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Manhattan Diary by Cahir O'Doherty

Governor Chris Christie says majorities should vote on minority rights

Posted on Friday, January 27, 2012 at 09:03 AM

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This week New Jersey Governor Chris Christie claimed that the civil rights movement in the 1960's should have opted for a public referendum on equality rather than resorting to public protests, which led to them - he said - 'fighting and dying on the streets.'

Honestly, they could have spared themselves the mess, according to our esteemed historian.

I imagine the leaders of the civil rights era would have an unmistakable response to Christie's contention, and I imagine much of it would be delivered in quite strong language. A plebiscite in the late 1950's or 1960's that would have overturned Jim Crow? Really Governor?

It's insupportable, in fact it's craven nonsense to contend that the majority community in the south would have done anything other than denied African Americans civil rights at the ballot box.

Christie is either attempting to bamboozle us with a high handed political pantomime, or he's genuinely ignorant of the history and politics of twentieth century America. At his level of posturing, it ultimately doesn't really matter which is true.

'The fact of the matter is, 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 told Philly.com this week. 'It was our political institutions that were holding things back. I don't think there's anything necessarily so special about this particular issue that it must be handled by a legislature. Why would that be? I don't understand how anybody could argue with letting the people decide this issue. Let's stop hiding behind this 'we don't put civil rights on the ballot' thing. Ya know, please. These folks would put anything on the ballot if they thought they could win.'

This is dreadful bloody buffoonery.
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Really this is the worst kind of political cowardice posing as principle. Christie knows better - and he knows that we know better - but in his pointless attempt to placate the right wing he's reduced to this pathetic equivocating display. Thankfully, even people who don't support marriage equality for gays will find his statement completely absurd.

For God's sake, how much more of this moronic dumb show do the GOP think the country can take before they admit the inevitable: gay marriage equality is here to stay, and it will be at the federal level, and soon.

How do I know this? Because America's biggest corporations, the ones who anticipate the future before the politicians they pay for do, have embraced full equality for their gay employees, including supporting marriage equality. It's a done deal. It has been for years.

As above, so eventually below in Washington. Anyone who tells you otherwise is probably fleecing you for your political prejudices.

And here is why, despite all their money and all their influence, the rabidly homophobic right will lose (and have already lost): because civil rights for minorities can not and should not be put up a popular vote. That's why they are called rights, after all. Protecting the rights of minorities is not a popularity contest. It is a constitutional guarantee.

Even in New Jersey.

(Below Washington and Maryland Governors hit out at Chris Christie for marriage equality ballot suggestion)

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18 comments

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hooligan6a | Feb 01, 2012, 06:54 PM EST

Cahir, I never,never,never agree with you but I have to one this one. Is he too young to remember the 60's ?

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eiriamach | Jan 31, 2012, 08:14 AM EST

How much further, lokionline, will the bishops take their political agenda? It's been 40 years since 'humanae vitae.' Yet 98% of married Catholics have used contraceptives, and still Catholic colleges and hospitals decide to break the law and deny insurance coverage for contraceptives to workers and students. Most Catholics don't agree with the USCCB's war against gay rights either, yet the bishops continue it publicly in letters to Obama and lectures in church. They're dangerously disconnected from their laity, but, oblivious, they wage losing battles in the culture wars. They're winning allies in other fundamentalist religions, but they're alienating Catholics. I don't see any gain for them except cardinals' caps! If they could be absolutely sure that they are right and the rest of us are going to hell in Satan's grasp, then I'd understand, but they know that their political agenda is doing harm (e.g., denying contraceptives will result in even more abortions), so they cannot be certain in their judgments of sexual morality. Is it just hunger for political power that motivates them?

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lokionline | Jan 30, 2012, 11:59 PM EST

Bang on eiriamach! You have got it exactly right. This is the influence of the USCCB exposed to the light of day.Due to the recent order by the Pope, during the US bishops recent Ad Limina visit, to fight the secular agenda, you can expect to see much more of this kind of naked political influence being wielded over Catholic politicians.Republican Catholic politicians are particularly vulnerable the influence of their religion's hierarchies.

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The Waltons | Jan 30, 2012, 10:01 AM EST

And we're so much better off since the civil rights act!

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pilib04 | Jan 28, 2012, 09:33 PM EST

So by Governor Christie's logic, Jews could be denied their rights by the white Christian majority?

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pilib04 | Jan 28, 2012, 09:31 PM EST

Christie is a moron. Blacks were denied voting rights and hence the reason for the civil rights movement. What a complete idiot and embarrassment to the good people of New Jersey.

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eiriamach | Jan 27, 2012, 06:05 PM EST

Here's another theory: the Catholic governor knows that if he signs a marriage equality bill into NJ law, the USCCB will target him for a well publicized scolding. He will be called immoral, denied communion, perhaps excommunicated-- you get the picture. If that treatment does not destroy his political future, it will demoralize him and will stigmatize his entire family. So he passes the buck to the public. He knows he is wrong to suggest that the majority should decide whether a minority should have equal rights. His mindless comment about civil rights shows he's running scared and not thinking clearly. He also knows that his state has no procedure for amending its constitution by popular vote. This is a self-serving political ploy, a dodge, by a governor who lacks the courage of political conviction. The only benefit to his dilemma is that he is learning he does not have as much power as he thinks he has; the bishops have enough leverage to pull his strings. Christie is a long-time Catholic family man. Imagine how much pressure the USCCB could put on Gingrich!

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dragonram | Jan 27, 2012, 05:07 PM EST

Okay, this is clearly some idiot's idea of a joke.

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dragonram | Jan 27, 2012, 05:06 PM EST

How did my comment get changed? Chris Christie is MALE!

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seanomelbourne | Jan 27, 2012, 05:06 PM EST

Christie appeals to the bottom feeding racist bigotry of the GOP and no doubt Hannity,Macklin,Cunningham.Limbaugh and good old Pt will give him all the backing he needs. They are all bunch of "middle of the road fascists".

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dragonram | Jan 27, 2012, 05:06 PM EST

Chris Christie may be a jackass, but you and your readers are woefully uninformed -- he's male.

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Murph46 | Jan 27, 2012, 04:44 PM EST

Just remember the Honorable Robert Byrd ,was a long time Senator and Grand Dragon of the Klu Klux Klan so lets not get real political here!

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hollabackgurl | Jan 27, 2012, 01:09 PM EST

When civil rights are put to the vote you are no longer living in the USA. Shame on Governor Christie.

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Nicomax | Jan 27, 2012, 01:07 PM EST

Gays & Lesbians= 4% of population; Blacks= 12%; Jews=2%; Muslims=2%; Asians=4%. So it's likely the majority could vote down a long list of civil rights for such minorities if they so chose. If if is it done just state by state, the end result is not all citizens are equal under the law of the land.

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trconnors | Jan 27, 2012, 11:10 AM EST

to paint this 5" 8" 400 lb wanna be tough guy a bully is a stretch. Granted, hes not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but one day one of these women who questions and gets put down will kick his butt and the tough charade will ende !!

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