Unraveling the Spin of the Same-Sex Marriage Agenda
Posted October 8, 2007

“…[I]n the not so distant future I suspect that New Jersey will embrace the moniker of gay marriage or same-sex marriage.”

These were the words Governor Corzine used recently to describe his outlook on same-sex marriage coming to the Garden State.  Speaking to members of the New York chapter of the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association, Corzine assured them, “I hope you know I’m on your side.”

Some speculate that the legislature may take up the issue during its upcoming lame-duck session, but publicly, the governor was quick to emphasize that, for political reasons, he believes gay advocates should not push the issue until after the 2008 presidential elections.  “I don’t think I’d like to see this debated in a presidential election year,” the governor said.  “It’s an incitement to people who will make policies on a whole broad range of issues that will keep the status quo.” 

Nevertheless, he indicated that 2009, the year he himself will face re-election, would be an appropriate time to address the issue.

Not comforted by the governor’s pledge of support, however, Garden State Equality (GSE) Chairman Steven Goldstein stated, “We of course will not have anyone dictate when we will push for a discussion about our families being denied their rights….”

Yet, when we look at the numbers GSE claims are being “denied their rights,” the math doesn’t add up to official accounts.  According to GSE, 1,514 same-sex couples have registered civil unions in the state, and, of these, 278 have filed complaints with the organization, claiming they have experienced problems in having their unions recognized. 

According to state records, however, only six official complaints have been filed with the New Jersey Commission on Civil Rights, which is charged with overseeing same-sex union law compliance.

Meanwhile, GSE’s website holds that New Jersey has “perhaps the fastest growing LGBTI [Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex] population in America.”  The site also quotes Goldstein as stating, “Over the past few years, New Jersey has seen a stunning boom in the population and political power of its LGBTI community.”

Just how large is this “booming” population?  According to data from the American Community Survey, there are 1,631,349 married-couple families in New Jersey (Table 2 Households by Type, New Jersey & United States, 1999-2006).  Based on GSE’s numbers indicating 1,514 same-sex couples, the actual percentage of same-sex couples among all New Jersey’s legally-joined couples is 0.092%.  This means that 99.9% of all legally-joined couples in the state are one man, one woman married couples. 

That is hardly a majority clamoring for rights.  However, with many friends in the media and other high places, this influential group has been able to smoke and mirror NJ society at large.  The NJ Legislature granted the rights and benefits that the same-sex couples said they wanted.  Clearly, that is not what they really wanted, and it’s time for the pro-gay advocates to stop spinning the truth in order to advance their agenda.

What’s also amazing is the epiphany that Governor Corzine has had on the issue since his campaign for the top elected position in the state when he said he believed marriage was between a man and a woman.  The former co-campaign chair of Corzine’s run for the US Senate in 2000, Steven Goldstein, now Chairman of Garden State Equality and recently appointed Vice Chairman of the Civil Unions Review Commission, apparently has some political favors due to him by the Governor.  But sincerely, redefining marriage??  That is definitely over the edge!

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