Sonnek-Schmelz Blasts RNC Over Gay Marriage

Brent Sonnek-Schmelz at the Pink Prom in Asbury Park, May 7. photo via facebook

Brent Sonnek-Schmelz, the GOP candidate challenging Congressman Frank Pallone in New Jersey’s 6th Congressional District (Middlesex and Monmouth Counties), criticized the Republican National Committee for falling to soften its stand against gay marriage.

“Let me be blunt, the Republican National Convention’s Platform Committee did a terrible disservice to the Republican Party, by failing to recognize a clearly self­evident diversity of opinion within our ranks on the issue of same-sex marriage,” said Sonnek­-Schmelz, pointing to a failed amendment offered by openly gay Washington, DC Delegate Rachel Hoff. “How can we expect men and women who share our beliefs on lower taxes, balanced budgets, school choice and a strong national defense to stand with the Republican Party, when the Party won’t stand with them when it comes to something so basic as the ability to marry someone you love? We can and must do better. I am eager to be part of a new generation of Republicans with the courage to continue changing hearts and minds on this issue by making my voice heard.”

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Gallagher on Power and Politics this weekend

Luke Margolis, Art Gallagher and Jay Lassiter on the News12 set

Your favorite blogger appears on News12’s Power and Politics with Luke Margolis this weekend opposite the indefatigable Democratic activist Jay Lassiter.

Our topic was Congressman Chris Smith’s commitment to human rights and his controversial comments regarding LGBT rights vs human rights last month.

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Congressman Smith: LGBT persons should be treated with respect and compassion

Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ-4), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Sub-Committee on Africa and Human Rights, responded to the controversy about a remark concerning homosexual rights and human rights that he made during a hearing last week on combating violence inflicted by the terrorist group Boko Haram in Nigera with a statement issued to MoreMonmouthMusings:

“All governments have a duty to protect everyone and I am unequivocally opposed to acts of violence against anyone,” Smith said, “All individuals, including LGBT persons, should be treated with respect and compassion.”

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Evangelicals with gay children challenging church

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O’Scanlon Reiterates His Support Of Gay Marriage

Various news sources are reporting that Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon (R-Monmouth) has “broken with Governor Christie” over the issue of same sex marriage.

The news reports are inaccurate.

O’Scanlon was never “with” Governor Christie on the same sex marriage issue. He’s been on the record as favoring the Marriage Equality and Religious Exemptions Act since February of 2012 when the bill passed both houses of the legislature and was vetoed by Christie.

O’Scanlon was absent from the February 2012 vote because he was attending Senator Jennifer Beck’s wedding in Jamaica.   Upon his return to New Jersey, he told triCityNews that he would have voted for the bill had he been present and that he would vote to override Christie’s veto if it ever comes up for a vote.

triCityNews is not published online.  Publisher Dan Jacobson verified my recollection of O’Scanlon’s quotes on the phone this evening.

The issue is in the news again because marriage equality advocates have been in Trenton this week lobbying for an override of Christie’s veto before the end of the legislative session in January.

The Marriage Equality and Religious Exemptions Act passed the Senate with a vote of 24-16 and the Assembly by 42-33, with 5 Assembly members, including O’Scanlon and Mary Pat Angelini not voting.   An override requires a 2/3 affirmative vote.  In order for an override to succeed, the bill needs three additional yes votes in the Senate and 12 yes votes in the Assembly. O’Scanlon and Angelini represent two of the needed yes votes. Republican Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi of Bergen County also didn’t vote in 2012.  Schepisi said she would vote to override, leaving the bill needing 9 votes to pass in the Assembly.

If there is a override vote, it probably won’t occur until the “lame duck” session after the November election and before the new legislature takes office in January.

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Sweeney Uses Gay Slang To Denouce New Democratic State Chairman

NJ Media trips over itself to give the Senate President cover

Photo credit: nomblog.com

Senate President Steve Sweeney referred to Assemblyman Jason O’Donnell, Barbara Buono’s choice to be the new Democratic State Chairman, as “Cryan’s beard” yesterday while condemning the choice as divisive.  Buono is the presumptive Democratic gubernatorial nominee.  By tradition the gubernatorial nominee of both parties chooses the state chairman of the party. Cryan is former Democratic State Chairman, Assemblyman Joe Cryan.

“Beard” is a slang term for a person, most often a woman, who is used, knowingly or unknowingly, as a date or spouse to conceal their ‘partner’s’ homosexuality.

Can you imagine the media outcry if Governor Chris Christie or another prominent Republican denounced an advisory as a beard?

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CPAC Snubs Are Bad Policy

Gov. Christie & Gay Conservatives Should Be Allowed to Plead Their Cases at Annual Conservative Conference

By Matt Ronney, Save Jersey

Back in 2004, Save Jerseyans, your Blogger-in-Chief was an undergraduate at Washington, D.C.’s Catholic University of America when a couple other friends and I interned at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).

It was an amazing experience for a wide-eyed young conservative nerd to interact with so many distinguished politicians, media personalities and career activists in one place.

It was also a very different time in the Republican Party, and I discovered a healthy level of intellectual diversity on display from the right-of-center CPAC attendees. Libertarians, neocons, paleocons, fiscal conservatives and social conservatives from across the country mixed, drank, shared  cabs, and downed hot dogs while discussing equally hot races in long book signing queques.

The common thread among the CPAC patrons? A healthy disdain for large, active, expensive and intrusive federal governance.

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Ocean Grove Beachfront and Boardwalk May Not Get FEMA Funding To Rebuild

By Art Gallagher

Photo credit: Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association

Neptune Township’s beachfront and boardwalk in the Ocean Grove section of the Township might not get the estimated $3 million in FEMA funding needed to rebuild because the property is owned by the private non-profit and religious Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association (OGCMA), according to an article by freelance journalist Caren Chesler published at NJSpotLight.

Neptune Township Committee Member and Ocean Grove business owner Randy Bishop, as well as Michael Bascom, the Township’s CFO are working with OGCMA to pursuade FEMA to pay for the repairs on the stretch of beach that connects the regional shoreline from Asbury Park south to Spring Lake.

In a press release posted on OGCMA’s website, President Dr. Dale C. Whilden said, “The Camp Meeting is fully committed to restoring Ocean Grove’s beautiful beachfront, a keystone of our community as well as a protection from ocean storms, and we’re on track to implement a comprehensive beach and boardwalk restoration plan.  With God’s blessing and the assistance of our local, state and federal officials, as well as support from individuals and organizations, our beach will open on Memorial Day weekend.”

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Is Mitt Romney “Evil?”

Mother Jones, an extreme left wing website that solicits tax deductible contributions to sustain itself, posted a series of videos of Mitt Romney speaking at a fundraiser in the Florida home of private equity manager Marc Leder this past May.

In the first video, Romney speaks candidly about the challenge he faces in the general election.  He notes that Obama starts out with a significant advantage…the 47% of Americans who don’t pay taxes and , he says, think health care, food and housing should be provided to them as a government funded entitlement.  Romney notes that his challenge is to win over the 5% of Independent voters who like Obama personally but are disappointed with his performance.

Is this “evil”?

Steven Goldstein, the CEO of another non-profit that solicits tax deductible contributions, the same sex marriage advocates Garden State Equality thinks so. I’d link you to Garden State Equality’s website, but Google says the site is dangerous to your computer.  Really.  On his facebook page Goldstein characterises Romney as evil.  He says Romney’s remarks are “one of the most hateful speeches in U.S. Presidential candidate history.”

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Garden State Equality Launches Campaign To Convert Chick-fil-A Operators To Their Cause

Garden State Equality is out to convert New Jersey Chick-fil-A franchisees to their pro-gay marriage cause.

GSE President Steve Goldstein sent the following message to email list this morning:

Today, Friday, August 3, 2012 is Garden State Equality’s Dialogue Day with Chick-Fil-A.  If you live or work in New Jersey, we’d like you to call the operator of your nearest Chick-Fil-A restaurant in New Jersey today, to ask him or her to meet with a local group of Garden State Equality members.  We want the operators to see and hear in person how the national owners’ anti-LGBT advocacy hurts real people deeply – families, couples and children who yearn for equality.   We ask you to call today even if you personally may not be able to join such a meeting.

Instructions:
1.   Below please find a list of the 22 Chick-Fil-A stores across New Jersey with the store locations, phone numbers and individual operators’ names.  Ask for the operator by name.  If he or she isn’t there, you can ask to speak to the senior manager on duty.
2.   When you call, say:  “I’m a member of Garden State Equality and we want equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.   We know the national owners of Chick-Fil-A don’t believe in equality, but we hope you may be fair.   We believe in talking and mutual respect.   Are you willing to meet a group of us in the next few weeks?”

3.   If the owner says no, express your pain, not anger, as you conclude the conversation quickly and respectfully.   Respond:  “I’m hurt you won’t meet us.   I’ll let others know.   I wish you well.”   Please do not engage in hostility.   We advocate equality in love.

4.   If the owner says maybe, respond:  “Then I’m going to call you back on Monday, is that okay?”   Then please do call back on Monday.

5.   If the owner says yes, respond:   “That’s great.  Before we set up a day and time, I’m going to talk to others to see their schedules.   I’m going to call you back next week, is that okay?”

6.   Then please email [email protected] your name and your phone number, the location below of the Chick-Fil-A you called – that’s important so we know which Chick-Fil-A you’re talking about – and the operator’s response, whether yes, no or maybe.   If the operator said yes, we will call you and other Garden State Equality members in your area next week so we can coordinate schedules to do the meeting.

We understand that activists in other states are staging “kiss-ins” at Chick-Fil-A stores.  We respect everyone who engages in the activism that inspires them.   At Garden State Equality, we’re aiming for something beyond one day.   We aim to start dialogues wherever we can.   We want everyone to see the love and commitment of families with LGBT people – indeed, to see all people as real people.   That, we believe, is the basis of winning equality everywhere.

Thank you all so much.  Immediately below is the list of the 22 Chick-Fil-A stores in New Jersey with their phone numbers and names of the store operators.  If the spirit moves you, please consider making a $13.00 donation today to Garden State Equality – that’s what it would cost a couple to eat a typical Chick-Fil-A meal.  A $26.00 donation would represent the cost for a family of four.   You can donate online at www.GardenStateEquality.org

Audubon, (856) 547-0815, operator Charles Bohs         Cherry Hill, Marlton Pike, (856) 488-9117, operator Dave Curran         Cherry Hill, Haddonfield Road, (856) 488-1600, operator Dave Curran         Delran, (856) 764-0765, operator Sal Miliziano         Deptford, Clements Bridge Road, (856) 853-0425, operator Doug Clark         Deptford, Deptford Mall, (856) 848-7712, operator Christian McGrory         Eatontown, (732) 542-2243, operator Jeff Bassett         Edison, (732) 548-6024, operator Travis Biggs         Egg Harbor, (609) 407-4900, operator Amy McCloy         Galloway, the Stockton College Chick-Fil-A is closed for the summer.  Please call the next closest store.         Hamilton, (609) 581-7601, operator John Velarde         Howell, (732) 730-9033, operator Ted Reim         Marlton, (856) 985-4391, operator Brian Bowman         Mount Laurel, Centerton Road, (856) 439-2696, operators Brian Bowman or Bob Mancini         Mount Laurel, (856) 778-1900, Nixon Drive, operator Bob Mancini         Paramus, (201) 967-9494, operator Ken Walsh         Sewell, (856) 464-2277, operator Jeff Price         Sicklerville, (856) 262-0002, operator Burley Clark         Turnersville, (856) 228-2111, operator Burley Clark         Vineland, (856) 327-4414, operator Phil Kelley         Voorhees, (856) 772-2201, operator Zach Johnson         Woodbridge, (732) 634-8981, operator Jim Strole

UPDATE

The Associated Press is reporting that gay rights activists are planning a ‘Kiss In’ today at Chick-fil-A restaurants throughout the country.  Protestors of Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy’s stand for traditional marriage are being encouraged to go Chick-fil-A stores and kiss a fellow demonstrator of the same gender.

AP quotes one organizer, Carly McGehee of Dallas as saying she hopes the protest “helps LGBT (lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender) youth who feel isolated and are victims of bullying.”

Is isolation and bullying a problem for only gay youth?  Are gay activists encouraging same sex marriages for youths?

Earlier this week The Asbury Park Press quoted Goldstein as saying that Garden State Equality does not support the ‘Kiss In.’  Rather, GSE would reach out to Chick-fil-A operators, as they are today.  Goldstein said some of the operators are “in deep with us,” according to APP.

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