How utterly disappointing the response from the new Democratic State Committee Chair, John Wisniewski, was to Garden State Equality's recent announcement that it would no longer donate to political party committees:"Some very good Democrats stood up and supported this issue on the floor of the senate," said Wisniewski. "To hurl a broadside against the one party that stood up for this and say the effort wasn't good enough is throwing the baby out with the bath water." Um, no it's not. It's not anything like that. There are no babies being thrown out here. As a clever friend put it on hearing the Chair's statement:No, they are taking the baby out of the cold, slimy, dirty bath water and then giving it a big, warm hug with a fluffy nice towel.
The baby is the group of legislators who stood up for civil rights and equality.
The cold, slimy, dirty bath water is the party organization that refused to stand up for civil rights and equality. What the Wiz should have said was "I understand where they're coming from." Or "we're going to continue to work to earn the support of all our members." Or even "I hope in time they'll reconsider their decision." Nope. None of the above.
Instead, he went on to say simply that "Not all of our members will agree with other members," though I'm not sure what point that's supposed to make. Well, guess what? Not all of your donors will agree with all of your members either. And when they don't, why would they want to give financial support to those members? (Answer: they wouldn't.)
But, they did, and do, and will continue to support the very good Democrats (and others) who stood up and supported this issue on the floor of the senate and elsewhere. It would have been far more productive and encouraging to hear the Chair acknowledge that fact, and to pledge to help heal the still-fresh wounds from the recent legislative loss.
A big tent doesn't just welcome the donations of time, money and support from a diversity of communities. It stands up for all those communities when it matters most, and works its hardest to keep them in the tent. |
