| Update (8:35): The most important witness of the day, Blue Jersey's own Jeff Gardner. Jeff refers to the recent letter signed by hundreds of Democratic activists. He tells the legislature that they can pass it now, but if they don't, "We are never, ever going away. We'll be back year after year, until we are treated as equal." He concludes, "I am ready to become a first class citizen, with your help." He is followed by another supporter from Hawthorne, Naomi Collier, who tells the committee there is no rational basis for discriminating in marriage.
Update (8:33): Nia Gill says that we can disagree without being disagreeable, and that she doesn't think that anyone is here to lie. She apologizes on behalf of the rest of the Committee, and the room applauds. Sarlo doesn't interrupt.
Update (8:26): Thomas Prol of NYU Law School reminds the Committee that not one witness has come before the panel to say the Civil Union law is working. The legalese is a refreshing break from the bombastic, angry bigotry of the last half hour. Cardinale asks him if he can say that the membership of the Civil Union Review Commission were unbiased, he says yes. Cardinale all but calls him a liar.
Update (8:25): Sarlo must tell a melodramatic shouter from Hamilton twice to wrap it up. He explains the failure of Civil unions in the area of health benefits.
Update (8:20): The next speaker seems to think the world will end if the lege changes the legal definition of a word. He is followed by one John DeMarco, who—I kid you not—brought a bunch of screws and bolts to the committee hearing to show why he is opposed to marriage equality.
Update (8:18): The rabbi tells the committee to "think what's in store for the innocent, lonely child" adopted by a two married men.
Update (8:15): To the Orthodox Jewish rabbi says the bill "spiritually decimates Jews, Christians, Baha'is and Muslims": it is not discrimination when someone passes a law that you do not agree with.
Update (8:14): To the lady who keeps talking about the "homosexual community": it is not discrimination when someone passes a law that you do not agree with.
Update (8:11): An evangelical free church Pastor from Sparta speaks against marriage equality. He wields bible verses.
Update (8:06): Baroni asks him if he supports the civil union law. The witness says that civil unions would be okay with him if any two could enter into a civil unions law. Baroni asks him if he would support any same-sex relationship recognition, and he says he would have to remain neutral. Baroni asks if his organization has a double standard between Washington (where they opposed "anything but marriage" domestic partnership law) and New Jersey. The witness replies that he doesn't. Baroni asks him if he were given absolute powerful, if he would repeal civil unions & domestic partnerships; he says no, but he would let any two people enter into such an relationship.
Update (8:03): Ahh, we have a natural lawyer in the building! The witness argues that sexual union is the key to marriage, and that's impossible without the complementary reproductive systems of male and female.
Update (7:59): Sounds like a bunch of opponents are next.
Update (7:54): Julie and Maddy Petro-Cohen (sp?) introduce themselves, and hand the mic to their daughter Jessie. "To me, a family is a group of people who love each other and are willing to do anything for one another," she tells the committee. "The only difference between our family and your family is that we have to ask for rights, while you don't." Sarlo cuts off applause, and jokes that the youngster should see Senator Cardinale if she needs a note for school.
Update (7:49): New Jersey Family First's policy director brought the committee an informational packet...with a bullying brochure for John Otto! He reads an anti-gay editorial from a black woman. Nia Gill will have questions...or not. Sarlo tells Ray Lesniak to stop interrupting.
Update (7:47): Len Deo insists that civil unions are good enough because only eight people have complained about civil unions.
Update (7:41): Loretta Yin from the 14th district coalition for traditional marriage and the people's voice offers her insights: "We are not having sex right now." Her sidekick insists that being gay is a choice. He says that Jesus defined marriage for the society, and that anyone who has a divorce commits adultery. Senator Lesniak wonders aloud who is going to post a bill banning divorce. The witness then insists that government is discriminating against him by enacting a policy he disagrees with. Len Deo is next.
Update (7:40): The next idiot says that marriage equality violates the right to freedom of religion merely by existing legally. If that's the case, then what does abortion do?
Update (7:37): The next one up calls herself a minuteman, and says she'll make it short and sweet. She wants people to vote on other people's rights.
Update (7:31): Teabagger Carol Adams claims to speak for 5,000,000 voters in New Jersey, and tells gay people to fill out power of attorney documents, laminate it, and carry it around with them. Ray Lesniak asks him what document John Otto, gay high schooler who testified earlier today, should carry around. Carol Adams says she offers him her prayers, and that maybe he can list his mother on a power of attorney document in the future. Ridiculous.
Update (7:28): The next lady, who fancies herself a doctor, drivels on for five minutes about the evils of the gay lifestyle and how gay people are promiscuous. By her logic, veterans are bad people because they have a high rate of homelessness and drug abuse, and tend to have lower lifespans. Sarlo tells her to wrap it up. She goes on for another minute and a half, and when she gets to mention "Almighty God," he tells her to wrap it up again. Then she babbles about Thomas Jefferson for a minute, and he tells her to wrap it up again. She finally wraps it up.
Update (7:19): The clergy have finished. The next panel includes a group of opponents from right-wing organizations.
Update (7:12): Sarlo isn't keeping much control over the meeting; people have been going over time pretty much all day. With some witnesses, that's inevitable, but many could have been cut shorter.
Update (6:58): Alison Miller of the Morristown Unitarian fellowship tells the clerical opponents of marriage equality that they've never been forced by the state of New Jersey to sign a document they don't believe in. Whenver she signs a civil union certificate she's forced to relegate a gay couple to second class status.
Update (6:51): Many members of the clergy make the point that New Jersey's current law inhibits their religious freedom to marry same sex couples. One civil union partner of a pastor says after being domesticated by the state of New Jersey and civilized by the state of New Jersey, he's ready to be married by the state of New Jersey.
Update (6:38): Sarlo wants the rest of the pro-equality clergy to testify as a panel, but from his voice it seems there are more than he expected. A United Methodist minister, married for 52 years. A pastor at a predominantly black church in Newark. A lesbian from a Jewish Synagogue in Bloomfield. A hospital chaplain who's heard all the horror stories. A reverend who served on the Civil Union Review Commission. A Unitarian Universalist minister from Monmouth. An ELCA pastor. Another UU minister from Titusville. Another ELCA pastor, and his partner of 40 years. A clergy member from Drew Theological Seminary. A leader from a Quaker meeting in Camden County who wants to marry her partner. The leader of the Morristown Unitarian Fellowship. A retired UU minister with a lesbian daughter. The director of an Episcopal Church in Maplewood. An openly gay Quaker who has been with his parter for over a quarter century. Another ELCA minister. A rabbi from Montclair. A statewide UU leader. Two more Quakers. etc.
Update (6:34): UCLA Law Professor Brad Sears testifies about the possible impact of marriage equality on the state's economy. No questions. It's hard to argue with money these days in this state.
Update (6:28): The Nicholson-McFadden family from Aberdeen, New Jersey, who were among the plaintiffs in the marriage equality bill, speak next. One of the partners says that even the children understand that civil unions are a second class status. Indeed, the children understand it better than the adults. One of the youngsters, ten-year old Casey, speaks about the difficulty of explaining civil unions to their classmates: "They look at us like we're from Mars."
Update (6:24): Hudak, of the American Family Therapy Academy, says that John's experience is just the tip of the iceberg. Inequality "perpetuates stigma and contributes to stress." She continues,
"If you vote no on the bill, you will be ignoring the voices of the children and families you hear today, as well as ignoring the voice of [laundry list of medical organizations]."
Update (6:14): Next up: Kim Otto and her son John Otto and Dr. Jacqueline Hudak. John Otto tells the committee about being subjected to homophobic abuse in high school, which nearly drove him to commit suicide. His testimony illustrates the harm that legal inequality can do to young gay men. His mother, a practicing Catholic says she wants her son to be able to enjoy marriage just as she has been able to. One legislator, I think Scutari, tells John he's a role model. Baroni tells him he's a role model to a whole lot of people, and most of those in attendance applaud. Cardinale, in so many words, tells John to sue the people who bullied him. Asshole.
Update (6:06): Sarlo goes through several names on the list, but nobody seems to be here. Finally, Katherine Dixon, Vice President of the NJ chapter of National Association of Social Workers, and Jim White of Knights of Columbus. She's for, he's against. Dixon emphasizes the importance of the law on the children she and her colleagues must deal with every day. White wants the legislature to "protect the sacred institution of marriage." He says the changing the legal definition of marriage is like trying to turn an apple into an orange. Then he complains that Canadian churches have been subjected to hate crime laws; of course, he forgets to mention that the first amendment doesn't apply to Canada. He runs over time and Sarlo has to interrupt him repeatedly to get him to stop.
Update (6:02): Bryan invites anyone who opposes marriage equality to come to her house for dinner, and wish her two oldest sons a long an happy marriage while telling her youngest son that he can't get marry because he's gay. Alicia Heath-Toby testifies next.
Update (5:58): New Thread! Toby-Heaths and Lucille Bryan are testifying. |
