Why marriage equality matters, part 2

All ready for Halloween, but with an important message, this little guy came all the way from South Jersey to stand up for his family. No word whether he or his moms found that missing glove. In case you wonder why gay marriage is a big deal, this should answer any lingering doubts.

In any event, I was talking with my partner this evening about all this and we are totally cool living in sin, for now. But down the road, the marriage option is important, especially should we decide to have kids. Fact is, civil unions are not the same and the legal rights we'd still lack simply relegate me (an American) to second class citizenship. So long as marriage is the only currency of committment that truly matters, we will fight on until we prevail.

And we will prevail.

Why marriage equality matters

In case you wonder why gay marriage is a big deal, this should answer any lingering doubts.

In any event, I was talking with my partner this evening and we are totally cool living in sin, for now. But down the road, the marriage option is important, especially should we decide to have kids. Fact is, civil unions are not the same and the legal rights we'd still lack simply relegate us (an American) to second class citizenship. So long as marriage is the only currency of committment that truly matters, we will fight on until we prevail. And we will prevail.

NJ Supreme Court rules Vermont Style

Gays in New Jersey can go to the, umm, middle of the bus. Today's ruling on gay marriage equality was a split vercit. A draw. The dreaded sister kiss. (Not sure if that last metaphor flies in this context, but you get the point.)

My other blog, blue jersey reports in detail:

The NJ Supreme Court issued its long-awaited decision in the marriage equality case, finding that New Jersey's State Constitution requires equal rights for all - but, left it to the legislature to decide what to call it.

You can read the NJ Supreme Court's entire decision here (well, once the site traffic dies down), but the short version is: New Jersey has become the 4th state in the nation to recognize that same-sex couples are entitled to all the same rights of marriage (joining Vermont, Massachusetts and Connecticut), but has come short (so far) of becoming the 2nd state (after Massachusetts) to recognize full marriage equality. That decision is in the hands of the legislature.

The decision had been eagerly awaited by gay rights groups and progressive supporters of equality, many of whom will be (sortof) celebrating tonight at 7p in Montclair at the Unitarian Church of Montclair, 67 Church St., Montclair, NJ.

Some good news in the fight for equality - it's about time - but still a ways to go!

So there you have it. The fight rages on. We will not lose. This is the single biggest civil rights issue of this generation and we will grind out the victory no matter what it takes.

Lassiter Space's latest Congressional Podcast

I sat down with NJ Congressman (and fellow south Jersey homeboy) Rob Andrews the other day to try to make sense of the election day tea leaves. During our podcast-able interview, the Congressman and I hit a lot of topics including an Iraq war teaser (note to peaceniks: Andrews is calling for a radical new course in Iraq), his thoughts on blogs and alternative media, Camden county poll numbers, George Norcross, and even rollplaying Tom Kean Junior without a trustfund. And yeah, we talked a lot about the election, too. I decided to leave this interview largely unedited because I found that polishing it up took out all the best (and most releavling) moments.

Listen here!

My lasting impression of Rob Andrews is that he'd make a fantastic New Jersey Senator one day. I have a few reasons why I say that, but I'll share just one with you here: the way he spoke of his wife and two daughters. The guy is clearly smitten with the ladies in his life, and it has turned him into a feminist. And any man who's a bona fide feminist has a tremendous lot of ego strengh which to me is a big deal. Just my two cents. Now go make yourself a cup of tea (or hot chocolate) and listen for yourself.

NJ Marriage Decision TOMORROW!!!

Stop the press!!!!

The New Jersey Supreme Court will hand down its ruling in the marriage equality case TOMORROW Wednesday, October 25, 2006 at 3:00 pm. You can check out the NJ Court's website at 3pm for the verdict!

I'll be in Trenton all afternoon with updates and feedback and reaction, including pictures. So say a prayer for equality and get ready for the big announcement!!!!

Gay Marriage in NJ, an up-to-the-minute update

This note arrived in my email box, an update on the NJ gay marriage ruling from Steven Goldstein, chairman of Garden State Equality:

The New Jersey Supreme Court will be handing down its marriage-equality decision after Chief Justice Poritz's last day on the Court -- her last day being tomorrow, Wednesday, October 25th.

Conventional wisdom has been that the decision would have to come down by the last day before the Chief Justice's retirement. But according to the Court's spokespeople, and as some news organizations have now reported, the Court can hand down rulings after a particular justice's last day without nullifying her participation or vote.

In fact, the Court even allows a retired justice to continue participating in deliberations in a particular case, so long as she had sat on the bench in that case, after her retirement.

So this much is clear:

1. There is no deadline for the Court to hand down its decision.

2. There is no correlation between the time it takes a Court to deliver a decision and the outcome of a decision. Our brothers and sisters in Massachusetts went through a similar situation with their marriage equality case. Throughout 2003, the year their case was argued before the court, conventional wisdom had been that the decision would come down by a certain date. The decision came down afterward.

3. It is far from unprecedented for the New Jersey Supreme Court to hand down rulings this long after oral arguments. In fact, the Court is announcing today, Tuesday, October 24th, a decision in a death-penalty case in which the Court heard oral arguments on November 29, 2005.

So that's the latest. One thing is clear: NJ activists are prepared for any outcome. We want a win, of course, but we are prepared for anything. Hey, that's what forward-thinking activists have to do!

New Jersey News and Notes

New Jersey welcomed some heavy hitters from the US Senate to campaign on behalf of their respective party's Senate candidate here in the state: John McCain for Junior and Hillary Rodham Clinton for Bob Menendez. Clinton and McCain are widely viewed as favorites for their party's presidental nomination in 2008. Stay tuned for that.

With all that's riding on the outcome of the Senate race, it's disconcerting that NJ's the voting system is under scrutiny. Aparently there are a whole host of concerns ranging from less-than-competent poll workers, potential voter intimidation and (of course) the paperless electronic voting machines.

Speaking of the Senate campaign, the NY Times ran a piece this AM about Junior's relative lack of real world experience. It was once said that Junior "had never demonstrated any leadership skills beyond organizing a canoe trip down the length of the Danube River after graduating from Dartmouth." Judging from Baby Kean's paltry legislative record in Trenton, that statement is still operative.

Switching to the House races, Viola Thomas-Hughes faces long odds to overcome incumbent Frank LoBiondo, but she insists she's in it to win it. Besides said Viola, "Just because someone has served for a long time doesn't mean that person is unbeatable. While my opponent has been in Congress, we've seen tax breaks for the wealthy and no change in the minimum wage at the same time members of Congress are giving themselves a raise... . The poor and the working class are getting left behind."

I should add that Congressman Rob Andrews had nothing but kind words for Thomas-Hughes when I interviewed him for a podcast (available later today) noting that she has an articulate and progressive vision for her district. No word yet if that endorsement from Andrews comes with finanical help, but Andrews is a team player and indicated his willingness to possibly assist Viola's campaign (and Rich Sexton's, as well) when we chatted on Friday.

On that front, Congressman Frank Pallone has the second biggest campaign warchest in the entire House of Representatives, a jaw dropping $3.1 million. If my math is correct, Rep. Pallone could donate $100,000 each to candidates Stender, Gay, Sexton, Hughes, Wyka and Aronsohn and he's still be just about the biggest endowed Congressman in Washington. The mind reels, I'm sure. Anyway, here's what's at stake for New Jeresy if Congress turns blue.

Switching gears, election season also means flu season. Have you gotten your flu shot yet? The last thing we need it a bunch of democrats getting sick on election day, so get protected.

Gay Marriage in the Garden State, an update

The New Jersey Supreme Court session is winding down. Fast. In fact, on Oct 26th our esteemed Chief Justice, the Honorable Doborah T. Poritz turns seventy. Judges here in the Garden State retire at 70. So sometime between now and, ummm, Tuesday all the cases in the hopper will be decided. This includes the Gay Marriage ruling. Hard to believe that after all this time waiting the decision is upon us any minute now. You've been warned.

Arguments were heard back in February. (I was there, read here)

It's also hard to believe that I may have the right to marry at any time. Or maybe not, who knows. Living in sin is cool too, so long as it's a choice. All I know is this: one way or another, we'll get word real soon.

For the whirlwind of events surrounding the ruling, check out Garden State Equality's website!

Brokeback Congress

I am so busy with life and the upcoming election. It's too bad that as the campaign season hits its highest gear, I am in perpertual motion every waking hour and have no time to blog. But I'm not complaining. I am right where I want to be. But I do miss posting (nearly) every day here on Lassiter Space, and I especially miss interacting with the readers. ho hum. Come November 8th, I'll be back in business. Full time. Hopefully that will be the first day of a new Democratic majority in Congress.


Looks like the rest of the blogosphere is carrying on okay in my absence. Lots of good stuff all over the place. First of all, there's my buddy Mike Rogers whose made a career out of exposing secretly gay republican lawmakers. I'm gay so naturally I have no problem with gay Congressmen, but when they spend their days trying to strip me of my civil rights, only to have gay sex by night then it's a problem. The latest closet case to be exposed was Idaho republican Congressman Larry Craig. So much for the party of family values. Just ask Congressman Craig's wife, poor dear. Speaking of which, I hope this pervert didn't bring any nasty diseases home to the little lady.

Kudos to Mike for busting this guys balls before he could do any more damage. Let's face it, living a lie makes it hard to play fair and be honest. If a Congressman sees homophobia as being politically expediant, well that's on them. But to turn around and pay male escorts for sex and it's clear that it's hypocracy run amok in Washington.

Can you hear me now?

With apologies to Charlie Brown....Image courtesy of Daryl Cagle

Why I fight for Peace

If we "stay the course" much longer, we'll be memorializing the 3,000th American soldier killed in action in Iraq before we know it. I shudder to think.

As it stands, we are at 2,763 KIA including forty-seven from my homestate of New Jersey, including the most recent casualty, 23-year-old Marine Lance Cpl. Christopher Cosgrove III who was laid to rest with full military honors St. Vincent Martyr Church in Madison this passed Wednesday. (click pic to enlarge.)

(Image courtesy Morris Daily Record)

GOP got Osama, we got Obama!

Before I tell you all about my lunchtime trip to Trenton, let me make one thing clear: Sen. Barack Obama is a rockstar.

So what brought me to Trenton from Cherry Hill you ask? Well, it was the chance to experience for myself that je ne sais quoi that makes Sen. Obama so special to many in our progressive community and well beyond. Senator Obama was in the Garden State to lend his support to our own Sen. Bob Menendez. After a morning visit to Camden, where Sen. Menendez received the warm support from black clergymen at the Kaighn Baptist Church, the Obama/Menendez juggernaut headed northbound to Trenton for a noontime rally with NJ's labor movement near the Statehouse.

And what a rally it was! First of all, the venue was an iconic one: Trenton's Masonic Temple. When I arrived, I heard the musical stylings of Fleetwood Mac thumping through the sound system.

"Don't stop thinking about tomorrow," Stevie Nicks reminded the crowd, "Don't stop! It'll soon be here, better than before! Yesterday's gone, yesterday's gone!"

I should note that Menendez and Obama were joined at the event by Governor Corzine and NJ's senior Sen. Frank Lautenberg. Senator Lautenberg spoke first, noting that Senators Menendez and Obama are new to the Senate but both immeadiately showed poise and leadership in their positions. Sen. Lautenberg also expressed pride in his two Senate colleagues and his fondness for them -- personally and professionally -- was aparent. For me, it's great to see Senator Lautnberg looking so sprye and fit, still so full of piss and vineger. I'd be proud to have him as my voice in Washington for years to come. But that's another election.....

Governor Corzine was next, and he expressed his confidence in Menendez' leadership and vision in the Senate. Afterall, as we all know, the Corzine tapped Menendez to finish out his Senate term after he won the Governorship. Clearly Corzine has no misgivings about that choice in retrospect. After a year as a Menendez constituent, I'm sure Corzine made the right choice too.

Sen. Obama followed the Governor at the mic, and he was treated to a prolonged ovation from the crowd of students, union folks and statehouse workers on their lunch break. Trust me, folks, this Obama guy is The Deal. I'll stop gushing and just say that hearing him talk (and connect) it was pretty clear that I was listening to someone really special. Future president? You betcha.

Obama's opening line: "I need Menendez back in the Senate, or I'll just have Lautenberg teasing me, calling me 'Junior' all the time!"

Obama then noted that he's been on quite a stump this campaign season. He rattled off places like Philly and Miami and Missouri and a half dozen other locales he's visited to lend support to candidates as the Democrats try to reclaim the House and Senate from the GOP on election day. The Democrats are lucky to have such a good teamplayer In Obama and he clearly relished the roll.

"I won't lie, my wife's not happy" about his extended campaign tour, "but the reason I am working so hard is because we are at a crossroads right now. Besides," he continued, "we are in it together. We have a stake in one another and that ideal is what makes us strong." At that point he singled out our own Governor Corzine, who was born in Obama's homestate of Illinois.

"Your Governor," Obama told the crowd, "did more to help me get elected in 2000 than anyone outside of Illinois." So on top of everything else, Obama is loyal.

Then Sen. Obama adressed our hosts, the Labor Movement. He reminded them how together with Senator Menendez, he plans to undo damages that BushCo. has done to the average worker's pay and heathcare.

"Folks have had enough, but we need to close the deal" on election day and work hard "knocking on doors, writing a check, getting on the phones" for democratic candidates. He's right of course. If our Union brothers and sisters rock the vote and flex their election day muscles, then Senator Menendez will be sitting pretty on November 8th.

It was a tough act to follow, but Senator Menendez took the podium to deliver his pitch. You guys know the drill by now: Menendez is everything Bush and Junior are not. If the Democrats want to take the Senate back, we have got his hold on to Menendez' seat.

So what are you waiting for? Get to work!

GOPerv Foley gives alcohol a bad name

Give it up, ladies and gents, for the comedic stylings of Miss Wanda Sykes! Listen to Sistermama tell it like it is on the Tonight Show.

You're either in or you're out!

I got home from the lousiest day on the job in ages and there was a message from my partner Greg on my cell phone.

"Check your email" he told me, "It'll cheer you up."

He was right. There was a note with a few pics of Greg and Jay Mc Carroll, the winning designer from Project Runway's first season. I don't know about you guys, but I love Project Runway and I had Jay pegged to win the big finale (and the $100,000 first prize) from the first show. He didn't disappoint. By the way, I am obsessed with this TV show.

Greg is a designer as well, and he keeps himself busy creating all the oppressively hip and cool housewares stuff that you see at Urban Outfitters. Jay was in town meeting with some of Greg's colleagues doing whatever it is creative people do. Sometimes i see how immersed I have become in the NJ political scene (and it is a scene) that I lament that I didn't follow a more creative path. If I had a choice to hang out with witty fashionistas or, say, the Governor it would be a pretty easy decision.

I guess Greg and I have some professional commonground at least. With fashion--much like politics-- one day you're in, and the next you're out.

P.s. does anyone know if tonite is Project Runway's (third) season finale? or is it next week?

The World According to Santorum

Q: why does NJ have the nation's most Superfund toxic waste sites, while Pennsylvania gets Sen. Rick Santorum?

A: New Jersey got to pick first.

Now, that last chuckle not withstanding, Santorum took time out of his busy schedule of telling women to "get in the kitchen" to toss out this ironic gem, which is especially bitter here in NJ since we have a Republican Senate Candidate who's running on his daddy's name (and dime.)

From today's Philadelphia Inquirer:

"I ultimately believe the people of Pennsylvania will say, 'Look, this is not a monarchy. You don't get offices because of your last name,' " Santorum said in an interview of Casey, whose father served two terms as governor. "You get offices because you work for it."

I'll let that one linger for a minute.

Why Vote?

Watch and weep. Or hurl. In fact, you might end up doing both.

Five Dollar Friday (give a little to your favorite NJ candidate!)

Let me redirect everyone's attention to my ActBlue page. You might even notice the contributions have slowed down a bit over the past few weeks. We have an election coming up, so I appeal to you to either A) VOLUNTEER or B) CONTRIBUTE! You can do either (or both) on the ActBlue site.

Assuming you're aware of the upcoming election, you know what's at steak so I'll spare you the long-winded pitch. The fact is, the candidates need your help for the last stretch of the campaign. If you're not giving generously of your time, then give modestly of your five (or 10) dollars.


ActBlue

Q: Why don't Florida Republicans use book marks?

A: because it's easier to just bend the page over.

(reports)--

I always like to read the Cheers & Jeers from Bill in Portland, Maine, on the Daily Kos blog. It's one of the few non-wonky posts you get there. Anyway, I liked this take on the whole Foley scandal:

CHEER... NO, JEER... NO, CHEE... NO, JEE... to the October surprise. Yes, we're thrilled that a stake appears to have been driven through the GOP's chance of keeping the House (and Senate?). But the circumstances under which it's happening are frightening. Leave it to the Republicans to steal our glee at their meltdown.

Yeah, it's kinda hard to say, "Whoo-hoo! The GOP is goin' down!" when it was teenage kids they wanted to go down on. I certainly hope IMs and emails and pats on the knee are as far as it went... but the cynic in me fears some actual hanky-panky went down and we'll be hearing about it as soon as the hypothetical now-grown molested-former-page gets the book deals and exclusive interviews nailed down.

JEERS to cheap scapegoating. The Republicans, true to form, are playing the gay card to blunt the Foleygate scandal. There are two lines of "reasoning" in play that collide like freight trains on a gorge-crossing trestle: 1) We couldn't expose Foley because it would be interpreted as gay-bashing, which we don't do anymore (compassionate conservativism and all that). 2) Gays are pedophilic and/or predatory monsters by nature and therefore should be quarantined at Gitmo because they're filthy, stinky sinner beasts. Argument 2, of course, is quickly becoming the dominant argument. Hate just feels so right to this crowd.

This would be the classic example of Republican cognitive dissonance. To be able to say, in effect, "We didn't out Foley because people would think we're gay bashing," and then excuse Foley by, well, gay bashing, should cause one's head to explode a la "Scanners". Of course, these are the same people who think government is an inefficient monstrosity that does nothing but harm and cares only for maintaining its own power... and are then surprised when their reaction to Katrina is inefficient, causes harm, and spun to try to maintain their own power.

P.S. For the record, all you right-wing knuckledraggers who read C&J in droves:

The empirical research does not show that gay or bisexual men are any more likely than heterosexual men to molest children. This is not to argue that homosexual and bisexual men never molest children. But there is no scientific basis for asserting that they are more likely than heterosexual men to do so.

Now, more likely to have fashion sense and rhythm? Guilty and guilty.

Ah, but homosexuals are more likely to molest young *boys*, and therein lies the appeal of this illogic to the knuckledragging set. Remember, in their mind, homosexuality is an abberation one must be recruited into. So the hetguy IMing young girls wouldn't be as shocking to them, because, despite her young age, male + female is *natural*. The hetguy is being inappropriate in the age category, but not the sex category (again, in their warped worldview).

I've already read this line of reasoning when the righties say things like "this is why homosexuals should never be elected." Because if homoguy IMs young boys, he's inappropriate both in age and in sex. In their minds, abusing the trust in an adult-child relationship isn't as sinful as recruiting our young men into the "sodomite lifestyle".

It's also why Queen Drudge could say something like, "those beasts were egging him on." The recruitment angle works both ways, and its those shameful homoboys trying to recruit (or entice) poor Foley.

So my question of the day: Suppose the Foleygate scandal was a different, heterosexual congressman and the victims were 16-year-old girls. Would that scandal explode to the same level as the current scandal? Would the some in the GOP be calling for Hastert's resignation? Would the congressman resign?

I think not. I think it would have been a below-the-fold story at best, a censure at best, and off the radar screen in less than a week. Yes, the heart of this scandal is abuse of an adult-child relationship, and boy/girl, gay/straight shouldn't matter. But the subtext of this story is the exposure of the Anti-Gay Marriage Amendment party as harboring not only gay people, but depraved gay people, and keeping the matter closeted at the expense of children's safety in order to maintain power by, in part, bashing gay people. This isn't a month-long sweep-the-GOP-out story without the gay petard they've hoisted themselves upon. The "gay" has nothing to do with the crime and everything to do with the story.

(thanks Ivan for the opening joke)

New Jersey News Roundup

The New Jersey minimum wage went up by a dollar yesterday to $7.15/hour. That rate is an two dollars higher than the federal rate of $5.15. The new payraise means that a minimum wage worker in NJ grosses $14,300 for a forty hour work week. If you ask me, this is hardly a living wage, but as retail worker Kobby Hayford noted yesterday, "More money is always good. I will feel it, definitely. It's going to help because everything costs more now." He should know. And Kobby Hayford is just the type of New Jerseyan Gov. Corzine is trying to help out with the increase.

However, it's worth noting that According to Carl Van Horn, who directs the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers, it would take a $12 hourly minimum wage to lift New Jersey's workers out of poverty

.Ouch.

Herb Jackson debunks the Tom Kean Junior's lies about being a centrist or "independant." The Record:

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Tom Kean Jr. says bipartisan cooperation is the key to solving problems in Washington. But Kean's record as a legislator shows he may not be the independent fighter he says he is. Not only does he serve in the Republican leadership in Trenton, a database analysis by The Record found that Kean voted the same way most of his GOP colleagues did at least 93 percent of the time.

Naturally Junior is whining that this isn't the whole story. So I'll fill in the gaps: not only is this guy not an independent, but he's also a scumbag. Just look at the riffraf Junior has working on his campaign. (Note to Jill Hazelbaker, this means you too!) For those of you keeping score, there is a detailed, itemized list of Junior's Rovian, radical, rightwing record in today's Record article.

Today's Trenton Times challenges the new Attrorney General Stuart Rabner to get tough on corruption in Trenton. The article cites Wayne Bryant "a notorious grazer at the public trough" as the posterboy for all that's wrong in the state legislature. No argument here. It seems like Sen. Bryant punctuates every change of direction with (yet) another scandal. I guess that's what happens to men like Bryant who have one hand on their pants and the other in the cookie jar at all times. If you ask me, Wayne Bryant would make a perfect addition for Tom Kean Junior's campaign team.

In other NJ news, Garden State farmers are hurting, tensions are at an all time high in Mercer County, NJ Superior Court judge busted for driving tipsy, Death toll in Iraq continues to rise.

2,715 Dead Americans later....

Image courtesy Clay Bennett

Tom Foolery

Governor Corzine and Senator Lautenberg held a press conference in Newark this morning to call Tom Kean Junior on his recent campaign nincompoopery. It's become hard to know where to start with Junior, given his lowball tactics -- but the gist of the press conference was this: Kean Jr.'s campaign has stooped to an all time low (even by GOP standards) in sleaze. And while Junior's campaign reaches deeper and deeper into the gutter to try to win the election, issues that are important to New Jerseyans (stem cell research, the Iraq mess, college tuition, et al) are being completely ignored by Junior and his ever-growing roster of sleaze marchants, as Sen. Lautenberg pointed out.

A closer look at the lineup of guttersnipes currently shilling for Junior is jaw-dropping. First up there is Bob Janiszewski -- aka prisoner #25038-050 -- who's currently serving a 41 month federal prison sentence for tax evasion and taking $1oo,ooo in bribes. This dirt ball has taken time out of his busy schedule making liscense plates to advise Junior's campaign.

Next, there's Dr. Oscar Sandoval. When Sandoval is not drugging and seducing his patients, he's bribing officials (with cash and Viagra) to get big money contracts. In fact, Hudson County is currently suing Sandoval in an effort to recover over $7,ooo,ooo for contracts he secured through bribery.

Next in the lineup is Chris Lyon. You may even remember this goon's handiwork from elections past. In 2000, the NH attorney general found that Lyon had broken state laws by "orchestrating a smear campaign of anonymous postcards and phone calls accusing his opponent's wife of being an active member of a cult that advocates adults and children have orgasims as a means of reaching inner peace." This stunt was described by GOP strategist David Carney as "the lowest, most despicable attack ever launched in a New Hampshire political campaign." Now Christopher Lyons is working for Junior's campaign producing a swiftboat-style video smearing Sen. Menendez and all of Hudson County.

Finally, we have Larry Giancola. When Larry isn't busy hating on gays and blacks, he's working as Junior's newest spokesmodel. Hard to believe that Junior's campaign picked "little man Larry" to roleplay as a democrat when this guy's hateful history is well chronicled in the Bergen Record, courtesty of his own letters to the editor. Don't believe me? Google this clown and see for yourself.

In conclusion, Tom Kean Junior is pulling out all the stops in an attempt to score victory. He's advoiding real issues like Iraq and the economy to focus on a smear campaign. Have you ever heard Junior talking about the war or health insurance or college tuition or any other substantative issue? Yeah me neither.

As Senator lautenberg pointed out, "the sourse of (Kean Jr's) assertions tells you about the value of it." And with sources like the ones described, it's clear that Tom Kean Junior is no better than the scumbags he's using on his campaign.