commentary letter:
Thanks for the article on Marriage Equality in New Jersey in the February-March 2013 edition. Hopefully, it will enlighten people to the fact that there is more than one way to approach the issue. When New York State failed to pass Marriage Equality in 2009, Alan Van Capelle, the Executive Director of the Empire State Pride Agenda, quickly realized that his leadership failed and left the organization within weeks.
Sadly, it has taken Steven Goldstein, of Garden State Equality, almost a year to begrudgingly face the facts. He has left the leadership post but refuses to release the reigns as he remains associated with the organization as the “Chair Emeritus.”
Unfortunately, the new “leadership” seems to be blindly following Mr. Goldstein’s “my way or the highway” approach to marriage equality, leaving New Jersey’s same-sex families in limbo as other states move forward. The vehement objections by GSE and many “Gay Supporters” in Trenton to Assemblyman Gusciora’s measure to put marriage equality on the ballot in November are a disgrace. As the clock ticks toward a veto override, with no hint of movement, New Jersey families may very well find themselves in 2014 with no marriage equality prospects for the foreseeable future.
The tide has turned and this past election cycle was an extremely positive one for marriage equality. Yes, basic civil rights should not be issues for the public to vote on. However, by not considering or seriously exploring this alternative, it is possible that real lives of many people will remain problematic and unequal under the law.
commentary letter:
Thanks for the article on Marriage Equality in New Jersey in the February-March 2013 edition. Hopefully, it will enlighten people to the fact that there is more than one way to approach the issue. When New York State failed to pass Marriage Equality in 2009, Alan Van Capelle, the Executive Director of the Empire State Pride Agenda, quickly realized that his leadership failed and left the organization within weeks.
