Same-Sex Marriage Opposition may be waning as New Jersey expects a ruling Special to the blog by MW Savant, CEO

Recent report indicates that up to 70 percent of heterosexual adults know a gay person. (via Human Rights Campaign). More and more states' ballot initiatives are finding themselves a bit less aggressive and less important in the minds of voters.

Polls indicate growing tolerance of GLBTI persons, generally, and an increase in approval (or lessened disapproval) of the concept of same-sex marriage specifically. People seem mortified by the most recent scandals that continue to emerge in the current government.

What does all this portend in the wake of the public's feeling that there are bigger fish to fry? It is clear that a vast number of Americans are more concerned about the war, the administration, the mid-term elections and alleged improprieties throughout the party in power at seemingly every level.

With a supreme court ruling expected any day now in New Jersey, one of our service areas and my home state, what effect will an affirmative ruling here have on the GLBTI community and on those less than friendly to it?

Through the incessant and honorable efforts of individuals and organizations such as Garden State Equality's STEVEN GOLDSTEIN, I have observed the ferociously adept leadership of various marriage equality activists and supporters in the state. I encourage all fair minded New Jersey residents to lend your voices, hearts, muscles and dollars to this organization.

I recently was an invited observer on a conference call with Governor Howard Dean, Senator Bob Menendez and NJ Governor Corzine, Linda Stender and 100 other participants, including Mr. Goldstein---a long-time NJ activist and gay rights leader. I heard the conviction and resolve of various county chairs and members and witnessed the impassioned and serious commitment of the call's participants.

There is much to be done and in my estimation, while every organization's contributions are vital, GSE seems to be at the apex of that esteemed list of organizations. Support Garden State Equality in whatever ways you can. There is so much information on their website .

I continue to pray that New Jersey will once again lead the way against GLBTI bias and homophobia. There is no gray area in equality. As a Jerseyan, born and raised, I have seen our state set the bar on so many counts and occasions. We can and must do it again now.

We are living in the most progressive state in America, a state that has a live-and-let-live attitude, a state that seeks to deprive no citizen of equality," Goldstein said. "People in this state correctly care about issues that affect their pocketbooks, their own lives."
- in the The Gloucester County Times

Some additional insight on the national feeling about GLBTI marriage may be found in this interesting article in the New York Times (via AOL) by Kirk Johnson.