Gather 'round Ye Watchers

by: Amicus

Thu Dec 10, 2009 at 01:58:46 AM EST

I post this, in sympathy with that, to assist people in making up their own minds on the issue.  I do so tentatively but willingly, nevertheless, because now is the time.  This is written using terms or language that some will recognize, but others might find odd.

I hope people find this consistent with Senator Baroni's 'balance of liberties' formulation, which I think should be admired by Republicans and Democrats alike.

On Monday, the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee in New Jersey asked, as time wore on, "does anyone waiting to testify have something new to add?"

I do, especially for the Christians.

Reflections from the Overflow Room

by: Deborah Jacobs, ACLU-NJ Executive Director

Tue Dec 08, 2009 at 11:30:05 AM EST

The vast majority of those testifying at last nights Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on marriage equality told moving stories of love, family and justice. We heard from families who had overcome harrowing obstacles and given back to society in humbling ways, children holding out hope that their parents would be allowed to marry each other like their friends' families, and some 50 clergy who wanted to marry their congregants.  

In testimony from the other side, although the topic was marriage equality, free speech seemed to play the part of star witness.

One Hasidic rabbi - of whom there were many - voiced particular concern that he would be legally barred from condemning same-sex marriage in his synagogue.

Huh? As an authority on the First Amendment, be assured that you can still slam same-sex marriage all you want at temple.

After the rabbis took the stage, John Tomicki of the New Jersey Coalition to Preserve and Protect Marriage (which represents, as far as I can tell, no one) somehow wound his argument to say that allowing marriage equality infringed upon his religious freedom rights and therefore his right to religious expression. He then asked the senators if they would represent him if he preached his beliefs on the street corner.

Hey, over here, in the overflow room, the ACLU will represent you. Free speech in public places is one of our specialties. Just give us a call (no need to meet in person).

And finally, I spoke with a guy from Knights of Columbus (to his wife's terror) who was dead sure that marriage equality would result in dramatic free speech infringements. "Just look at what happened in Canada," he told me five or six times.

What happened in Canada? Nothing as far as I know. But anyway, we don't live in Canada.

And we have a really strong First Amendment; Canada doesn't.

The spirit of Rick Santorum hovered in the room as opponents let loose their far-fetched fears that marriage between gay couples would lead to polygamy, underage marriage and, if I heard right, bestiality.

Our country has seen steady progress over the past few decades in wiping out homophobia. We've learned that marriage in Massachusetts hasn't brought society to a halt. Our culture has become familiar with images of gay couples raising families and living ordinary lives. Our opponents have but one thing to cling to: scare tactics. It makes you realize how scared they must be, when they're swinging desperately in the committee hearing room. (Unfortunately, confronting those irrational fears will be an ongoing project for our side).

The absurdity of the opposition's arguments in yesterday's committee room made me realize that even though this fight is far from over, it's fundamentally over. We win. It's only a matter of time before we have marriage equality in this country, in every state.

How soon it happens depends on how smart and strategic we can be. It's a question of whether we can put aside our differences to have honest conversations about our beliefs and our lives. How patient will we be in bringing people along? How impatient will we be to get equal rights? How committed are we to working together and keeping the flame alive? The country, as we've seen in a handful of different states this year, still hasn't figured out what the right answers to those questions are.

I recently heard the folk singer Ferron say something like, "Society can only move forward as fast as the slowest person, so you might as well get to the back of the line and try to help push it along."

Based on yesterday's testimony, which was delivered by overwhelmingly by smart, inspiring, amazing human beings standing for their rights, and which included some eloquent truths from Senators Weinberg, Gill and Baroni, the good news is that most people are up here with us. The bad news is too many others are straggling behind.

What Does One Religion's Doctrine Have to do with Civil Marriage?

by: Jeff Gardner

Mon Nov 30, 2009 at 10:27:22 AM EST

Almighty God created the races white, black, yellow, malay and red, and he placed them on separate continents. And but for the interference with his arrangement there would be no cause for such marriages. The fact that he separated the races shows that he did not intend for the races to mix.

Fast-forward to 2009, and we hear this weekend from the Catholic Bishops of New Jersey in a letter on marriage:

God who created man and woman out of love also calls him to love - the fundamental and innate vocation of every human being. For man is created in the image and likeness of God who is Himself love. Since God created him man and woman, their mutual love becomes an image of the absolute and unfailing love with which God loves man.

The diversity of religious views in America is part of what makes our country great. It's also why the marriage equality bill awaiting action by New Jersey's legislature explicitly states that no religious institution, in accordance with their first amendment right to free exercise, will be required to perform or religiously recognize the civil marriages which the law authorizes.

This is a nation and a state which has always cherished the separation of church and state, and has suffered when it has forgotten the difference.

Maybe you have time this Thursday, December 3rd, to remind your legislators of that by going to Trenton and demanding that the marriage equality bill is posted this legislative session. Just show up at 110 W. State Street, Trenton NJ 08608, beginning at 8am, and lend your voice to the chorus of people who respect both religious freedom and equality under the law.

Blue Jersey Radio talks Marriage Equality LIVE Tonight at 8:00 p.m. with GSE's Steven Goldstein

by: Jeff Gardner

Tue Nov 24, 2009 at 02:00:00 PM EST

GSE Chair, Steven Goldstein

Each week, Blue Jersey Radio streams LIVE with New Jersey's latest political buzz, interviews with newsmakers, and your stimulating calls.

This week: We're chatting with Garden State Equality Chair Steven Goldstein - with the latest on the fight for marriage equality in New Jersey.

Listen in tonight at 8:00 p.m.

You've read the stories, seen the photos, and watched the video. Now, find out just what went down in Trenton yesterday, and what's going down in the days ahead during this crunchtime for marriage.

As always, we'll be LIVE, and happy to take your calls during the show. To join in the commentary with your own opinions - or your experiences in Trenton yesterday - give us a call tonight at: 646-652-2773.

Hope you'll join us. Talk to you then!

Who Doesn't Like a Top Ten List?

by: Jeff Gardner

Tue Nov 24, 2009 at 01:15:00 PM EST

10- Arriving in Trenton in the early morning to find a huge crowd already gathered - dare I say, fired up? - and ready to make history.

9- Marching down State St. in a parade of hundreds of supporters past the 3 guys and a banner opposing marriage.

8- Wandering the majestic halls of the statehouse in search of legislators (may I say, again - our capitol building is a treasure - guided tours available through the main front entrance)

7- Watching the GSE staffers in action, out-hustling and out-organizing the opposition, and all the while, smiling and having fun.

6- Being there when Senator Gill asked a supporter in the hallway if she could have a Marriage Equality button, and seeing her put it on as she headed for the Judiciary Committee Hearing Room.

5- Turning down the "one man, one woman" button offered to me by a member of the opposition (was my business suit too conservative?)

4- Helping track down an elusive, and visibly nervous, Senator Sarlo to deliver postcards from his constituents in support of marriage equality (third time's the charm!)

3- Seeing the young vets from Veterans for Education finish their testimony before the Judiciary Committee on their bill, and immediately switch gears, and t-shirts, to join the crowd in support of marriage equality.

2- Having Senator Weinberg on our side - behind closed doors, on the steps of the statehouse, around every corner - and having other supportive Senators (and some Assemblymembers - thanks Reed and Valerie) actively working for us in this fight. We will always remember your efforts.

and the number one takeaway from the day ... well, that'll take another click.

Marriage Maddening the Garden State

by: Allison_Peltzman

Sat Nov 21, 2009 at 12:18:58 AM EST

"Maybe it's not the time for civil rights."

It was shocking when Betty Draper said that to her black housekeeper Carla upon hearing the now-infamous news that a bomb in a Birmingham church had killed four little girls in 1963 Alabama.

Mad Men has become an American pop-culture sweetheart partly because the anachronistic, chauvinistic, homophobic, racist, politically incorrect sentiments sound absurd today. Characters toss back bigotry as easily as a glass of Jameson at the beginning of their workday. It seems just as wrong, and there's about as much slurring in both.

If only the prejudice on the show were actually anachronistic. Earlier this week, New Jersey's Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney told the press that civil rights for New Jersey couples should wait. And we say to him, if not now, then when?

If New Jersey doesn't pass marriage legislation now, any possibility in the near future is as good as gone. We have just a few weeks until Governor Corzine, who supports the right for gay and lesbian couples to marry, officially hands over the reins to Governor-elect Chris Christie, who vocally does not.

We have a state whose majority supports equal rights for gay couples, we have a legislature whose majority supports equal rights for gay couples and we have a governor - for now - who also supports equal rights for gay couples.

But we don't have a leader in the state senate brave enough to say, "That's enough. New Jersey is going to do the right thing."

Instead of taking up the responsibility to do what they know is right, they're taking cover behind the economy. We have four years ahead of us to fix New Jersey's withering finances. We have less than two months to make sure that people aren't forced to live with the indignity of discrimination brought on by civil unions, affecting every corner of their lives, every day of their lives.

I wasn't shocked that Betty Draper wavered on civil rights in front of Carla. Coldness is Betty's signature characteristic; callousness isn't surprising. I was shocked because, from the vantage point of the 21st Century, after this country fought against the legacy of some of the darkest episodes of human history - the middle passage, hundreds of years of slavery, a brutal war that killed more Americans than any other, the failure of reconstruction, the nadir of American race relations, Jim Crow laws, unending injustices - I could not imagine what the world would look like if the leaders of the 60s had thrown their hands up and said, "You know, maybe it's not the time for civil rights."

Americans made it the time for civil rights. They didn't politely ask politicians to pencil them into their schedules - they left the politicians without a choice, and they changed the world. Segregation came to an end, miscegenation laws were repealed, American soldiers protected the rights of African Americans in America's schools and streets, and people across the country rode buses for days to march for miles in some of the most dangerous places in the world for a black person or a Jew. The equality they all hungered for eclipsed their fear of taking personal risks. And those sacrifices make politicians' political fears look like a farce.

Mr. Smith has never lived in Washington, and he certainly doesn't go to Trenton. It usually takes an extraordinary leader to take bold action, even to do the right thing - with one exception. Politicians take bold action when the chorus of Americans together becomes too loud to ignore.

Can you imagine what the world would look like if the people concerned about civil rights in 1963 decided that it wasn't the time for civil rights? Would Loving v. Virginia be a 2009 case instead of one from 1967? Even if we're constantly fighting against backslides in our voting rights, at least we have the Voting Rights Act to hold our government to. We don't have poll-tax free-for-alls.

"But gay rights. That's so new and radical."

It's not, though. We've been in the same place for decades. The Stonewall raids, the assassination of Harvey Milk, the panicked response to AIDS. It was never the time for civil rights back then. So why not now?

January Jones, the actress behind the Betty Draper mask, lampooned her character's cheerful bigotry in a Saturday Night Live sketch that told housewives how to host the perfect party. "Homosexuals should be addressed by Ms. or Mrs., depending on their age. If a black person arrives ... just kidding. A black person won't arrive. That's an example of party humor."

It's tongue in cheek, sure, but it's still the same mindset that declared, "Now isn't the time for civil rights." It's a mindset of exclusion, and it's rooted in the belief that only some people deserve to have their constitutional promises kept. That's not who we are as Americans, and that's not who we want to be in New Jersey.

We've come too far to retreat. The "economy" excuse is a red herring, a false dichotomy, an easy way out, and just plainly and simply wrong. Marriage would bring money into New Jersey, and it would solve the financial straits of gay couples who struggle because their civil unions deprive them of health benefits.

It is the time for civil rights, because our momentum as a country pulls us toward the expansion of rights, not their restriction. I want to be shocked in 40 years because a character on a retro TV show about the early 21st century suggests that now isn't the time for marriage equality. I don't want to live in a world in 40 years where I have to tell myself, "Well, maybe this time we'll succeed."

It's up to New Jersey legislators, who know that marriage equality is the right thing, to secure the civil rights of our state's gay and lesbian families. But it's up to us, the rest of New Jersey, to pressure our state's legislators into not having a choice.

If you live in New Jersey, there are ways you can take immediate action. We need you to e-mail your state senator, call the senate majority leader at 856-251-9801 -- urge him to take up marriage legislation -- and rally with the ACLU-NJ in Trenton Monday, November 23.

We're meeting at:
Garden State Equality's New Jersey Office
110 W. State Street, Trenton
Monday, November 23, 2009
8:30 a.m.

If there's a day to take off work for a cause, it's Monday. Your day off could mean a lifetime of equality for families in New Jersey.

If you live in another state, just promise to help us raise hell, deal? If we win, we'll celebrate at the Atlantic City boardwalk. If we lose, we'll go to the casinos and take bets on what we'll see first: civil rights for New Jersey's gay families or a lesbian Miss America.

You Asked How You Could Help Pass the Marriage Equality Bill? Meet me in Trenton this Monday.

by: Jeff Gardner

Fri Nov 20, 2009 at 10:30:00 AM EST

In fact, if you have time, you can double-dip by calling him at his Freeholder's Office too: (856) 853-3390. - JG

As promised, things happen pretty quickly this time of year. And, with the Legislature coming back to Trenton next week for its lame duck session, it's party time:

Garden State Equality is holding an urgent lobby day this Monday, November 23rd, beginning at 8:30 a.m. - meet at our Trenton Office across from the State House, 110 West State St.

And, not to bury the lead with the fine print, but there will be "free donuts and juice to get the day started. At lunch time, free pzza and soda." So, just sayin' - you really ought to come.

The rest of the details, from GSE's email, below the fold.

Are You Talking to the Right People About Marriage Equality?

by: Jeff Gardner

Wed Nov 18, 2009 at 10:30:00 AM EST

But, legislators are busy people, who don't always do much asking. So, we have to do a whole lot more telling. To the right people. Right now.

And Garden State Equality has made it really easy to do just that. In addition to opportunities for volunteering in its offices in Montclair, Asbury Park, Collingswood and Trenton (fill out the volunteer form on their website, and they'll get you all set up), you can be a big part of making marriage equality a reality in New Jersey by donating just three minutes a day to tell a legislator where you stand.

Interested? Just fill out GSE's Three Minutes a Day form, and you will be contacted by a GSE staff member with all the details. By calling select state legislators, and telling them you support marriage equality, you can make a real difference.

If you're a marriage equality supporter who is not calling a legislator every day, you're not talking to the right people.

If you don't use the power you have, what's the point of having it?

by: Jeff Gardner

Tue Nov 17, 2009 at 09:47:40 AM EST

Well, sorry gang - I've gotten impatient. And, with good reason. I've been waiting a long time for New Jersey to find the right time to pass marriage equality. And, being a team player, I've been very very patient.

After all, we couldn't do it in 2004 after McGreevey resigned, because he was a Gay American, and it was too awkward.

And, we couldn't do it in 2005 when Corzine was running, because we had to hold the office.

Obviously, we couldn't do it in 2006 because of all those competitive Congressional races.

Then, we couldn't do it in 2007 because we had to protect our democratic majority in the legislature so we could pass things like Marriage Equality!

We remember clearly that we couldn't do it in 2008 because we wouldn't want to nationalize a New Jersey issue and hurt Obama.

And, finally, we had to wait for lame duck in 2009 because we didn't want to (ahem) distract from Corzine's race against Christie.

If there's one sure thing in politics, it's that there's always a reason not to do the right thing. We've heard them all, and keep hearing them and hearing them and hearing them.

So, we've been patient for long enough. Now, it's time for action. After all, what's the point in having power if you won't exercise it for fear of losing power?  If you don't use it, you don't have it. And, we only have it for two more months.

Let me be a Lover, not a Fighter

by: Jeff Gardner

Mon Nov 16, 2009 at 09:40:31 AM EST

But, I don't have time for any of those things. Why? Because I'm still fighting for equality.

And, one of the more frustrating things about this fight is the misinformation that gets spread about the political ramifications of taking action - that somehow voting for equality could be risky. In fact, the opposite is true - voting against equality is the real risk.

Let's be clear: pro-equality incumbents are reelected at a higher rate than anti-equality incumbents.

And, if history is any guide - and the marriage battle in Massachusetts is now, mercifully, history - anti-equality Democrats from solidly Democratic districts get primaried and lose. Just ask 20-year incumbent loser Marie Parente:

Outspoken state Representative Marie Parente of Milford, one of Beacon Hill's most conservative voices for more than 20 years, was defeated yesterday in her bid for another term. She was the only incumbent legislator to lose a primary fight.

Sciortino was first elected to the house in 2004, defeating sixteen-year incumbent Democrat Vincent Ciampa in a bitter contest. The 34th Middlesex district is heavily Democratic and the primary election [wa]s the key contest.... Ciampa, an opponent of same-sex marriage, faced Sciortino, who is openly gay.

But, every time I read about a New Jersey Democratic legislator who is on the fence on the issue of marriage equality - a core Democratic issue which enjoys the overwhelming support of New Jersey democratic voters - it makes me wonder: Do these incumbents really want to fight?

Whitman wants marriage plank deleted from GOP platform

by: Jason Springer

Mon Apr 20, 2009 at 07:11:46 PM EDT

"I am not saying to Christian conservatives, 'There is no place for you.'. I am saying, 'Please stop saying there is no place for us.'

"Well, I am somebody who believes in the separation of church and state and that the government, frankly, ought to be out of the business of marriage entirely," Whitman told CNSNews.com after her speech.

"It ought to be everybody - heterosexual, homosexual. When you go down and register to get married, that's when the legal transfer of everything occurs and that's a legal recognition of a relationship - and if you want to get married in a church, a temple, whatever, and you find one, great!" she said.

..."I would like them to take it out. I just don't think it's an issue that ought to be in a party platform. It's a personal issue, not a political one."

While speaking with CNSNews.com, Whitman also called for the open acceptance of homosexuals and lesbians in the U.S. military.

"I don't care if he is straight," said Whitman, in reference to a soldier's sexuality. "I care if he can shoot straight."

Garden State Equality Action Fair: Sunday, February 22.

by: Becker

Fri Feb 20, 2009 at 03:16:53 PM EST

We're calling our new weekend events... ACTION FAIRS.

The first Garden State Equality ACTION FAIR is this Sunday, February 22 at 2:00 pm in Maplewood at the Burgdorff Cultural Center, 10 Durand Road.

Each ACTION FAIR will have a very exciting format that will entertain and engage you and your loved ones of every age. We'll have activities for kids. We've been cooking up this innovative program for months!

At each ACTION FAIR, there'll be a rotating series of interactive activities right on site where you'll take action for marriage equality and leave the ACTION FAIR with a personal game plan for the week ahead.

Again, please join us at the first Garden State Equality ACTION FAIR this Sunday, February 22 at 2:00 pm in Maplewood at the Burgdorff Cultural Center, 10 Durand Road. We'll serve free sandwiches and drinks. No need to RSVP.

As always, please forward this email to your family, friends, colleagues and list servs.

If you have any questions, be in touch with my wonderful colleague Hannah Johson, Garden State Equality's Field Director, at Johnson@GardenStateEquality.org or cell (920) 222-1878.

Thank you so much.

Best,

Steven Goldstein

Chair, Garden State Equality

-----------------------------------

I'll be running one of the workshops on Sunday. Won't find out until Saturday which one it will be.

The first night I volunteered there were about 5 other volunteers. This past Wednesday we had grown to over 30.

If you can't make it, please forward this to someone you know or get in touch with me for information about other upcoming events.

We are quickly building this grassroots movement in New Jersey to make sure same-gender marriage passes in 2009. The more people involved, the faster we can get legislation on Corzine's desk to sign.

NJ Judge rules same-sex couple can divorce

by: Jason Springer

Fri Feb 06, 2009 at 10:16:49 PM EST

Gay marriages performed outside New Jersey are recognized in the state for the purpose of divorce, according to a ruling Friday by a judge deciding whether a lesbian couple married in Canada can split.

The wider implications weren't immediately clear, but Superior Court Judge Mary Jacobson said New Jersey has a long history of recognizing marriages that are valid where they were performed.

Jacobson said her ruling does not mean that the state has to recognize same-sex marriages for other purposes.

But her decision does overrule, in part, a state attorney general's order that declared New Jersey wouldn't fully recognize gay marriages performed elsewhere.

Lee Moore, a spokesman for Attorney General Anne Milgram, said she had not yet decided whether to appeal Friday's decision to a higher state court.

[snip]

The state attorney general's office had argued that she should be granted a dissolution of a civil union, instead of a divorce.

NY Times takes NJ to task over Civil Unions

by: Jason Springer

Sun Dec 21, 2008 at 02:41:39 PM EST

Civil unions are an inadequate substitute for marriage. Creating a separate, new legal structure to confer some benefits on same-sex couples neither honors American ideals of fairness, nor does it grant true equality. The results are clearly visible in New Jersey, which continues to deny same-sex couples some of the tangible civil benefits that come with marriage.

Shadowed by a national recession and plummeting state revenues, Corzine said issues like enacting gay marriage will be shoved to the sidelines while he tries to stimulate New Jersey's economy and push ethics reform through a reluctant Legislature.

Maybe we should be looking at the potential economic benefits of same sex marriage to help ease some of our budget pain. According to a Williams Institute Study:

Over the next three years, the direct spending from same-sex couples on weddings and tourism will generate approximately $19 million in revenues for state and local governments.

Spending on weddings by couples living in New Jersey, and tourism and weddings by out-of-state couples, will generate over $17.3 million in state and local sales tax revenues and occupancy fee revenues. This estimate is conservative in that it does not include increased revenue from many other taxes that are harder to estimate, such as New Jersey's motor fuels tax, earnings taxes, property taxes, excise tax on alcoholic beverages, or taxes on indirect spending or earnings.

In addition, the weddings of in-state and out-of-state couples will generate approximately $1.6 million in marriage license fees.

Separate from the fiscal impact, the Times also goes after the legislature for not advancing the bill:

We regret that the leaders of the state's Democratic-controlled Legislature do not view this issue with the same urgency. Senate President Richard Codey, for instance, said recently that progress in civil rights areas "is typically achieved in incremental steps." We suspect that political expedience is clouding Mr. Codey's sense of fairness. Next year in New Jersey, the governorship and all seats in the Assembly are up for grabs in an election. Some Republicans already are talking about making their opposition to same-sex marriage a campaign issue.

Second, I was watching ESPN yesterday and they were talking about integration in the 60's. One of the football players made the point that when a white player got cut, their blood was red, and when a black player got cut, their blood was red too.  That really summed up how I feel about this issue.  Their blood is red just like everyone else's, so what's the difference?

NJ Civil Union Commission blazing a trail for... Vermont

by: Jason Springer

Sat Dec 20, 2008 at 10:08:22 AM EST

Supporters of legislation in Vermont to allow same-sex marriage are praising the findings of a New Jersey commission that studied the issue.

The New Jersey Civil Union Review Commission looked at that state's civil union law - which is very similar to Vermont's - and found it comes up short of offering equality to same-sex couples. The panel recommended that the state pass a law allowing same-sex marriage.

Beth Robinson of the Vermont Freedom to Marry Task Force says the problems the New Jersey panel found with that state's civil union law mirror her group's concerns about Vermont's law.

District 25 - any hope?

by: Laurel

Mon Dec 15, 2008 at 09:29:19 PM EST

Manzo -- Is there no end to his misdeeds

by: waltb313

Tue Jun 05, 2007 at 04:55:50 PM EDT

Lou Manzo, today released a flyer to Hudson's Senior Housing facilities with the message:

"Sandra Cunningham and her perverts want to legalize gay marriage -- Vote for Lou Manzo"

There are still a few hours left, please let your friends in 31 know that Manzo MUST be defeated!!

Op-Ed: New Jersey Marriage '08 - Start Your Engines

by: Evan Wolfson

Sat Jan 06, 2007 at 08:37:30 AM EST

Fortunately, we have a lot on which to build. First, thanks to Lambda Legal's case, the unanimous ruling of the NJ Supreme Court, and the creative and constant public education and outreach by Garden State Equality and its amazing array of gay and non-gay organizations and partners - including BlueJersey.com, and its series of engaging ads - it's clear that the people of New Jersey are ready to accept an end to the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage. Had the legislative leaders and the governor stepped forward following the Supreme Court ruling and said that the time is now for full equality, not place-holders, New Jersey would have embraced it (and rapidly come to see, as have the people of Massachusetts, that equality in marriage means families helped and no one hurt; gay couples don't use up all the marriage licenses and there is plenty of marriage to share).

Unfortunately, NJ's political leaders seized on the unsurprising polls that showed that in the immediate aftermath of the decision, a majority was also comfortable with the intermediate step of a parallel, lesser status, and they rushed to that place-holder. Happily, an intense blitz by Garden State Equality, Lambda Legal, and an unprecedented collaboration of movement organizations (the Task Force, HRC, ACLU, MassEquality, and New York's Pride Agenda) and funders made clear to the politicians that those of us committed to equal treatment and full inclusion will not rest until couples have the freedom to marry itself. As a result, Senate President Codey and Assembly Speaker Roberts, along with many other key legislators and leaders, have now acknowledged that marriage itself is the goal, that it is do-able, and that it must be done - soon.  Gov. Corzine has already promised to sign a marriage bill into law.

Garden State Equality has called on all who believe in fairness to hold these leaders to their word, and, with the help of all of us, has pledged a massive effort to win the freedom to marry in New Jersey within the next two years.

As the new year dawns, we begin building on the foundation of civil union already won and the increasing receptivity to marriage equality. We must coax people past complacency or false comfort in the idea that justice is "inevitable" and therefore can wait.  Like Chief Justice Poritz, in her dissent for the three justices who would have finished the job, we must now talk to the people around us about why marriage matters.

The right way to end discrimination in marriage is, of course, to end discrimination in marriage, not repackage it, whether as civil union or any other mandatory other status.

Under American law, marriage, of course, is a civil union (a legal status created by government license) - but civil union is not marriage, and pointedly so.  There are a million songs about love and marriage, but civil union is the words without the music.  We must explain why the separate and unequal status of civil union is insufficient and unnecessary, and ultimately demeaning when offered, as it was last year, in order to perpetuate couples' exclusion from marriage itself.

Person by person, month by month, let's describe how marriage - and only marriage, not civil union - offers a comprehensive array of protections and responsibilities under state, federal, and international law.  As I relate in my book, Why Marriage Matters: America, Equality, and Gay People's Right to Marry, this safety net affects every area of life from birth to death, with taxes in between. The rules relating to marriage (not civil union) have been worked out through courts and legislatures to cover a multitude of contingencies, and cannot be replicated by any other contract, statute, or new invention by the state. No separate status provides that security and economic justice, not to mention the dignity of full inclusion and cultural meaning, to same-sex couples and their kids. Around the world, everyone knows what marriage entails. No newly invented status brings what comes, tangibly and intangibly, with a legal marriage license and the two words, "I do."

To be denied the vocabulary of marriage and its meaningful, resonant, and readily understood statement of love and commitment - and instead, have to fumble for 10 documents, explain a new term that doesn't even have a verb, and, possibly, retain a lawyer just to protect your family in a time of crisis - is not fair and not equal. New Jersey can do better. And now is the time.

So here's a New Year's Resolution for all of us. Join with Garden State Equality and other New Jersey and national gay and non-gay groups dedicated to this just cause. Seize the opportunity to make a difference. Start now by inviting friends, family, and fellow citizens to ask themselves these questions:

Either marriage and civil union are the same, in which case why does NJ need two lines at the clerk's office, or they are not the same, in which case what are you withholding from these NJ families, and for what reason?

Would you be prepared to swap your marriage for a civil union?

Have you shared that news with your spouse?

Evan Wolfson is Executive Director of Freedom to Marry and author of Why Marriage Matters: America, Equality, and Gay People's Right to Marry (Simon & Schuster 2004), now in paperback.

Not Better Safe - Just Sorry

by: Jeff Gardner

Thu Dec 07, 2006 at 04:21:15 PM EST

Maybe it has something to do with what Matt Stoller is talking about on MyDD about the difference between a great governor, and a good governor:

Eliot Spitzer is going to be a great Governor of New York state.  He's a brilliant man, a fighter, and he's willing to lead.  He led on an issue that Democrats are often scared to touch, gay marriage.  He's for it.  He knows it's the right thing to do.  And as Attorney General, when Pataki asked him to issue an injunction to stop gay marriages going on in New York, he refused.

Jon Corzine, right next door, is just as liberal as Eliot Spitzer.  And he's a good Governor, with relatively high approval ratings, in a fairly liberal state.  But as of yet, he's not a great governor because unlike Spitzer he doesn't follow his instincts.

But, it's not just Gov. Corzine who's a good leader missing the chance to be a great leader. It's also Assembly Speaker Joe Roberts - who took a beating this past summer in the budget battle. Roberts could wipe away the questions that arose about his leadership then by taking a stand now for what he knows is right. Instead, he's playing it safe, and getting steamrolled again.

And maybe saddest, and most personally upsetting, it's Senator Loretta Weinberg - always such a good leader, who should be leading the charge with a Marriage bill in the Senate, but instead is playing it safe, tarnishing her reputation, disappointing her most enthusiastic supporters with her acquiescence to discrimination, and probably sealing her fate in next year's primary. What does she think happens when - as his advisors are no doubt already telling him to do - Ken Zisa announces he's for marriage equality?

Good is not great. Just ask New Jersey voters.

Beware of informational CDs, especially from the GOP

by: kwilkinson

Mon Mar 06, 2006 at 12:31:15 PM EST

Go to Minn Public radio to see a draft of the packaging:

GOP peers into voters' data with CD

On Monday, the Minnesota Republican Party announced that it will send out CD videos on Friday to inform voters about the importance of a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. It turns out the CD is also being used to add to the GOP voter database. Officials with the Republican Party say certain voter data is being collected by the party. Internet privacy experts say they're concerned that the party isn't telling the viewer that it's collecting the data and worry where the information will end up.

St. Paul, Minn. — The GOP says they intend to send thousands of the CD-roms to a wide array voters who may be concerned about the issue of gay marriage. The compact discs contain video clips from four of Minnesota's top elected officials. They talk about the cultural dangers of gay marriage, activist judges and why an amendment is needed to keep marriage between one man and one woman...

Republican Party Chair Ron Carey said the video is an attempt to get the DFL Senate to vote on a constitutional amendment to define marriage as only between one man and one woman. At the CD's unveiling, he never mentioned that the party is also using the video to collect information about those who view the video.

Here's how it works:

To watch the video, a person has to log onto the Internet and punch in an identity code that tells the party who is watching the video. Once the video is going, viewers are asked questions on certain subjects like abortion, the Second Amendment and their party preference.

Party officials distributed test copies of the CDs to the media and have been open with the technology. They were no disclaimers that the data was being collected and transmitted.

Mark Drake, with the Minnesota Republican Party, says information provided through the CD will be sent to a server and will be used by the parties.

Initially Drake said people who were going to receive the CD should assume the data is being collected because the video is sent by the GOP, is interactive and that the viewer has to provide their personal information. He says the CD packets will now specify that the Republican Party is collecting certain information.

Political parties and candidates spend a lot of time and money collecting voter information especially since Minnesota doesn't require voters to declare a political party. The groups used to collect the data with good old-fashioned shoe leather and a clipboard or by paying for subscriber lists. Drake says the CD-ROM is the latest way to collect the information.

"It's an ageless part of American politics and I don't think it's anything that is particularly a big deal beyond that it's high tech. It's not different than 30 years ago filling out a voter survey in your kitchen and then mailing it in," he said.

Drake also pointed to Internet surveys by the DFL Party and Education Minnesota as similar examples.

But some privacy advocates disagree. They argue that someone who submits a survey on those sites is actively providing information. It's not clear on the Republican CD that the data is being transmitted back to the Republicans, or even what other data about the user is being extracted and sent.

Lillie Coney, the associate director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center in Washington, says the GOP CD should clearly indicate that the packet is not only a video on gay marriage, but a tool to collect voter data.

"Any time the consumer is providing information to an entity and they're not aware of how that information is being used or what purpose the information may be put to, they're at a disadvantage," according to Coney. "It's easier to tell people what's going on. It makes for better relations."

Coney also says she has concerns that the data could be accessed by a third party.

International Falls based CH Consulting is the company that produced the video for the GOP. Christa Heibel, the CEO of the company, says specific firewalls have been added to ensure that the voter information is protected. That was after Minnesota Public Radio was able to access some of the data that was collected during testing.

She also says the public should know through the CD's packaging and by other means that voters will be sharing information with the Republican Party.

"The packaging specifically uses the word 'interactive', the presentation after each of the questions that we are asking uses the words 'submit' and 'continue' and I think the party has been very upfront about the fact that they are obviously asking for this information to receive that data back and they care about what the voter has to say."

Reaction to the CD has created quite a stir on blogs, Internet message boards and in the state Capitol.

DFL Sen. Steve Kelley of Hopkins, a candidate for governor, is also one of the leaders on technology issues at the Capitol. Kelley, who issued a statement warning consumers about the CD, says the public should be cautious whenever they are asked to submit information to a third party.

"I think with this CD, for example, in order to make sure that their privacy is protected, the best solution is to throw it in the trash can," Kelley said.

Kelley is one of the author of the state's Internet privacy laws in 2001 with then representative Tim Pawlenty. That law prevents Internet Service Providers from collecting personal information but didn't prevent third parties from collecting it.