Garden State Equality bashes conservative legislators for holding gay marriage presser on Yom Kippur

A group of conservative legislators and activists is holding a press conference today in Trenton to support a constitutional referendum that would effectively ban gay marriage.  

According to the state’s largest gay rights organization, their choice of a date is ironic.

“We’re not saying that all public figures should refrain from doing public events today.   We’re saying it is inconsistent of these public figures, who have claimed broad religious support for their anti-equality campaign, to choose Yom Kippur for their news conference,” said Garden State Equality Vice-Chair Jeff Gardner.  “Are they not aware today is Yom Kippur, and if not, what does that say about their diversity of support?  Or are they aware?”

Yom Kippur, during which Jews fast and pray to atone for their sins, is arguably the religion’s holiest day.  

Gardner pointed to the scheduled participation of Len Deo of the New Jersey Family Policy Council, which on its Web site says it presents “the ideals and principles needed to restore public opinion, attitudes, and behaviors to reflect a Judeo-Christian worldview.”

After the press conference, Assemblywoman Allison Littell McHose (R-Franklin) -- one of event's organizers -- said that they were not debating the merits of same-sex marriage, but announcing that they suspect that the issue will be taken up by the legislature during its lame duck session.  

"Clearly, I am aware of the holiday and what it means, but the point today was not about the issue of defining marriage as between a man and a woman -- this is about process," she said. 

Assemblyman Rick Merkt, who was originally scheduled to attend the press conference but did not, called Garden State Equality’s complaint a “stretch.”   

“That’s stretched so thin it would make copper wire,” he said.