Opponents Of Same Sex Marriage In New Jersey Continue To Fight On
By Pat Loeb
NEW JERSEY (CBS) -- Not everyone is toasting to the new brides and grooms.
A number of groups are actively opposing recognition of the same sex marriages being performed.
"Effectively what you're doing is redefining what marriage is," says Demetrios Stratis a lawyer with the Family Policy Council, a religious group devoted to reversing what it sees as the breakdown of the traditional family.
The way Stratis sees it, "marriage," by definition, cannot be "same sex".
It's almost like saying, 'we're going to redefine what a triangle is, which is a shape with three sides. But now let's change that to make it something different.' Well, that's not what marriage is," Stratis said.
Stratis says he could be persuaded if the matter were put to voters, as Governor Christie has suggested and the approved same sex marriage, though, he says, the group would campaign against it.
Stratis believes same sex couples have sufficient protection under New Jersey's civil union law, though that law does not qualify couple for social security survivor benefits or joint tax filing status, among other marriage benefits.
Some groups vow to fight on against same sex marriage in New Jersey.