One Step Closer to Equality

What a night. (4.00 / 2)

Hundreds of feet of cable snaking across Loretta Weinberg's tan berber carpet. Thai food, champagne, and Hamentashen set up in the conference room. Cameras. Relatives of the happy couple on speakerphone, their assent written directly into the vows. Knots of political people intently planning next steps for marriage equality, intently overheard by print reporters with notebooks. Loretta Weinberg, beaming like the mom. Daniel Gross, calm and bemused. Steven Goldstein, managing the crowd, reveling, forgetting to eat.

It was a warm and fizzy late night. Fun and moving both.

Best quote of the night was from Evan Wolfson of Freedom to Marry, who said a few words before vows were taken. We were all standing and I couldn't take notes. But it was very New Jersey-themed, very Parkway. He talked about how there's no E-Z Pass for this. It's work. "But in the name of love, we're gonna floor it."

Yes.

 

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

---

by: Rosi Efthim @ Mon Feb 19, 2007 at 03:13:41 AM CST

some kinds words.... (4.00 / 1)

...for the happy couple.  I love you guys!  and thanks to  Senator Wienberg for keeping a light on for us gays and lesbians.  Loretta, I love you too!

those broad grins make me so proud and happy.  you know i am an emotional queen, but this image makes me totally misty.

p.s. i had no idea that Steven's partner was such a hottie.

I wish i could start ever monday morning with the feeling i have right now.

Jay_Lass on Twitter.

---

by: Jay Lassiter @ Mon Feb 19, 2007 at 05:21:08 AM CST

Congratulations! (4.00 / 2)

Congratulations to Steven and Daniel! I only recently had the pleasure of meeting Steven, an incredibly sweet guy.  I am psyched you were the first couple to make this official and I wish the very best for you both! 

One Vote. Yours. It really does matter.

---

by: carolh @ Mon Feb 19, 2007 at 07:07:27 AM CST

United (4.00 / 1)

Congratulations, Steve and Daniel.

IMHO, the word jmelli was looking for is "united".  The result of a "civil union" is to be "united".  As in, "they were united in the bonds of...not holy...not marriage...I guess."

DBK

---

by: DBK @ Mon Feb 19, 2007 at 07:11:53 AM CST

On such a great day (0.00 / 0)

I don't mean to sound like I'm carping, but I suppose I am. United is the perfect word, but does one use it with "civil?"  Are couples Civilly United?, or just United, or something else?  Small potatoes, I know, but the language is so damn ponderous. 

Steve and Daniel are featured in a NYT article on Monday.

http://www.nytimes.c...

Congrats, guys!

---

by: SmartyJones @ Mon Feb 19, 2007 at 07:42:41 AM CST

[ Parent ]

I think we can go with just "united" (4.00 / 1)

I think we can go ahead with just "united".  "Steve and Daniel were united today in a small civil union ceremony attended by twelve of their closest friends..." works for me.  I think it is fairly elegant, sans modifier.  It is a simple, single word, it's a good substitute for "married" in a sentence, and suggests commitment.

DBK

---

by: DBK @ Tue Feb 20, 2007 at 08:11:38 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Perfect.... (0.00 / 0)

I like this characterization, DBK. it's a sleek way to say a mouthful.

Jay_Lass on Twitter.

---

by: Jay Lassiter @ Tue Feb 20, 2007 at 08:33:49 AM CST

[ Parent ]

I think (0.00 / 0)

you are absolutely right, and you said it so well.

All the other characterizations, whether or not put forth  in jest, sounded like someone spitting tacks out of his/her mouth.  The words hurt my ears.

After I posted, above, I was thinking about the awkwardness of the civil unionized, etc., phraseology (sp?).  It seemed emblematic of the awkwardness of the legislation.

In no way do I mean to deprecate the efforts of Steve, Loretta, and everyone involved.  I was thinking more about many in the legislature who wouldn't step up.

"Bittersweet" was I quote that I read a number of times in the articles published.

That's all I was saying.  No cheap joke humor involved.

---

by: SmartyJones @ Wed Feb 21, 2007 at 09:27:41 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Let's beat this dead horse till it's even deader (0.00 / 0)

I love beating a subject to death.  So here goes.

One of the reasons I prefer the simple "united" is that, by using a term that is not in any way special and that doesn't necessarily suggest civil unions, but just "joining", the language removes the separateness of the institution of domestic unity.  When you say (or write) "civil unionized" you know immediately that the happy couple is gay.  Part of getting people to accept gay as normal is to remove the clear signals that it is not.  When you have to say a lengthy phrase to describe the institution, the abnormality of it is right there.  The more we normalize the language, the better we gain acceptance.

DBK

---

by: DBK @ Wed Feb 21, 2007 at 15:20:08 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Congratulations (0.00 / 0)

Steven and Daniel, Congratulations and thank you for your tireless efforts.

---

by: Jerseytjs @ Mon Feb 19, 2007 at 07:34:22 AM CST

Loretta Weinberg must be a cool chick (0.00 / 0)

Unionized, er ah, isn't it going to be easier to reference what happened......  when everyone can say

"Steven and Daniel got married last night at Lorettas"

But thats kinda cool, right after midnite, he he he, LOL. Congrats guys.

Check out my 3 paragraph primer on Polywell Fusion.

---

by: FogerRox @ Mon Feb 19, 2007 at 09:05:37 AM CST

Positively Wonderfully Brilliant! (0.00 / 0)

Congratulations to Daniel and Steven!!!

This is the kind of creative manifestation of love and political intelligence that brings new possibilities into the world of human events!

Once again, Loretta Weinberg sets a gold standard of political decency and morality for Bergen County and the Sate of New Jersey.

This is what democracy looks like!

---