N.J. To Honor Out-Of-State Gay Marriages
Gay couples who are married in Massachusetts, Canada or other places around the world where same-sex marriage is allowed will have all the rights of married people in New Jersey as of Monday, the state Attorney General's Office decided.
Gay couples married in Massachusetts, Canada, the Netherlands, South Africa and Spain will be recognized as civil union partners, as will couples who have entered into civil unions in Vermont and Connecticut. Domestic partners in California — where domestic partnership works much like a New Jersey civil union — will be considered as civil unions, not marriages.
Civil unions, which will be available in New Jersey starting Monday, grant all the benefits of marriage, but not the title
Attorney General Stuart Rabner's decision Friday was included in his opinion for the state Department of Health and Senior Services, which is responsible for registering civil unions.
"In the nick of time before next week, the attorney general has given peace of mind to a lot of families," said David S. Buckel, the director of the Marriage Law Project for Lambda Legal, a gay rights group.
But he and other gay rights activists also said that not recognizing marriages from elsewhere is unfair and possibly discriminatory.
"New Jersey should not be in the business of stripping individuals and couples of rights they already lawfully obtained," said Ed Barocas, the legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union in New Jersey.
Couples who have domestic partnerships with lesser obligations and benefits than marriage, such as those in Maine and Washington, D.C., will be considered domestic partners in New Jersey, where they are offered only a handful of the rights and responsibilities of marriage.
Steven Goldstein, the executive director of Garden State Equality, said he expected that litigation would be filed over the issue.
© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Gay couples married in Massachusetts, Canada, the Netherlands, South Africa and Spain will be recognized as civil union partners, as will couples who have entered into civil unions in Vermont and Connecticut. Domestic partners in California — where domestic partnership works much like a New Jersey civil union — will be considered as civil unions, not marriages.
Civil unions, which will be available in New Jersey starting Monday, grant all the benefits of marriage, but not the title
Attorney General Stuart Rabner's decision Friday was included in his opinion for the state Department of Health and Senior Services, which is responsible for registering civil unions.
"In the nick of time before next week, the attorney general has given peace of mind to a lot of families," said David S. Buckel, the director of the Marriage Law Project for Lambda Legal, a gay rights group.
But he and other gay rights activists also said that not recognizing marriages from elsewhere is unfair and possibly discriminatory.
"New Jersey should not be in the business of stripping individuals and couples of rights they already lawfully obtained," said Ed Barocas, the legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union in New Jersey.
Couples who have domestic partnerships with lesser obligations and benefits than marriage, such as those in Maine and Washington, D.C., will be considered domestic partners in New Jersey, where they are offered only a handful of the rights and responsibilities of marriage.
Steven Goldstein, the executive director of Garden State Equality, said he expected that litigation would be filed over the issue.
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Have you ever noticed that those same men of God who spout their hate by using the Bible have NOT followed the words of Jesus:
Matthew 19:16-22
And behold, one came up to him, saying "Teacher, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?" And he said to him, "Why do you ask me about what is good? One there is who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments." He said to him, "Which?" And Jesus said, "You shall not kill, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself." The young man said to him, "All these I have observed; what do I still lack?" Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions.
How many of those TV preachers have given up their large homes, limos and so on? They twist the Bible to teach you hate and take your money.
And the said part is people let them because they want to use God as an excuse to hate.
1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
The Constitution clearly and in plain wording, states "equal protection of the laws". Yet clearly this is not the case.
Right on brother! I'm with you 100%.