for litigation to force a church to marry same sex couples, as is already happening in England. Barrie Drewitt-Barlow, The gay plaintiff in the legal challenge in England said “The only way forward for us now is to make a challenge in the courts against the church.” It is a matter of time before American churches are also legally challenged.  

Currently most churches will marry non-members in a religious ceremony at the church, this practice must end immediately and new policy implemented as soon as possible.  I believe churches should have a policy to only marry members.  In order to be a member each person must sign a statement of faith that includes acceptance of the Biblical definition of marriage. Anyone can attend the church but only members can be married in the church.

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Democratic Leader Wants No Religious Exceptions For Gay Marriage

Kissing Brides, Heather Jensen and Amy Quinn, an Asbury Park Councilwoman, celebrate their marriage shortly after midnight on October 21. facebook photo

Assembly Minority Leader Lou Greenwald told The Star Ledger that Assembly Democrats are not likely to pass legislation that would protect clergy and religious organizations from being forced to perform same sex marriages and accommodate the ceremonies.

What’s less clear is what the Legislature is going to do about gay marriage. Right now, gay couples can get married in New Jersey. But that right hangs on a decision made at the Superior Court level, since the state Supreme Court never decided the case.

Lawmakers could try to override Christie’s 2012 veto of gay marriage legislation or write a new bill to encode it into law. Or they could do nothing — an option they say is looking more attractive.

Greenwald said the Assembly is leaning against an override because, even if they cobbled together the two-thirds majority they’d need to pull it off, a religious exemption provision that was inserted into the bill to win Republican support could actually restrict rights gay couples have under the court ruling.

“The answer probably is no,” Greenwald said of the override. “Right now in New Jersey, the opinion seems to be that we have the strongest marriage equality laws in the country.”

Early last year the New Jersey Legislature passed the Marriage Equality and Religious Exceptions Act which, if it had been signed by Governor Chris Christie, would have granted same sex couples the right to marry and recognized the First Amendment Right of clergy and religious societies, organizations and institutions not to solemnize gay marriage or provide space, goods, services, advantages or privileges for gay marriage ceremonies.  The Act would have provided immunity from civil law suits against religious organizations that refused to accommodate gay marriages.

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