You did this. Keep it up.

by: Rosi Efthim

Tue Dec 01, 2009 at 01:40:08 PM EST

A little while ago, Zachary Fink at NJN News posted a bright break of sunshine in the marriage equality fight, and his view - and mine - is that the won't-back-down stand of the progressive community, and the letter many of us sent to the statehouse this morning, may be turning this fight around.  Zachary Fink:

We all believe in second and third acts, and when it comes to the fate of legislation it can sometimes be a bit of a bumpy ride. Just as opponents appeared to have won the debate over gay marriage which would have prevented the bill from even coming up for a vote, it looks now as though the proponents of gay marriage will indeed get their day. Maybe.

An insider tells me that Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Paul Sarlo has sent a draft schedule to the Senate President's office for next Monday which includes the bill S1967. That is the bill legalizing marriage between same sex couples in New Jersey. The Senate President must approve the bills that will be heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee on December 7th. So for now, it is up to Dick Codey. Should he greenlight it, that bill will finally get it's long awaited hearing.

What it means is that the stand we all have taken - and I include both the marvelous hotshot Democrats who signed the letter and the Republicans who are willing to stand for what's right on this issue - may yet overcome the willingness of those in the legislature saddled with inertia and unreasonably worried about their next election. In fact, as Fink says:

This is tricky for some lawmakers who were more than happy to see it die from lack of oxygen. However, some advocates would like to know which legislators may have been talking outta both sides of their mouths on this one - telling the gay rights groups they would vote for it, while promising the church they would not.

It's not over yet. Nowhere near. But you just showed the state legislature who has the balls to stand and not fade away.