True to his word, Republican Governor Chris Christie just vetoed the marriage equality bill passed by the New Jersey Assembly:

Gov. Chris Christie has backed up his promise to reject a bill allowing same-sex marriages in New Jersey.

His veto came Friday, a day after the state Assembly passed the bill. The Senate approved it Monday. The Republican governor returned the bill to the Legislature, saying he wants voters to decide whether New Jersey changes the definition of marriage.

Democratic lawmakers say it’s a civil rights issue that shouldn’t be put up for a public vote. Lawmakers have until the end of the January 2014 legislative session to override the veto.

They would need to get two-thirds of the lawmakers in the Assembly and Senate to agree. Both votes to pass it fell short of that mark. The Democratic-controlled Legislature has been unsuccessful in every previous attempt to override Christie.

That we could allow such blatant inequality to exist in our society in 2012 is truly shameful and antithetical to everything this country stands for.