Re-promoted for a Merry Christmas. If you're reading today, maybe you have 10 minutes to reflect on the year in NJ politics. Enjoy and don't forget to take the poll! -JG
What better way to celebrate a memorable year than with a top 10 list? As a blogger, activist and campaign worker, this was my perspective as seen (entirely) thorugh the lens of my wecam or iPhone.
Hopefully something for everyone. Take the poll and share what would make your top ten list!
Detective Lieutenant Laurel Hester spent 25 years investigating tough cases in Ocean County, New Jersey, protecting the rights of victims and putting her life on the line. She had no reason to expect that in the last year of her life - after she was diagnosed with terminal cancer - her final battle for justice would be for the woman she loved.
It's official! Freehold, the Laurel Hester Story is now an Academy Award winner. Looks like story of a New Jersey civil rights hero just took on epic proportions. I am so excited I can't even type!!
Please share your reactions, too!
Check out the announcement and the victory speech. It's really thrilling.
Two years ago tomorrow, Ocean County Lt. Laurel Hester succumbed to a long illness. Her simultaneous battle against cancer and bigotry inspired us all, in New Jersey and beyond. It also assured that her partner Stacee would receive Laurel's pension benefits.
Two years on it's safe to say that Laurel Hester's story will endure. Too many people have Laurel's legacy snug and safe in their hearts. I know I do. (And there's always that Oscar nominated documentary about Laurel for when we are old and grey and the memory fades a bit.)
Please join me in taking a moment of reflection to recall the woman who continues to serve as a beacon for equality. And if you're so inclined, spare some of those thoughts with the rest of us.
It's hard to believe it's been nearly two years since Laurel Hester lost her battle with lung cancer and won her battle for equality. But thanks to Cynthia Wade's cinematic handiwork, Laurel's story is properly celebrated and archived in the Oscar-nominated documentary Freeheld.
Upon learning of the nod from The Academy, Ms. Wade had some pretty profound words to share, captured here via that good ol' You Tube magic. It good for some Saturday morning introspection, but nothing too heavy.
On a much lighter note: the Oscars are officially ON and Garden State Equality is having an Oscar-watch party that same night, February 24th at the South Orange Performing Arts Center. A free screening of Freeheld is at 7pm followed by the matchless Academy Award show.
Laurel Hester's story was inspirational, and her courageous battle for equality and dignity for herself and her partner was really a struggle for greater justice, one that united all of us.
If you haven't seen this incredibly emotional and inspiring film, you really are missing out. It's great. And, you can still see it here in the Garden State on January 30 at 2p in the Library Auditorium at The College of New Jersey in Ewing.
The Oscars are Sunday, February 24th at 8pm, and with a little luck, the writers and studio execs will have reached a deal by then.
Good luck!
Update: Garden State Equality plans to throw a statewide Oscar® party on Sunday night, February 24, 2008, time and location TBA. It will be free, no tickets or RSVP required. Stay tuned for details!
PolitickerNJ reports that the Ocean County Republican party will nominate Ocean County freeholder John P. Kelly as their candidate for the seat being vacated by Rep James Saxton.
In 2005 when Lieutenant Laurel Hester was dying of lung cancer and asked the county to allow her to pass her pension on to her domestic partner, Mr. Kelly was the freeholder who said it would "violate the sanctity of marriage" and that the estimated 45 cent tax increase on county residents was a tremendous cost. The Asbury Park Press rightfully slammed him on both counts.
After months of lobbying and enormous political pressure, the five-member board of freeholders relented, and voted 4-0 to grant county employees domestic partner benefits. Laurel Hester won, just weeks before she died. The only freeholder to conveniently miss the vote: John Kelly. Some reports said he was out of the state at the time. But the freeholder board has this strange fixation with always appearing "unified", and it's widely understood that Kelly was at home hiding - too cowardly or ashamed to face a frail but triumphant Lt Hester.
In a state that provides civil unions and is considering moving forward with real marriage equality, John Kelly is a relic of an intolerant past. It's really sad if that's the best the Ocean County GOP has to offer.
Yesterday New Jersey's GLBT community flexed its political muscle with a gala fund raiser to support pro-equality Senate candidates in next month's elections. (Too much is at stake to let the GOP take the reigns, for a whole host of reasons too numerous to name but that's not for here...) Hosted by Garden State Equality, the annual Blue Jean Ball served three primary functions: to raise money, to have fun and to recognize some amazing New Jerseyans whose courage makes us all less unequal.
Andre Jackson takes the Hester Prize at the GSE gala. Click to enlarge
The day's top prize, the Laurel Hester Award went to Andre Jackson, he of the infamous yearbook flap earlier this year. While it's a shame that Andre was forced to endure such an ugly and public battle, the experience has clearly molded him into a poised and articulate civil rights champion. (Me and my blogmates here at Blue Jersey won last year's Hester Prize, and it feels really good to pass the torch to someone like Andre.)
Congressman Rush Holt and NJ Senator Ellen Karcher followed Andre on stage to an enthusiastic response, but it was still young Mr. Jackson who scored the day's only standing ovation.
Congressman Holt, NJ Sen Karcher
Probably the best thing about the BBQ was the atmosphere. the setting was (mostly red) Hunterdon County: lovely, bucolic, a pitch-perfect fall day. The theme: country western, and for good reason. The party was at a horse farmstead. Jersey Fresh, indeed.
Early in the day I was sharing a moment with a friend about my age (35) when the entire arc of my liberal activist life seemed to flash before my eyes. You see, there we were yesterday, the GLBT community (and allies) coming together to fight for marriage equality. When suddenly I had a flashback to what got me into politics to begin with: the AIDS crisis. Sitting there on that lovely farm with so many hundreds of nice people -- many with their pets and kids in tow -- listening to an amazing band and it felt so far removed from my early ACT UP days. I confess: I prefer issues like full marriage equality and transgender solidarity over watching my friends dropping dead of AIDS any day.
I suggest such a radical evolution would have been impossible without the Steven Goldsteins of this world who remain unflinchingly relentless in the face of inequality.
Freeheld, the documentary film about Lieutenant Laurel Hester's simultaneous struggle against terminal lung cancer and Ocean County's freeholders, is one of 5 short film nominees for the International Documentary Association Award, which will be announced at the Gala Benefit at the Director's Guild of America. The film had previously won a Special Jury prize at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival.
Laurel served Ocean County as a police detective, but when she found out that she had lung cancer, the government she served for 25 years turned its back on her. The film depicts the last year of Laurel's life and her fight for justice and the right to pass on her pension to her partner, Stacie Andree, who would have otherwise lost their home.
We've written over 50 posts about Laurel - who has been called the "Rosa Parks of New Jersey gay and lesbian civil rights." You can read more about her here.
There are several screenings coming up next month in New Jersey:
November 2
Two Rivers Film Festival of Monmouth County
Monmouth County, NJ
4:30 pm http://www.tworiverf...
On the 100th day since New Jersey's civil unions law went into effect, a tear-soaked audience filled the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick for the NJ premiere screening of "Freeheld: the Laurel Hester Story" - winner of the 2007 Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival - presented free by Garden State Equality.
There were tears of anger as we relived the Ocean County Freeholders' stonewalling. There were tears of joy when the film depicted Laurel's dramatic victory over intolerance. And of course, there were tears of sadness as we relived Lt. Hester's and her partner Stacie's personal tragedy.
Cynthia Wade deserves much praise for creating this documentary, which moved me beyond expectations. I was thrilled to learn during the panel discussion that followed that the film will be made available for additional New Jersey screenings. Having watched it last night, there are so many people I want to bring to see it. It was that good.
But, something else the audience learned in that panel discussion was also heartbreaking. After all Lt. Hester fought for, ultimately leading to the NJ Supreme Court's decision last fall in favor of "equal" rights for all couples - we learned the fight is still not over. There are still couples out there who are being denied justice, and at least one of those couples was a plaintiff in the NJ marriage case.
(I haven't seen it, but those who have say this film is incredibly powerful. - promoted by jmelli)
On Wednesday, May 30, 2007 at 7:00 pm, George Street Playhouse, 9 Livingston Street, New Brunswick, Garden State Equality invites you to a once-in-a-lifetime evening, entirely free:
The New Jersey premiere of "Freeheld: The Laurel Hester Story," the Sundance Award-winning film about a hero's electrifying fight for justice and heartbreaking fight for life. She changed our community - and all New Jersey - forever. The film features several members of the Blue Jersey community.
The evening includes the 38-minute film, a wine-and-food reception with director Cynthia Wade, and a panel discussion with Congressman Frank Pallone, Assemblyman Reed Gusciora and those who fought alongside Lieutenant Hester.
Again, the entire evening is free. No RSVP or tickets necessary.
For further information, contact Garden State Equality, (973) GSE-LGBT or Contact@GardenStateEquality.org
Freeheld, the documentary film by Cynthia Wade about Lt. Laurel Hester's final months and her brave fight and eventual victory over inequality, received a Special Jury Prize at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival.
"Laurel and Stacie believed that their personal story could make a difference for same-sex couples around the nation," said Ms. Wade when she learned that her film had won a Special Jury Prize.
"The Sundance prize is a testament to their faith and belief that their struggle could make a difference in the fight for equality. This award belongs to Laurel and Stacie."
Laurel would be thrilled to know what a profound impact her life has had on the world. Garden State Equality will show Freeheld in New Jersey this spring.
Many newspapers are doing retrospectives of the year that was. No surprise who got top billing from the Ocean County Observer: Lt. Laurel Hester. I wonder if she knew just how powerful her legacy would be one year later.
In addition to helping countless sufferers of disease like diabetes or Alzheimers, the new stem cell research center also has much promise locally. The center (to be named for the late actor and activist Chris Reeve) suggests bigtime progress for Camden, as well.
As many of you know, the country lost it's 3oooth soul in Iraq over the holiday weekend. Peace activists from New Jersey and beyond will be hitting the streets of Washington later this month. On the 27th, we will take our mandate to the capital's Mall. On the 29th, we'll be on Capital Hill doing direct lobbying of legislators to end this senseless war. So who's in? I'll be headed down and I hope many of my peace loving brothers and sisters will be joining me from the Garden State.
New Jersey takes another step towards enacting a policy to provide clean needles to IV drug users to curb the spread of HIV. With today's long-awaited vote, NJ stands to become the very last state in the union to enact a needle exchange program. With HIV transmissions as high as some third world countries, this step is long overdue here in the Garden State. Today's vote will "also would provide $10 million for drug treatment and provide those exchanging needles with information and referrals for HIV testing, drug abuse treatment and health and social service programs."
Also on tap in Trenton, a property tax standoff between Governor Corzine and the Union labor movement in the state. Thousands of union members are expected to descend on the statehouse. Says said Lynn Maher, a spokeswoman for the state's teacher's union, "the message is: We are not the problem. School employees, public employees, did not cause the property tax problem." According the the Star Ledger,
the frustrated Gov. Jon Corzine yesterday fired off a letter to legislative leaders challenging them to send him whatever pension reform measures they can pass, and then he will sort it out with his veto pen.
"I encourage you to the lead the Legislature forward," Corzine wrote to Senate President Codeyand Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts Jr. "Make your best judgment and move forward, but do not allow this issue to slow or impede our shared and overarching objectives."
How many people will die in the Darfur region of Sudan today? As heir aparent to lead the Africa subcommittee, Rep. Donald Payne vows to make the ongoing genocide in Sudan his number one priority. Namely, he wants to fly some reconnaissance planes over Darfur to get a lay of the land, then send in unmanned drones to seek and destroy the janjaweed troops with blood on their hand.
In an interview with Blue Jersey, Rep. Payne concedes such action is a bold step but "but someone has to stop this genocide and we have to do something to show (the killers) enough is enough. At some point, enough will have to be enough." Check out the Darfur interview here.
New Jersey continues to face uo to the toxic legacy of its past. Philly Inquirer:
As many as 300 long-closed municipal landfills, including others laden with toxic waste, lurk beneath New Jersey's landscape, closer to homes than many people realize.
Yikes.
According to Pam's House Blend, Lt. Laurel Hester is the obvious favorite for blog-o-sphere's Queer of the Year. (Vote here) Pam also notes that the movie ("Freeheld") about Hester's death-bed struggle for pension benefin for her widow is slated to get some serious attention at the upcoming Sundance Film Festival. Clearly Laurel Hester's struggle and legacy live on.
NJ.com reminds us of the ongoing battle between Gov. Corzine and PA Gov. Rendell over dredging of the Deleware River. Unless the impasse can be overcome, Rob Andrews suggests a Congressional law to dissolve the Deleware River Port Authority (which is led by Rendell) and replacing the agency with an outfit more ammenable to the needs of New Jersey.
Did I miss something? What's on your mind this mild December day??
Freeheld is a short documentary about Lt Laurel Hester's struggle for justice. Out of 7,732 submissions, Freeheld was one of the 12 selected for the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. It will be screened five times between Friday, January 19th and Saturday, January 27th, 2007, in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah. They are raising funds to finish the film.
A few months back, we here at Blue Jersey covered the struggles of Laurel Hester. Garden State Equality has launched a Television Commercial urging people to support marriage equality featuring Laurel speaking about her struggle before her recent death. See for yourself...
(Update: About 200 people showed up at the Cape May school board meeting tonight to show their support for Roberto - a massive crowd for the area. - promoted by jmelli)
Roberto Deane has been teaching elementary school in Cape May for 24 years, but because his partner is another man, the school district is denying his partner from receiving health benefits. If you're in the area, come out to support him tonight at the school board meeting at 8:00 pm at the Mitnick School, 905 Seashore Road, Cape May.
The domestic partnership law passed by the legislature a few years ago allows but does not require that government employees receive domestic partner benefits. Each county, municipality, school district, etc must decide whether to grant equal rights to their employees or to discriminate.
Garden State Equality is having what will likely be the last Town Meeting before the Supreme Court decides on the legality of same-sex marriage. The meeting is a tribute to the late Lieutenant Laurel Hester, who spent the last year of her life fighting for domestic partner benefits while battling cancer:
TONIGHT, Thursday, May 4 at 7 pm, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Monmouth County, 1475 West Front Street, Lincroft
Garden State Equality presents the New Jersey LGBTI community's official statewide tribute to the late Lieutenant Laurel Hester/A rally for marriage equality
Law enforcement officials who knew Lieutenant Hester at different stages of her career -- who have never spoken publicly about her until now -- will share riveting stories you never knew about this civil rights legend.
Looking to the future, the law enforcement officials will then speak about the grotesque unfairness of denying marriage equality to gays -- including to the officials themselves who put their lives on the line every single day.
This may well be the rally before the New Jersey Supreme Court delivers its marriage-equality decision.
The rally will feature never-before-seen footage of Lieutenant Hester.
And Garden State Equality will present the next Lieutenant Laurel Hester Prize for Citizen Courage to teacher Lily McBeth, who successfully stood down the bigots who sought to ban her from the classroom because she is transgender.
Reminder: The memorial service for the late Lieutenant Laurel Hester is at noon Saturday, March 4 at St. Mary's By the Sea Episcopal Church, 804 Bay Avenue, Point Pleasant Beach.
Immediately before the service, from 10 am -11:30 am in Farnsworth Hall at the church, there will be a reception for friends and family.
Just one month after the late Lt. Laurel Hester was finally granted domestic partner benefits by the freeholders of Ocean County, another woman in Ocean County is the target of bigotry.
Lily McBeth is a 70 year-old transgendered substitute teacher in the Eagleswood School District. According to Garden State Equality, last week a parent in the district "took out an ad in a community newspaper last week to encourage others to attend the Eagleswood Township Board of Education meeting this coming Monday, February 27th at 7 pm to protest against Ms. McBeth's right to teach in the classroom."
The reason? Because being transgendered "violates" this person's religious beliefs.
"The good citizens of Ocean County proved their fairness with their outrage over the treatment of Laurel Hester in the months before she died," said Steven Goldstein, chair of Garden State Equality. "We believe Ocean County will now rise to the occassion in support of Lily McBeth, whose reputation is unsurpassed. A great teacher is a great teacher, period. New Jersey courts have ruled it is illegal to discriminate on the basis of a person's being transgender, so if the school board were to prevent Lily McBeth from teaching, it would be playing with legal fire of the most dangerous kind."
CALL TO ACTION: Garden State Equality asks supporters of LGBTI rights across New Jersey, straight and LGBTI citizens alike, to join us at the meeting of the Eagleswood Township Board of Education this Monday, February 27th at 7 pm, 511 Main Street, West Creek (map), in support of Lily McBeth and the right of all transgender citizens to live and work with dignity and equality. The Eagleswood School District is in West Creek, which is in Southern Ocean County.
