John Lewis criticizes Chris Christie's comments about leaving same-sex marriage to a referendum
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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 states 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 hell 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.
Ive 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)
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