John Lewis criticizes Chris Christie's comments about leaving same-sex marriage to a referendum

[marmar]

(Bloomberg) Representative John Lewis, a veteran of the U.S. civil-rights movement, joined New Jersey Democrats criticizing Governor Chris Christie after he said blacks in the 1960s would have preferred referendums on desegregation -- a move he has backed for same-sex marriage.

Lewis, a Georgia Democrat, stopped in the New Jersey capital yesterday to step up pressure on Christie, a first-term Republican. The governor has faced opposition from Democrats in the Legislature, including the state’s two openly gay lawmakers, after saying a week ago that early civil-rights activists “would have been happy to have a referendum.”

The governor, 49, has said he’ll veto any legislation allowing two people of the same gender to wed, and has called for a ballot question in November. Christie said that unlike the South in the 1960s, where prejudice made support for civil rights impossible, advocates of same-sex marriage claim a majority of New Jersey residents supports such legislation now.

“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, 71, said at a press conference in Trenton, the Associated Press reported. ...............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-31/christie-finds-himself-on-losing-side-of-history-after-civil-rights-remark.html

[RKP5637]

1. Good, Christie, then let's have a referendum on allowing republicans to vote!!!

PS: While we're at it, let's have a referendum on the pay and perks politicians receive, many are grossly overpaid IMO.