We get a lot of bad news in New Jersey. The last few months, a steady stream of disappointment, frustration and outrage as social conservatism rules the governor's office, and the legislature seems to lose its footing.
The bad news year started for many of us in the lame duck session (never has a name so fit an occasion). Nobody who was there, of the thousands, will ever forget the NJ Senate rejection - 20 to 14 - of the marriage equality bill. Or the Supreme Court's refusal to hear the marriage equality case this summer. About the only shining light out of all that is the unity of NJ progressives; this issue teaches us all over again how important we support each other.
So, though it's not strictly Jersey (except that plenty of New Jerseyans were there) I wanted to show you a clip of The Big Commit marriage equality rally in Washington, D.C. on Sunday - a counter-rally to (Jersey-based) National Organization for Marriage's finale to their "One Woman, One Man" Tour orchestrated to spread anti-gay propaganda.
We're told all the time that New Jersey isn't ready for gay people's families to be recognized on equal footing with straight people's. I'm straight, and I can tell you it took me longer to get there than a lot of other progressives. So I have a little (just a little) sympathy and as much hope as I can muster, for those just getting there now. If you know somebody who's not there yet, shoot them this video shot Sunday in D.C. I want you to see what 11-year-old Will Phillips has to say. He's the kid who, at 10, decided he couldn't say the Pledge of Allegiance till his country stopped discriminating against gay people. In Arkansas, yet.
Some of you old farts need to get out of the way. For the rest of you: Watch this, and be hopeful. No stopping it. There's a lot of young Will in New Jersey:
Full disclosure: Proud member of Garden State Equality board, but I'd support marriage equality even if I wasn't.
The National Organization for Marriage clowncar juggernaut was inTrenton today. The notoriously well-funded, (anti-gay) N.O.M crew is on tour spreading rancor from state to state.
The good folks at Garden State Equality (I'm a member) did a great job of showing up our angry rivals, although I grudgingly concede the style points to their tricked-out Winnebago festooned with stock photos of faux families.
The real action was inside, where we had /real/ families!
The weather-obsessed National Organization for Marriage is taking their anti-equality road show to Trenton today, gathering outside the state house at noon. It's part of their 23-city 'Summer of Marriage, One Man-One Woman' Tour of battleground states.
But Blue Jerseyans who can make it down are invited inside the statehouse - at 11:30am in Committee Room #6 of the State House Annex - for a Town Hall-style meeting of New Jersey families with kids (as opposed to the folks bussed-in outside). They'll talk about their lives and their challenges as they raise and support their children in a state that doesn't fully recognize their families. Garden State Equality (disclosure), co-sponsoring what's inside, asks that you not engage the NOM people outside. Walk past them to better things inside.
Just in time, GSE has a new video, which may get your blood boiling all over again, with replays of some of the wintertime Senate testimony acknowledging all over again that civil unions don't work. A few of you Blue Jerseyans may see yourselves in this video ...
Freedom to Marry, the national marriage equality group founded by Evan Wolfson, came out today with a group of political voices in favor extending equal opportunities to gay couples to marry, all captured for video. One of those is Newark's Mayor Cory Booker, a visible advocate here in NJ:
America is about ... freedom. And so I think one of the most intimate choices one can make as to who to spend your life with, and to be able to choose someone to be your life partner and proclaim it to the world, that this is my spouse, this is my chosen soul that I'm going to take on the world with...
The mayor also talks about how he won't marry any couple - as he is empowered to do for straight Newark citizens - because he cannot marry couples equally. Links to the rest of the statements, from office holders across the country, can be found here. The videos come with a pledge drive, which you can support here.
Let's start with the recent Supreme's ruling on "honest services". I'm not a lawyer and can't pass any legal judgment on what this ruling actually means for many of the NJ pols caught in the web created by this federal law. But apparently, this past Friday was Joe Ferriero's birthday and some Bergen County "worker bees" thought the court ruling was a great gift for their Chairman. Hence Mr. Ferriero's "Wall" on his facebook page which is available for anyone to see - even if you're not a "friend" to the former Democratic Chair. A few Ferriero minions, and current employees took time to wish "their Chairman" a happy birthday and to celebrate their joy and implicit hope that he will soon be back! They were almost giddy in their excitement. Folks like a former Freeholder, a relative of a County Prosecutor, a young employee slated for future promotion, etc. How disappointing. The legality of Mr. Ferriero's situation will soon be sorted by the judicial system. But why do so many think that the kind of behavior evidenced by Mr. Ferriero should be celebrated? He and Dennis Oury hid their ownership of a grant consulting company hired by several Bergen communities over which they had an undue influence. Actions which caused embarrassment (and legal expenses) to some of the elected officials in those towns and certainly to our party. A cause for celebration? Certainly for him on a personal basis, but for government and for our party....certainly not!
More News To Make You Feel Sick. Family planning funds! I assume that by now most of you know that the Governor removed every penny of the $7.5 million dollars used to provide health services to uninsured and underinsured women in our state. Outrageous! Along with several of my democratic women colleagues in both the Assembly and the Senate, we've been fighting to get these dollars restored. Look back to Thursday's Assembly Budget Committee hearing on our supplemental bill. Assemblywoman Linda Stender and I appeared along with several advocates and professionals from the family planning centers. There sat Assemblyman and Republican State Chair, Jay Webber! In response to testimony on how many unintended pregnancies are avoided through services provided by these agencies, (yep, that means birth control) Republican State Chair Jay Webber went on to say how offended he was about reducing the cost of children who could have been been born had these families not avoided pregnancy. Children important to our future. This is the second decade of the 21st Century and I was sitting there in my "mature" years arguing about uninsured women's right to practice birth control! An issue that was fought and won early in the last century. Outrageous indeed!! In watching the clip of my "exchange" with the Republican State Chair, my anger is evident, but not nearly as evident as what I felt. Where are the good Republican women (and some of the great guys who sit alongside them)? They must speak out against moving women back to a time when they had so little control over their reproductive lives. This is not about abortion. It is about access to birth control.
And then there was the clip of the Governor on 101.5 being questioned by Eric Scott about women's health services as he protested several times "this has nothing to do with mammograms" or with women's health. HIV testing, breast exams, birth control, pap smears, pre-natal exams, and pregnancy counseling has nothing to do with women's health? How insulting. He went on to argue that he supposed these funds were "not important" or they would have been reinstated. What crass treatment of the women of New Jersey. We will be fighting this today during our Senate and Assembly sessions. I am confident we will have the necessary votes to move the bill. However, without the help of Republican women, we will not have the votes to override a possible veto by the Governor. The bill makes it clear that the money cannot and will not be used for abortion services, and it provides a clear funding source without addition to the bottom line of the budget. Maybe the Governor will hear from enough women across the state so he will join us in recognizing that these programs are not Democrat or Republican, Conservative or Liberal programs. They are about Women's Health!
And so today is the time when we stand up for our core ideals and vote on a Republican constructed budget which cuts taxes for millionaires and increases taxes for low income workers in New Jersey. A budget which makes New Jersey one of only 5 or 6 states that does not fund family planning centers. A budget which cuts school and municipal aide by hundreds of millions of dollars, increases the cost of commuting on our buses and rails, does away with senior property tax rebates, and increases a myriad of fees. Enough to make all of us sick.
One bright spot of the week was Saturday night's elegant Garden State Equality Dinner. Great to watch Senators Nia Gill, Ray Lesniak and former Senator Bill Baroni being inducted into the Garden State Hall of Fame. Even sweeter joining Senator Frank Lautenberg on stage as he received the "Loretta Weinberg Lifetime Achievement Award" (that was a shameless commercial) and announced to the 600 folks in the audience that the Docs said his cancer was in remission. Hooray, and may he continue his outstanding service for many more years to come!
Senator Frank Lautenberg spoke at last night's Garden State Equality Legends Dinner. While he looked fantastic from the video, the news he delivered that he has overcome his battle with Lymphoma was even better: (h/t to Juan Melli for the video)
If you're in Collingswood anytime soon, go check out the library. Then glance up and marvel at the craftsmanship and dedication that went into the shiny brand new ceiling. And then spare a thought for the people who made that progress happen: the members of Garden State Equality, whose south Jersey headquarters is located a few short block away.
In light of Governor Chris Christie's drastic budget cuts to libraries, it's up to the community to "step up" and fill the gap caused by an administration whose values and priorities do not include things like local libraries or food banks. (Click the link. I dare you.)
In this photo, members of the gay rights group Garden State Equality give their our weekends to community service projects that recognize Gov. Christie's neglectful ways.
Trenton was buzzing today after the press conference announcing the latest twist in the gay marriage equality debate. Here's a highlight reel, see for yourself.
Fifty Garden State activists just descended on the nation's capital to lobby our Congressional delegation to pass the Employment Non Discrimination Act and provide LGBT folks with legal protection in the workplace. Presently it's perfectly legal to fire someone for being gay in 29 states. It's worse for transgendered Americans who are unprotected in 38 states. Passing ENDA would make it illegal to an employee based on his/her sexual orientation or gender identity. There are thirteen members of the NJ House delegation and we'll be lobbying all of them (+Lautenberg and Menendez) to vote for equality. In a nutshell, the plan is to "run up the score" with pro-equality votes in places like New Jersey to provide all Americans with the same protections LGBTs have in our state.
Thankfully there is hope that several members of the Jersey GOP House members are considering an equality vote on ENDA, as well. We'll be lobbying them all. Even Scott Garrett.
Today's Jersey ENDA caravan was organized locally by Garden State Equality in conjunction with the National Center of Transgender Equality. You can help by calling your Congressman to tell him the ENDA vote is important to you. Do it tonight and fill their voicemail box with supportive sentiments. Better yet, do it TOMORROW while we're making office visits. The capital switchboard awaits your call at 202-224-2131.
The atmosphere at last night's Garden State Equality rally in Montclair was so much friendlier than the recent GSE foray into Secaucus where the mayor, councilmen and residents were often hostile. Here in Bnai Keshet Synagogue in the land of Senator Nia Gill and Assenblywoman Sheila Oliver it was more like preaching to the choir. Preachers included Assembly Speaker Oliver, Senator Teresa Ruiz of Newark, GSE President Steve Goldstein, and friends of GSE. The choir included a group of some 200 marriage equality enthusiasts, including a large contingent of kids and some teenagers wise beyond their age.
Speaker Oliver talked about the need for resilience on the part of GSE members saying it's just a matter of time for this human rights, civil rights, equality issue. In terms of why the marriage equality bill did not pass the legislature, she spoke of how the matter became framed in the context of religion and how it can be difficult for politicians to vote their gut. She spoke of other concerns she wants to address: Don't Ask, Don't Tell, ENDA, and school bullying. Perhaps alluding to looming battles, she said it is important for Democrats "to define ourselves and not allow others to define us."
Senator Ruiz gave a moving, emotional speech of support drawing on personal experience with a relative. Celebrity stars of GSE commercials spoke passionately as did members of the audience.
After the speeches we took to the streets bearing candles and headed to the GSE office for the traditional pizza - a nice ending for a nice day.
The rallies continue tonight (Friday) in Asbury Park and Monday in Trenton where there are two more opportunities to remind the public that New Jersey's separate, unequal and failed civil union law should should be repealed and a new law enacted that provides true marriage equality. It is important to keep this message in people's minds and hearts as even the courts, which will have to respond to GSE's planned litigation, have been known to listen to the public's pulse.Â
"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.
Personally, this is a great thing to see, as the Democratic Party (both on the local, state and national levels) have taken progressives for granted - using us as an ATM (or in this instance as coined by someone who I will certainly credit when I remember, a gAyTM) to elect their candidates because "the other party is worse" but then offering little in the way of real change.
"Better than the alternative" has gotten real old real quick - we have had large majorities as well as the Governorship here in NJ for quite some time now - and a good number of progressive issues and causes have gotten little traction. On the Federal level, this is the same story - first it was "we need a majority", then it was "we need a bigger House majority and 60 Senate seats", and even then it took a shitstorm to even get the repeal of DADT on the agenda.
The Democratic Party (again, here in NJ as well as on a national level) should see this as yet another sign of a wake up call. No longer are progressives happy to work and donate to the party structure only to get pushed aside. The rise of the national netroots has given progressives the ability to donate and promote individual candidates based on views, support of issues or to reward for "going to bat" for progressive causes.
Amazingly, equality is one that has to be pushed for over and over and over again - and is one that is pushed aside or given half-hearted "separate but equal" actions.
National and State Democratic Party leaders should sit up and take notice - the progressive netroots and grassroots has been kicked around for long enough, and has been able to organize in one of the few ways that elected officials react to - money and donations. The tired excuses and lack of support by those who made promises in order to gain support and election will most certainly come back and bite them over time.
It may not be this November, but you can bet this is more of a blueprint for future netroots and grassroots campaigns and less of an aberration. The state and national Democratic Parties can ignore this or write it off, but they do so at their own peril.
We're going to give time and space to people who want to write about what happened to this phase of the marriage equality fight. That's only right - people are still upset, and deserve to be, and the fallout is still all over the newspaper pages, the airwaves and the interwebs. - - Promoted by Rosi
Hi, everyone. One of the most interesting articles this weekend about marriage equality is Mary Fuchs' piece today for the Star-Ledger.
Mary provides an inside look at what both sides thought and did. What surprises me about the article: Before the election, our opponents, including legislators and the grassroots opposition leaders, thought our side was running away with victory in a "a slam dunk."
Until this article, I confess I thought the opposition was in la-la land - that they had no idea of how badly they were losing. Before the election, our own vote counting was 100 percent correct. We WERE running away with this and it's in large part because of the Blue Jersey community.
But then one thing happened: Chris Christie won, and as this article reports, that changed EVERYTHING. It was always my fear, my darkest fear, even before the election when we had votes in both houses to spare. It was the one external factor we could not control, though we tried to do what we could, by pouring so much of our organization's time and volunteers into the campaign.
I point this out as consolation - truly important - so you realize, all of you at Blue Jersey who were our equal partners in the legislative phase and will continue to be, no doubt, that you DID wage a winning campaign.
[By the way, as a footnote, this article refers to the protests post-election in front of legislators' houses and all that, which some did on their own. Yes, we advised folks not to do that, both myself for GSE and Rosi in her progressive leadership roles, and we have the advance emails to show for it. But truth be told, we didn't lose a vote there.]
It boggles the mind that the New Jersey Senate could vote down - and by wide margin - a bill recognizing the civil rights of its citizens. Astonishing, too, is that this could happen with supporters by the hundreds - and maybe thousands today - all taking the day off to participate in the proceedings and make their opinions heard. But today's vote is not a surprise; the writing's been on the wall, in blood, for days.
But there is no giving up. All day long I've been asking people whether this finishes it for them. It does not. The movement is resilient. In a few minutes, as soon as everybody gets over there, there is a news conference. Here are Steven Goldstein's remarks, prepared last night, and embargoed to Blue Jersey until now.
Steven Goldstein:
With today's vote in the state Senate, the New Jersey legislature defaulted on its constitutional obligation to provide same-sex couples in New Jersey equal protection, as unanimously mandated by the New Jersey Supreme Court in 2006. That's why we at Garden State Equality are here with our partner Lambda Legal, which has an extraordinary track record of advancing LGBT civil rights in the courts.
Now our organizations will announce major news. Our side is going back to court to win marriage equality.
We'll hear from Lambda Legal in a moment. Let's be clear about what this news means. We are not waiting out the term of any new Administration to bring equality to same-sex couples in our state.
In 2006, the New Jersey Supreme Court told the legislature it could enact marriage or another structure that provides the equal protection of marriage. But the civil union law failed to do that. Too often, civil union couples too often cannot visit loved ones in hospitals, make medical decisions for their partners or receive equal health benefits from employers. Hospitals and employers have treated civil union couples differently because they've been labeled differently. Children have been treated differently at school because their families are labeled differently.
In recent months, including today and at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in December, New Jersey legislators publicly recognized these failures. They publicly acknowledged that the civil union law has not provided equal protection. That's important. New Jersey legislators themselves said it. Our opponents in the legislature said it.
Today is the day that the NJ Senate finally votes on marriage equality. This is hardly a news flash for regular readers of this blog, but it's still feels kinda surreal that it's finally show time.
If anyone reading has pics, video or updates to add, please feel free to share here. If you're on site in Trenton, grab a snack cuz it's gonna be a long day....... I estimate the marriage vote to go down sometime around 5:30pm.
If you have ever testified on this issue, if this issue matters to you - gay, straight, married or single, at any age, this is a time to come to the statehouse in Trenton and make sure your legislature hears from you.
UPDATE #3: Statement from Speaker Joe Roberts:
As a strong supporter of marriage equality, I'm pleased to see the legislation will get a debate and a vote on Thursday in the Senate.
Our civil union law has failed to live up to even the most modest of hopes and encourages unequal treatment of same-sex couples and their children. We cannot tolerate anything less than equal treatment for all committed couples, so I hope the bill earns enough support to pass the Senate.
If the Senate approves it, I will take the extraordinary step of bringing the bill directly to the Assembly floor for a vote during our Monday voting session.
UPDATE #2: There is a call to action for this Thursday at 10:30am in front of the statehouse, to march between the statehouse and the statehouse annex, and then talk to legislators before the vote.
More details, address, parking, and reception after the vote, after the jump ...
UPDATE #1 2:10pm: With confirmation that the full Senate will hear bill S1967 Freedom of Religion and Equality in Civil Marriage Act, Senate President Dick Codey issues this statement:
Given the intensely personal nature of this issue, I think the people of this state deserve the right to a formal debate on the Senate floor. I'd like to commend both sides of this issue for their passionate advocacy thus far and the heartfelt testimony that we have heard.
The Senate voting session is scheduled for 2 pm on Thursday, January 7. Further information on accommodations for the media and the general public will be released tomorrow.
Hey, Blue Jersey, let's talk about this. This perspective is one I share, and one Steven & I have discussed - as many of us have - as we've watched not only what our legislators are doing - or not doing - but also how progressives are knitting together in levels of teamwork that crack open new possibilities, and grow new muscle. How does it feel to you, Blue Jersey?- - Rosi
Hi, Blue Jersey, and happy new year to you!
Part of the buzz in Democratic circles in Trenton is this: Look, after the marriage equality battle is over, Chris Christie will be so conservative, so anathema to the progressive Democratic base, that the progressive base - as upset as it is with the state party now - will come rallying to Democrats no matter what we do on marriage equality.
According to this thinking, there's no way progressives would support or even sit out an election between an awful conservative and a Democrat aligned with progressives on every issue but one or two.
This, friends, will indeed be the major debate among us progressives, including here at Blue Jersey, I gather. I, for one, believe we're going to have to make painful choices - choices that will show the state Democratic Party some tough love and prove its theory wrong.
It won't be easy for many of us as we do wind up seeing some far right-wing policies that will drive us nuts.
But for the longer run, to remake the state's Democratic Party - to make it as progressive as rank-and-file Democrats all across New Jersey - we're going to have to take a stand, and it's going to have to have some surprises that shock the establishment and make it clear we progressives will never be taken for granted again.
Otherwise, for years and years to come, the best we will ever do is a state Democratic Party that acts like it does right now.
For those who might think, "What impractical, ideology-driven thinking; it would be ridiculous if we were to cut our noses off to spite our face and sit out an election or oppose Democrats who don't reflect all we stand for," I say this:
You're right - were we to live in Montana. We happen to live in a progressive state where good progressive policies are not at odds with good electoral politics.
If we don't use our own New Jersey as our laboratory for making the party as progressive as its members, we will have defaulted on our obligation to improve the lives of a generation to come.
Assembly Speaker Joe Roberts has signaled that the Assembly will not take up marriage equality as lame duck session resumes Monday, unless the Senate does first.
This is not good enough. New Jerseyans on both sides of this issue deserve an up or down vote from every legislator, in both houses, in both parties. Given that the testimony December 7th before the Senate Judiciary Committee made history - with 7 hours of testimony and 1,300 marriage equality advocates taking the day off to show up at the statehouse (against a few handfuls of opponents), it is right and proper now to hear what the people we elected to represent us have to say. And we want it on the record.
I have statements from Roberts, Garden State Equality Chair Steven Goldstein, and Sen. Loretta Weinberg.
Speaker Joe Roberts:
After more than seven hours of testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Dec. 7 and continued public debate in the weeks since, we've certainly had a chance to hear all sides on marriage equality legislation. I believe ample opportunity has already been given for all views to be heard and additional Assembly committee debate is not needed. I've advised the Senate sponsors that, if the bill is passed by the Senate, I am prepared to bring the bill directly to the Assembly floor for a vote before the end of this legislative session.
UPDATE: Sen. Loretta Weinberg statement to Blue Jersey: It is right and appropriate for the full Senate to now vote. Senator Lesniak and I requested Senate President Codey post the Civil Marriage and Freedom of Religion bill for a vote. Let the public know where the majority party in both houses stand on this civil rights issue so important to a strong segment of our supporters.
Garden State Equality Chair Steven Goldstein:
We're far from dead - in the long and winding road in this marriage equality battle, anything and everything has happened. On an issue like marriage equality, which thousands of key players in the Democratic party support so passionately, you predict at your own peril. Remember, earlier this month, we won a major victory in the Senate Judiciary Committee when no one thought the bill would even go to any committee. We call on Senator Codey and Speaker Roberts to bring the bill to a vote before their respective houses, and in the meantime, we will continue to work day and night for victory soon.
We're not taking this announcement from Trenton lying down - not any of us. Garden State Equality is again massing supporters, gay and straight. I'll add my voice as co-Chair of Democracy for America-NJ, and I know my colleagues on the DFA-NJ board back me up - they include Jeff Gardner. Blue Jersey also stands behind Garden State Equality - this is a matter of fairness and equity for all of us.
An ACTION ALERT, called for MONDAY, by GSE:
We're going back to the statehouse. Meet this Monday at 10:00 am in front of Garden State Equality's Trenton office across from the State House - 110 West State Street. We will lobby and rally - keep up the pressure to do the right thing. Massive turnout is key. Please spread the word.
We know from the wild ride that this year has been that this issue is no longer the province only of the gay people whose committed relationships should be recognized in our community. This is about equality. It's that simple. And that matters to us all - it's about what kind of a state we're going to live in. Fair, or unfair. Our legislators have the responsibility to all of us to commit their votes, and we shouldn't accept anything less.
Senator Loretta Weinberg, prime sponsor of the Marriage Equality Act (S1967) just sent us this statement. We don't usually print statements intact, I'm posting this one exactly as she wrote it. Clearly what prompted it was the brief incident Steven Goldstein apologized for here. But it also goes toward some discussion we've had here about how we talk about the people who hold the fate of equality in marriage in their hands. The words are hers. - promoted by Rosi
I have been working hard to achieve passage of my legislation granting full marriage rights to same-sex couples. While I understand that passions are running high on both sides of this issue, I would ask advocates to maintain the civil and courteous tone that has been established by legislators during these discussions. The overwhelming majority of advocates for and against my bill have focused their arguments on the merits of the legislation and presented them in the appropriate forums - contacting legislators through our district offices or speaking with us at the Statehouse. I thank you all for that.
I strongly urge everyone to continue that approach. It is not appropriate to confront members of the Legislature at their homes or businesses or at private family events in order to engage them on this issue. Please be respectful of us and our families as we have been respectful of your views. And please refrain from passing judgment on the personal religious and moral beliefs of legislators who happen to disagree with your particular belief system. We have been scrupulous in treating everyone's personal beliefs with respect and dignity and I believe we have the right to expect the same from our constituents on both sides of this issue. A person's deeply held religious and spiritual beliefs are not fair game for attack by those who hold different beliefs.
The conversations between lawmakers and the public will continue as we move forward with the Marriage Equality Act. Whether we agree or disagree with your position, I think everyone involved needs to remember that this is a civil rights issue. It can and should be discussed civilly, and in the appropriate forum.
