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Gov. Christie nominates openly gay New Jersey Supreme Court justice
January 23, 2012
By Adam Bink
Well, like Steven Goldstein of Garden State Equality, you could pick me up off the floor too. His statement:
A few minutes ago, just before announcing his two new Supreme Court nominees, Governor Christie called me on my cell phone to tell me he is nominating Bruce Harris to the New Jersey Supreme Court. Bruce will become the first openly LGBT person in history, and the third African-American person in history, to serve on the New Jersey Supreme Court. Most importantly, Bruce is eminently qualified to be a Supreme Court justice.
As I told the Governor right then and there, you could have picked me up off the floor.
When I met with Governor Christie in 2010 at his request, he told me that though we would differ on some issues like marriage equality, he viewed the LGBT community as an important part of New Jersey, and that he wanted his Administration to have a good working relationship with Garden State Equality. That has been the case every step of the way. Since Governor Christie took office, his Administration has treated us with warmth and responsiveness. Yes is yes, no is no, and we’ll get back to you means they get back to you faster than you thought, usually with invaluable help. To be clear, the Governor and his staff were invaluable in helping us pass the Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights, the nation’s strongest anti-bullying law that the governor signed in January 2011.
No one’s asked me to say any of this – I am simply giving credit where credit is due, too rare in political life.
Now, as for the marriage equality bill: The Governor and I didn’t discuss that in our phone conversation. I recognize, and caution everyone, that it would be unwise to read any change here in the Governor’s position on marriage equality; he has said in past months and years that he would veto the bill, and we take him at his word. We will fight hard every minute of every day to win marriage equality in New Jersey. Nothing will deter us.
But again, right now, that doesn’t mean we should not give credit where credit is due. Today, the Governor has made civil rights history, and on behalf of all of us at Garden State Equality, I extend to him our most profound appreciation.
Worth noting that this week will begin hearings on the marriage equality legislation in New Jersey (as well as in Washington — more on that from Jacob later).
Filed under: Marriage equality
21 Comments Leave a Comment
1.
Derek Williams | January 23, 2012 at 8:43 am
Given that minorities often have to be twice as good to be thought half as good, i can only congratulate Justice Bruce on his appointment. Indeed, it IS most important that the judge is eminently qualified, because we certainly don't want any accusations to start flying around that Governor Christie was killing two minorities with one token appointment, which is what many will think, even if they don't say it.
This is indeed a great credit to the Governor, and I can only hope the public will be able to keep this double minority status out of their minds as we monitor the career of Justice Bruce.
I wish him well.
2.
Sagesse | January 23, 2012 at 9:40 am
@
3.
Glen | January 23, 2012 at 10:09 am
How is it that someone can believe gay people deserve equality in every possible way (including serving in our highest positions of government), but also believe that they shouldn't have equal access to marriage law (as promised by the U.S. Constitution's guaranteed of equal treatment of the law).
4.
EricKoszyk | January 23, 2012 at 10:15 am
WA State Senate taking up marriage equality bill today.
Here is live hearing on the bill in Senate committee:
http://www.tvw.org/index.php?option=com_tvwlivepl…
5.
Ann S. | January 23, 2012 at 10:32 am
Congratulations to Bruce Harris on his nomination!
6.
Derek Williams | January 23, 2012 at 10:33 am
Because politicians have to serve the people who elect them. If a politician has been elected on a "protect marriage from the gays" ticket, he would have to go back to his electorate if he planned to climb aboard marriage equality.
Politicians can only fly so far ahead of the country and expect to remain in office – it's always a juggling act between leading and following. Moreover, laws only work when the majority already follow them which was why criminalisation of homosexuality was ultimately unsustainable. It's therefore up to us to reach out to the hearts and minds of those who are against us through misinformation. Those motivated by hate alone are probably a lost cause, but looking at the trends over the pasty fifty or so years, I daresay our vilest haters are becoming increasingly marginalised.
7.
Theo McKinney | January 23, 2012 at 10:39 am
I am Gay. I am black.
And (JUST BARELY!!) old enough to remember getting "in trouble" for using the "wrong" drinking fountain on a HOT Lousiana afternoon.
Then, after finding the permanent love of my life 30 years ago this February, we were Domestic Partnercated in 1996, and married FINALLY in 2008. This fountain, I was allowed to drink from and knowing the difference – just in terms of simple day-to-day well-being and feeling "100% American" like everyone else, rather than the usual 3/5. When Flop 8 passed…It enraged me, because I knew first hand – viscerally- precisely what these irrationally squeamish Antigays in America are trying to with hold from loving households.
And the rhetoric that USUALLY comes out of the mouths of tHE AntiGAY-O-P only enrages me more when it comes to marriage equality. BECAUSE MY HUSBAND AND MY RIGHTS WERE LEFT INTACT.
8.
Theo McKinney | January 23, 2012 at 10:43 am
Long story short (anyone who knows me, knows I never do that, really)
This story made me feel somewhat choked up.
Because in my lifetime…I finally feel confident, that there will be no more fountains, and no going backwards to celebrate any previous generations where people were routinely tortured, murdered or exiled out of existence -"In the Name of God and country" yet – because activists were easily able to handcuff any sense of justice to their own wretched prejudices against "certain" citizens, but not others…
9.
_BK_ | January 23, 2012 at 10:54 am
Watching! Thanks! (Oh my god – "Dr." Morse and a NOM representative are speaking!)
10.
Gregory in SLC | January 23, 2012 at 10:56 am
thank you for sharing your insight Theo…((BIG HUG)) from Salt Lake City..
********
The bigotry continues as I type @ the live Washington hearings….(thx for the link eric!)
11.
Ann S. | January 23, 2012 at 10:59 am
Ugh, "Dr." Morse is making me ill.
12.
steven | January 23, 2012 at 11:13 am
i have noticed that all of marriage opponents are saying that marriage is all about having children and god. oh really based what? Oh, pass a law you have to have children after getting married.
13.
Kate | January 23, 2012 at 11:19 am
Yeah. And clog up this poor planet even more, like the Duggars are doing.
14.
Bob Barnes | January 23, 2012 at 11:33 am
Maybe, just maybe Christie is signaling that this separate but equal stuff that he could get away with has to come to an end. Well,I could hope.
15.
W. Kevin Vicklund | January 23, 2012 at 11:46 am
OT: Good news from Minnesota. The state appeals court has remanded a gay marriage lawsuit back to the district court because it was unfairly dismissed. This means the suit can proceed on the merits. http://marrymeminnesota.org/
16.
Jim | January 23, 2012 at 12:36 pm
Don't let Gov. Christie fool you. While this justice may be extremely qualified Gov Christie is positioning himself for either a Vice Presidential nomination, this year, or a possible run for President in 2016. With this nomination, whether the justice is confirmed or not, Christie can come back and say he is a moderate, just look at his nominations. This is strictly a political move by Christie. Do not make this move fool you like the current radical republican governors did when running for election in 2010.
17.
Derek Williams | January 23, 2012 at 2:28 pm
Considering we're a minority of only 4% openly gay (based on exit polls from 2004 and 2008 Census), I don't quite get this common accusation that people who do things in our favour are "politically motivated". The math of politics tells me "go for the majority".
Even adding closeted homosexuals, and adding our non-LGBT allies to the 4%, we're still below majority status by a mile. Moreover, I think there is a clear distinction between people "not minding" gays, even not minding too much if we get married, and those who would feel strongly enoough to march in the streets for us. As the present GOP lineup have gratuitously demonstrated, you can with impunity be an anti-gay adulterer who will uphold DOMA and reinstate DADT, yet still win South Carolina.
We are a disliked minority in most of Africa, in all of Islam where there is the death penalty for homosexuality, and all of evangelical America who want to pray away our gay, so I believe that for politicians to support us is a needless political risk, therefore an act of courage when it happens.
18.
Rich | January 23, 2012 at 4:23 pm
Derek, thank you for reminding us of a very important consideration.
19.
Jim | January 23, 2012 at 5:58 pm
The political motivation is not to get the LGBT vote, but it is to get the vote of the moderate middle. You sound compassionate, so they vote for you, then after re-elected you go what you always have done, not support the LGBT community.
20.
Derek Williams | January 23, 2012 at 6:35 pm
Supporting homosexuality and homosexuals wouldn't be my first choice as a politician in going after the moderate middle vote. it would be a distant last.
Instead I would be going after jobs, crime, public safety, public health, education, eradication of corruption, poverty and world hunger – all incontrovertible, feelgood policies that alienate nobody, and I'm sure most LGBT support too.
So long as you quote your religious beliefs with commensurate passion, and can deliver on all the above, the middle majority will let you vote in conscience against every single gay ordinance, and still let you remain president.
I think it's a little too easy to underestimate the huge political liability we still represent for conservative politicians even if privately supportive, and the considerable debt we owe to those with the guts to swim the dangerous waters with us, That's not to say we're not making progress an inch at a time, but I feel it's unwise to take any move in our direction for granted, even when it appears on the surface to be merely expedient.
Time will tell with this one of course, but if Christie doesn't keep his word (whatever that turns out to be), he must know by now we won't shut up about it.
21. Prop 8 Trial Tracker &raq&hellip | January 25, 2012 at 6:01 pm
[...] developments that have taken place in New Jersey in the last two days. On Monday, Gov. Christie nominated the first LGBT Supreme Court justice in the state’s history. Yesterday, he reaffirmed his [...]
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