Doherty on marriage equality: An Evil Plan

Mike Doherty thinks that marriage equality is an evil plan to divert the public's attention from 'real issues'. But first, the background story...

Assemblyman Michael Doherty’s call for a statewide vote on marriage equality brings to mind this verse, which Lee Hays credited to E.Y. "Yip" Harburg when he sang it on stage in 1980 at a Carnegie Hall Weavers reunion concert:

“Democracy gives us the choice of which machine to vote with.
Or choose which brand of razor blade we'd rather cut our throat with.”

Does Doherty really believe in democracy as the best way to settle such issues? I think not.

Of course, Doherty is the same guy who, when the issue is something he adamantly opposes, also opposes placing the issue on the ballot.

Like the bond issue on the ballot this fall for funding embryonic stem cell research. That issue Doherty voted against sending to ballot. Doherty and democracy? Go figure.

Seems kind of hypocritical to me, Mike.

But wait there’s more: According to this week’s Hunterdon County Democrat, Doherty believes that "gay rights advocates are using the [marriage equality] issue to divert law makers and the public from 'real issues like state debt, property taxes or the governor’s plan to sell the states transportation assets.' "

Huh?

Incredulously, he says. “Frankly I am sick and tired of having the issue shoved in my face every day and every way…It’s a constant agitation of society, much like former President Bill Clinton’s "Wag The Dog" antics to keep the heat off his personal indiscretions.”

Of course, two of the ‘antics’ of President Clinton’s that Doherty refers to were “Operation Desert Fox”, a bombing campaign in Iraq against military targets, and "Operation Infinite Reach", a pair of missile strikes against suspected terrorist targets in Sudan and Afghanistan. But I digress.

Yes, I am sure that the evil master plan of Steven Goldstein and Garden State Equality ---- is to divert the public’s attention from “state debt” and “property taxes”.

Yeah, that's the ticket. An evil master plan. I can see the GSE Exec Board meeting now…

Steven Goldstein: “OK, folks we need an evil master plan to divert public attention from ‘property taxes’ and ‘state debt’. Whaddaya got for me?

Exec Board Member # 1: How about we advocate for huggin' trees? People love trees. That should divert their attention.

Goldstein: Nope, it’s been done. The Sierra Club. What else?

Exec Board Member #2: How about we advocate for animal rights? People love those little kittens and puppies!

Goldstein: Not bad. But I think we need to involve 'humans'. What else you got? We need ideas, dammit…

Exec Board Member #3: I got it! They’ll fall for this one: We advocate for marriage equality. Gay marriage. And get this: We start out with “domestic partnership”. Then we move on to “civil unions”. Then we hit the public with “full fledge marriage equality”, when civil unions don't really work out.

Goldstein: Brilliant! Fabulous! That should keep the public attention off of “property taxes” and “state debt” for years! Mwa -hahaha! Mwa-hahaha! I'll call Corzine! Let’s get the ball rolling!

Mr. Doherty, If you were truly conservative, you’d support marriage equality.

After all, what is more conservatizing than allowing two people who love each other, two people who wish to form a bond and raise a family, two people in love who wish to put down roots in to their community, buy a house, pay property taxes, ----to be able to express that love in the form of a civil marriage?

The NJ Supreme Court has already laid the groundwork on the issue, and the legislature has spoken. And Mr. Doherty, as a legislator, you are bound to follow the law.

Marriage equality is a civil liberty. We don't 'vote' on civil liberties.