States strive for marriage equality

This week, legislative bodies in Maryland, Washington and New Jersey have begun hearings on whether to pass or veto same-sex marriage bills in each respective state.

According to the Associated Press, polls in all three states show an equal division line regarding the issue, but the bills have high-powered support and good chances of passing. This is important because if voters pass the bill in any three states, it will be the first state to accept marriage equality via statewide vote.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie announced publicly on Tuesday that he would veto any bill that tried to legalize same-sex marriage. According to online reports, Christie told reporters in Trenton yesterday that he would support a voter referendum regarding same-sex marriage even though he would veto the bill.

"We all know how this movie is going to end," Christie said.  "If they pass the bill, and they know this, it's going to be vetoed."

However, lawmakers in Washington and Maryland are said to support bills allowing marriage equality in their states.

It has been reported that Washington's Democrat Governor, Chris Gregoire, is pushing for the bill to pass. Maryland's Catholic Democrat Governor Martin O' Malley has reportedly said that passing a same-sex marriage bill is on the top of his legislative budget.  

Both state leaders, however, are prepared for opponents of the bills to referendum in November in attempt to strike the bills down if they pass.

Supporters of marriage equality in the United States have been vocal about the issue becoming prominent in the 2012 presidential elections.

Evan Wolfson, president of advocacy group Freedom to Marry, said the two presidential candidates will be forced to address marriage equality this year when battling for the leadership position at the White House.

"There's a lot going on," he said.  "It means that candidates — whether Romney or Obama —who hope to avoid the discussion will not be able to."

While Obama has been praised for abolishing the United States Armed Forces Don't Ask Don't Tell policy, he said he still not prepared to fully support marriage quality. The Associated Press reported that Richard Socarides, gay rights adviser for the Clinton administration, said that President Obama will have to quit riding the fence about the issue.

"Cleary he's not going to retreat, so he only has one place to go, and I think he will do it before the election," Socarides said.

Locally, USM students and Mississippi residents alike have expressed interest in getting gay marriage legalized in all states.

Stephen Pursell, a junior nursing major from Lucedale, Miss., thinks it's ridiculous that gay marriage isn't legal.

"It's asenine to say that people that love differently shouldn't get married," he said.  "People are going to get married whether it becomes legal or not. It's tradition. Gay people will get married whether the state approves it or not."

Tyler Harper, a resident of Soso, Miss., agreed. Harper lived in New York working at a public relations firm when gay marriage was legalized in New York, and he said it should be the same around the country.

"Gay marriage is relevant and important right now because gay people are American citizens and pay taxes like everyone else, so we should be given the same rights as every other citizen," he said. "It goes against American values to discriminate against any minority," Harper said.

Jae Black, a senior therapeutic recreation major, said that love is love.

"Everyone should be given the right to be happy as long as their happiness is not bringing direct harm to anyone else," Black said. "With all the other crazy things going on in today's world, I don't even get how people have time to fight the LGBT community on the simple issue of marriage."

Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and the District of Columbia are the only states that currently have laws allowing same-sex marriage.