Trenton, NJ - Today the New Jersey Family Policy Council joined with a diverse group of church leaders, denominational heads and organizational networks called the “Trenton Group” to support an amendment to the state constitution to define marriage in New Jersey once and for all as the union between a husband and a wife, a man and a woman. With civil unions scheduled to become effective on February 19^th, the Council is very concerned that marriage still hangs in the balance. “I am deeply troubled that the legislature has left a door wide open in the civil unions bill to move to redefine marriage from the union of husband and wife, one man and one woman to allow two men or two woman to marry,” stated Len Deo, Founder and President of the New Jersey Family Policy Council.

“We are asking the legislature to “Let The People Decide!” In twenty eight states when the people were given the chance to vote they clearly approved the historic, legal definition of marriage as the union of husband and wife, one man and one woman,” Deo added.

“A majority of New Jerseyans have stated that marriage should not be anything other than the union of one man and one woman, setting forth the true nature of what marriage is and has been for thousands of years. Research shows that New Jerseyans are concerned about protecting marriage, even by a state constitutional amendment, where polling support moved from 40 percent in June 2006 to 54 percent in October 2006, respectively. There is a difference between banning gay marriage and defining marriage as the union between one man and one woman constitutionally,” Deo continued.

“Frankly speaking, the legislature has the right to give benefits to anyone they believe is entitled to them. However, they do not have the right carte blanche to leave open a door that would change marriage from the union of one man and one woman. The Supreme Court has tinkered with the definition of marriage, the Legislature has responded. But frankly, based on the comments of many same-sex “marriage” proponents and their legislative supporters, their goal to move to full blown same-sex “marriage” in the next two years has left no other option for the people who support traditional marriage. Their voice needs to be heard as it has in other states where they were given the right to vote. So we say “Let The People Decide” and send a state constitutional amendment to the General Election ballot,” concluded Deo.

The New Jersey Family Policy Council is allied with the Trenton Group, Focus on the Family Action, Family Research Council Action, the Alliance Defense Fund and the New Jersey Coalition to Preserve and Protect Marriage. They announced today a Citizens Petition which will seek hundreds of thousands of signatures from New Jerseyans who wish to vote on preserving the definition of marriage.

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