NJ gov fires a zinger in feud over gay marriage
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - The verbal feud over gay marriage in New Jersey got more personal Monday with Gov. Chris Christie firing a slang term at a lawmaker, and a hero of the Civil Rights movement chastising the governor for a separate remark.
Christie called openly gay Assemblyman Reed Gusciora "numb nuts" during a Statehouse news conference — his response to the lawmaker comparing him to former segregationist governors in the South.
The comment culminated more than a week of back-and-forth over gay marriage, which the Democratic majority in the Legislature is trying to achieve through legislation and Christie, a Republican who opposes same-sex nuptials, wants decided by a public vote.
The issue also brought U.S. Rep. John Lewis of Georgia to Trenton on Monday to take Christie to task for comments linking gay marriage to the civil rights struggle of the 1960s.
Christie last week vowed to veto any gay marriage bill that reaches his desk. He instead called for the question to be put to voters in November.
"I think people would have been happy to have a referendum on civil rights, rather than fighting and dying in the streets in the South," Christie said after an event in Central Jersey.
Black leaders pounced. Newark Mayor Cory Booker said baseball great Jackie Robinson would not have had the opportunity to break the sport's color barrier had the matter been put to a vote, and the mayor himself would not have had the opportunity, years later, to be elected to lead New Jersey's largest city.
Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver said many felt the sting of Christie's comment.
Gusciora, who is white, said Christie would have found allies in late Alabama Gov. George Wallace and late Georgia Gov. Lester Maddox, both segregationists.
On Monday, while attempting to clarify what he meant —that civil rights leaders would have preferred having the option of a popular vote to settle the issue, but it wasn't available to them — Christie called out Gusciora for jumping on his civil rights remark and chastised the press for not challenging him on it.
"You have numb nuts like Reed Gusciora comparing me to George Wallace and
Lester Maddox. Now, come on guys. At some point you've got to be able to call BS on those kinds of press releases," Christie said.
Christie equated the latest flap to another remark that got him into hot water more than a year ago. Then, in a disagreement with Sen. Loretta Weinberg, he suggested that the press "take a bat" to the Jewish grandmother from Teaneck.
Christie said Monday he hadn't meant either remark literally.
But, Lewis, an icon of the Civil Rights movement who appeared with Oliver and other New Jersey Democrats outside the city's train station, said court and congressional actions were necessary to secure rights for blacks, and that no referendum ever would have been successful.
"I've said over the years that I fought too long and too hard against discrimination based on race and color not to stand up and speak out against discrimination based on sexual orientation," Lewis said.
As Assemblyman John Wisniewski pointed out, blacks hadn't yet won the right to vote so they would have been unable to vote on the referendum they needed most.
Asked about Lewis' appearance in the city, Christie said, "Congressman Lewis is an American hero. Any time he wants to come to New Jersey, he will be welcomed with open arms. He led an extraordinary movement at great personal risk and sacrifice to himself."
Christie said he would have cleared his calendar if Lewis had asked to meet with him.
"The governor constantly reverts to name-calling when he is unable to address issues on their merits," Gusciora said in a statement released Monday. "The fact is the governor's opposition to the civil right of marriage equality is comparable to others who opposed other civil rights. If he doesn't like the comparison, then he should change his position on marriage equality and sign the bill into law."
Democrats have resurrected gay marriage as a priority issue for the new legislative session that began this month. The majority party failed two years ago to pass a similar bill, even while an outgoing Democratic governor, Jon Corzine, was willing to sign it. Christie, a Catholic, has not changed his position on gay marriage. He called for the question to be decided by popular vote during the 2009 gubernatorial campaign.
An Assembly panel will consider the bill Thursday. A Senate panel forwarded it in a party-line vote last week, with no Democrats voting against it and no Republicans voting for it. It must clear both houses before being forwarded to Christie.
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January 31, 2012 @ 2:04 pm
“Christie Nominates Openly Gay Man To NJ Supreme Court.”
Although, Christie’s stance on gay marriage is commendable, it stands to reason that his choice in assigning an “openly gay man” to the NJ Supreme Court will eventually create problems. Anyone who thinks not, is obviously not dealing with a full deck.
In regards to his remark, I think we the people deserve much better than that from our elected officials. This country is really getting down and dirty if you ask me, and “numb nuts” should be reserved for those who have a limited vocabulary and a million tattoos.
January 31, 2012 @ 3:18 pm
It is numb nuts like you who sat idly and watched the party which has been infiltrated and overthrown by an anti-American ideology install quite probably an illegal alien into our Oval Office (AKA constitutional treason).
The time for politeness has long passed. In case you hadn’t noticed, we are teetering on the brink of what McCarthy and Khrushchev warned us of- implosion from within.
http://www.uhuh.com/nwo/communism/comgoals.htm
January 31, 2012 @ 3:24 pm
I take it you have a lot of tattoos? I’ll stay civil, politeness is something altogether different. You can say and do whatever you choose — that’s our God given choice.
January 31, 2012 @ 3:51 pm
You can be civil if that makes you feel good. However, being civil has been the bane of the GOP and is a factor in why we are where we are. The left wrote the book on uncivility and now they whine when the methods they perfected are used on them. Thankfully we have a few people in the GOP like Christie, Alan West, and Newt who realize where we are. So, go ahead and turn the other cheek, but don’t castigate those who are taking the fight to the opposition.
January 31, 2012 @ 4:00 pm
Maybe I’m missing something here or perhaps the definition of words have been raked over the calls. Civil to me means acting civilized and has nothing to do with courage, fortitude, and the ability to be bold — standing up for your country and a host of other courageous things. However, I don’t think the lack of the word “numb nuts” covers any of that ground even though I realize the world has changed drastically.
“Taking the fight to the opposition,” and all that other stuff you mentioned is glorious but it doesn’t have anything to do with my opposition to not talking and acting like a leader of this country. Sorry! That’s how I see it — like it or not. Considering you have a lot of people who think the way you do should say a lot.
January 31, 2012 @ 3:11 pm
I am 100% behind Gov. Christie on this. It is nothing more than another instance of the left trying to stifle any opposition by calling it in effect “racist”. This is their primary weapon, since their agenda is otherwise so flawed. The only reason anyone would object to putting a question up to the voters in a Republic such as ours is if they know that they will lose, and prefer to use either one of the branches of the government to get what they want. If they can’t get it by a vote, they try to legislate it. If the legislative branch won’t do it either, they try to get the judicial branch to force it. If that fails, they try to use some sort of executive order, or just don’t enforce laws that have passed. The left will stop at nothing to advance their agenda. Gov. Christie should be commended and thanked for his adherence to the principles that until recently governed our country.
January 31, 2012 @ 3:33 pm
“. . .with no Democrats voting against it and no Republicans voting for it.”
Has anyone ever wondered WHY the Democrats are all in favor of same-sex marriage?
January 31, 2012 @ 3:37 pm
This issue should be left to the voters. Comparing legalization of gay marriage to civil rights movement is off the wall. Completely different issues.
Christie is simply exercising his views as a Catholic. He is not a homophobic as he has appointed gays in the past. Civil unions for gays are fine with me, but marriage has strong religious histories and should be reserved for a man and a woman. Marriage is a sacred institution with close religious ties and is under attack by the liberals and liberal media and should not be changed to satisfy those gay minorities who think otherwise.
January 31, 2012 @ 3:41 pm
homophobic IS THE SAME AS THE RACE CARD **** JUST TOTAL BULL CACA
January 31, 2012 @ 3:53 pm
LOL! No it is not!
January 31, 2012 @ 3:44 pm
WE THE PEOPLE: regardless of who you are; we are being split into smaller and smaller groups, conservatives vs liberals, Republicans vs Democrats, gays vs straights, whites vs blacks vs browns, Protestants vs Catholics vs Jews etc etc, etc. Why?
Well, why do you think? One reason – divide and conquer.
Remember this: 2012 Time to take ot the Trash!
January 31, 2012 @ 3:48 pm
” the civil right of marriage equality”
Am I missing something or is Gusciora in reality a numb nuts? I’ve checked and I can’t find it in the Constitution anywhere.
January 31, 2012 @ 3:51 pm
Being from Pittsburgh, PA I think he should have just called him a
It is pretty obvious that what Christie meant was, given the opportunity for a legitimate vote by the people, it would have been preferred over having a war.
Like I tell my wife, if there is a good way and a bad way to interpret what I say, I meant it the good way.
January 31, 2012 @ 3:52 pm
Is it AP style always to attach the word “hero” or “icon” to John Lewis’ name? Why not “agitator” or “blowhard” instead?
January 31, 2012 @ 4:02 pm
I am surprised that the “numb nuts” description raised so many eyebrows. If Christie had used the term “brain dead” would the reaction have been so heated. Yeah, it would have. Dems just can’t stand it when a Republican, even a RINO, bests them in the name-calling arena.
January 31, 2012 @ 4:05 pm
IF FAGS WANT A WAR SO BE IT LETS NUKE THE FAIRYS ALL FAGS ARE MENTALLY ILL IN THE 1ST PLACE HOMOSEXUAL CONDUCT IS STILL A CRIME IN TEXAS ARREST THEM ALL LET THEM GO TO HEVEN IN A PRISON THEY CAN HAVE ALL THE SEX THEY WANT IN PRISON SUCK ON FAGS RUMP RANGERS THEY HAVE DODO THROWING CONTESTS IN THE LOCAL YMCA REALLY GROSSS DON’T GO NEAR THE YMCA ON HOLLOWEENEY
January 31, 2012 @ 3:25 pm
Geeze…next time tell us what you really think.