Alex DeCroce dies: Tragedy mars the new legislative session

that's terrible (0.00 / 0)

My sympathies to his friends and family.

Frank LoBiondo Record and Jon Runyan Watch

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by: Hopeful @ Tue Jan 10, 2012 at 05:13:05 AM UTC

Tragic start to the new session (0.00 / 0)

Sympathies to his family and friends.

Blog: http://www.deciminyan.org

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by: deciminyan @ Tue Jan 10, 2012 at 05:36:43 AM UTC

Gov. Christie statement (0.00 / 0)

Tonight I lost a dear friend, colleague and mentor - Assembly Republican Leader Alex De Croce," the Governor said. "I have known Alex for nearly twenty years. He helped to give me my start in elective politics in Morris County in 1993. He was one of the most kind, considerate and trustworthy people I have ever had the pleasure to know. He was an enormously accomplished legislator and a tremendous servant to the people of New Jersey. Mary Pat and I offer our heartfelt condolences to his wife, Department of Community Affairs Deputy Commissioner Betty Lou De Croce, and to Alex's entire family. This is an enormous loss for our state and for me personally.

It's not a particularly snappy signature, but here's what I think we need in the next NJ Democratic State Chair.  

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by: Rosi Efthim @ Tue Jan 10, 2012 at 07:24:55 AM UTC

Prayers and strength to his family (0.00 / 0)

So sorry...........

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by: firstamend07 @ Tue Jan 10, 2012 at 11:04:12 AM UTC

A terribly sad day. (0.00 / 0)

Although I did not know him, I know he had many friends on both sides of the aisle in Trenton. He was tremendously respected and will be missed.

One Vote.  Yours.  It really does matter.

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by: carolh @ Tue Jan 10, 2012 at 15:32:45 PM UTC

Prayers to his family.. (0.00 / 0)

May the Assemblyman R.I.P.

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by: Blue12345 @ Thu Jan 12, 2012 at 22:06:39 PM UTC

I heard several comments from long time LGBT activists (0.00 / 0)

Evidently DeCroce was a leader in the fight to deny gay and lesbians basic protections by being included in the Law Against Discrimination in 1992.

"Discrimination caused by ignorance and fear is a tax on human progress" - Barbra Casbar Siperstein

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by: Babs NJSD @ Fri Jan 13, 2012 at 04:17:40 AM UTC

Ok, I'll break ranks on this one.. (0.00 / 0)

I'm sorry for the loss, and my thoughts are with his family.

I understand if someone decides to delete this post if it is deemed in poor taste, but I agree with George Carlin that one should not manufacture praise for someone just because they are dead.

"I'm one of the few people here ... who feel that benefits are too good for these people..." "Why go to work? If you can go for 26 weeks, collecting $550 a week, and you get an extension for another 26, that's close to $27,000 a year or $30,000 a year, and a lot of people figure, 'Why go to work?'"

We are bound by our words and actions in life. Heartlessness is not a virtue in my book.

 

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by: mgm8822 @ Fri Jan 13, 2012 at 04:26:38 AM UTC

if you can't say anything nice, mgm ... (0.00 / 0)

sit over here by me!

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by: denniscmcgrath @ Fri Jan 13, 2012 at 13:03:41 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Can I sit there too? (0.00 / 0)

I felt the same way as mgm, but I didn't have the guts to say it, because I was already a pariah for having the temerity to think that the position of United States Senator was high enough and serious enough office in the hierarchy of public service that in order for a candidate to be taken seriously, he or she should have a modicum of higher education or have done something truly exceptional.

Babs and mgm have already mentioned a couple of items for which DeCroce should be remembered.  I am sure that there are others.  I am not saying that we should spit on the man's grave or belittle his family's suffering, but I do not think that there is anything wrong with remembering people as they were as opposed to how their eulogizers would prefer us to remember them.

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by: Bertin Lefkovic @ Fri Jan 13, 2012 at 14:38:31 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

c'mon down, Bert! (0.00 / 0)

I do think there is a reasonable period during which we should put aside real objections to a politician's performance while his or her passing is still fresh, but yeah, DeCroce was no friend of progressive principles. Maybe a little Gilbert Gottfried to mention that just yet, but ... there it is.

And whatever his principles, he did dedicate his life to public service and indeed went to his reward while on the job, for which he does deserve some (some) respect.

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by: denniscmcgrath @ Fri Jan 13, 2012 at 14:57:57 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I agree, but... (0.00 / 0)

...I think that it is OK to be honest under these circumstances as long we are respectful.

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by: Bertin Lefkovic @ Fri Jan 13, 2012 at 15:28:34 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I couldn't have said it better myself (4.00 / 1)

"I am not saying that we should spit on the man's grave or belittle his family's suffering, but I do not think that there is anything wrong with remembering people as they were as opposed to how their eulogizers would prefer us to remember them."

I feel bad for DeCroce's death the way I  feel bad for the death of any human being. However much I may dislike someone, death is too horrible a sentence for the deceased and his or her loved ones to be wished on anyone.

But that being said, there is a difference between disrespecting or slandering a person's memory and accurately stating who he was and what he did in his life.

Christie said he was "kind and considerate." I have just highlighted something he said that was about as cold and inconsiderate as one can get. I'll leave it at that.

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by: mgm8822 @ Fri Jan 13, 2012 at 19:14:32 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I agree with this completely (0.00 / 0)

Noting his death as we did, and noting the sorrow of his colleagues in both parties (remembering many of them also witnessed his death), no, it does not change his voting record, or the impact his decisions had on New Jerseyans.

We simply didn't mention that in the first few minutes after his death, which is when this diary was posted. But that doesn't change what he did.

It's not a particularly snappy signature, but here's what I think we need in the next NJ Democratic State Chair.  

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by: Rosi Efthim @ Sat Jan 14, 2012 at 13:12:19 PM UTC

[ Parent ]