Maggie Gallagher on NRO's The Corner blog:
There’s a brouhaha brewing in New Jersey over Gov. Chris Christie’s nomination to the New Jersey Supreme Court of Bruce Harris. Turns out Harris wrote a letter in 2009 supporting gay marriage — and equating support for our marriage tradition with slavery.
Bruce Harris wrote this in a 2009 e-mail to State Senator Joe Pennacchio:
When I hear someone say that they believe marriage is only between a man and a woman because that’s the way it’s always been, I think of the many “traditions” that deprived people of their civil rights for centuries: prohibitions on interracial marriage, slavery, (which is even provided for in the Bible), segregation, the subservience of women, to name just a few of these “traditions.”
I hope that you consider my request that you re-evaluate your position and, if after viewing the videos, reading Governor Whitman’s letter and thinking again about this issue of civil rights you still oppose same-sex marriage on grounds other than religion I would appreciate it if you you’d explain your position to me. And, if the basis of your opposition is religious, then I suggest that you do what the US Constitution mandates — and that is to maintain a separation between the state and religion.
When the assemblyman charged with vetting judicial nominees was sent a copy of this intemperate email, he responded: “Yikes.”
This is a potentially huge red flag for those who see Christie as the future of the conservative movement. Can he be trusted to care enough to appoint judicial conservatives? Will Governor Christie stand by this kind of judicial appointment, or will he admit that mistakes were made in the vetting process and withdraw the nomination?
14 Comments
The reason why Christie endorsed Romney is because the two of them have more in common than either wish to admit publicly. Why do you think the libs scream bloody murder at the thought of a President Newt, but remain eerily quite at the prospect of Romney sitting in the oval office?
We can see that now Governor Christie is being tested. He campaigned as a Coservative now it is time to step and be one.
Christie is not a Conservative. He's a moderate, a liberal republican.
Oh come off it, Mags. The guy already promised to veto the SSM bill once it hits his desk. What's the matter? Not good enough for you?
Do you understand what it takes to be a governor in the Northeast? States like Pennsylvania and Jersey may be right-leaning but they're not Alabama. You need to appeal to both sides.
Why else do you think everybody's calling Mittens a liberal??
As for Christie, he's already doing your bidding so why are you whining?
To further the point of the first comment... Regardless of this example of a SOCIAL (I really wish there was a way to change the font size to 1,000,000 pt), it does not mean that this particular judge would be a liberal in government policy. Really, do we want a judge to turn our nation into a theocracy or advance democracy? Religion is everything that is and always has been wrong in this world, from the first moment that someone decided to invade other nations and forcibly convert natives into their religion, to the moment that religion started the first war, to today when religion keeps brain-washing perfectly sane people otherwise and turning them into beings that hate, discriminate, and don't embody the values that Christ died to show us.
Layne,
I don't think it's whining to point out this judicial nominee seems hostile to religious liberty. Appointing a judge who doesn't support our constitutional rights (in this case 1st amendment) is not a conservative position.
I like Gov. Christie and I'm disappointed by this news
I'd love to hear what Christie is saying about Maggie right about now. But judging from Gallagher's tabloid-style journalism, I bet Yale wants its degree back.
This shows why we need laws against judicial activism where outcomes are predetermined.
Well Maggie, you make a good point, so to keep this guy honest about marriage, lets take him to task...show him an example why electing activist judges to any bench of law to be avoided like the plague...
Freedom goes both ways NOM. I know it sucks to hear that.
Speak for yourself, Bobby. SS"M" compromises too many civil and religious liberties to be allowed.
WJM,I am not religious.But Christ died because he wouldn't stop telling people to change their behavior and look past their own desires...the things the homosexual lobby least want to hear.
SOA: That's baseless propaganda intended to create the fiction that those who oppose the civil rights of gays and lesbians have a stake in the matter. It's a thin veil desperately tossed over religiously motivated anti-gay bigotry.
Bobby,the claim that either bigotry or religion is behind the necessity to maintain strict "anti-gay" policies (the "civil rights" of persons not extending to having behavior there is a need to discourage be treated as unobjectionable) is what is baseless.