Is gay marriage already legal in New Jersey?

It’s ironic that those most bitter in their opposition to gay marriage, the so-called defenders of marriage, want to narrow rather than expand the number of those eligible for its benefits. They should understand that embracing an institution as venerable and as regulated as marriage is a conservative act. New York Times and Times of Trenton columnist David Brooks put that proposition eloquently when he wrote:

“The conservative course is not to banish gay people from making such commitments. It is to expect that they make such commitments. We shouldn’t just allow gay marriage. We should insist on gay marriage. We should regard it as scandalous that two people could claim to love each other and not want to sanctify their love with marriage and fidelity.” (source)