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01/19/2006


Sad Battle of Bigotry Playing Out in New Jersey

Republican freeholders once again turned down a dying lesbian's request to leave her pension to her partner. Last week I pointed to the story of Laurel Hester, a lesbian with terminal cancer, and Dane Wells, the Bush Republican who is the greatest ally in her fight to leave her benefits to her partner.

Well, the Ocean County Freeholders have turned her down again and say they won't change their position anytime before she dies. Even though New Jersey recently passed legislation that gives same-sex couples the same rights as married couples regarding inheritance, it's up to the local and county agencies to decide whether or not to grant the benefits. Ocean County hasn't extended the benefits.

Meet the Ocean County bigots:

Oceancountyfreeholders

They say that allowing Hester's partner her pension would "violate the sanctity of marriage."

Outrage: NJ Freeholders turn down Laurel Hester's plea for partner benefits [pam's house blend]

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Posted 9:33 AM EST by Andy in Current Affairs | Permalink

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Comments

  1. How can we assasinate, er, contact them? This is truly outrageous! This needs to be taken to the mainstream media.

    Posted by: wayne | Jan 19, 2006 9:59:54 AM


  2. When will this type of mind-set finally die out? The problem is that these people are allowed to freely reproduce, spawning generation after generation of hateful, bigoted, egotistical, self-righteous dumbasses.

    Posted by: Michael W. | Jan 19, 2006 10:09:06 AM


  3. These bigots obviously have serious issues of their own - starting with the fat guy wearing a short-sleeved dress shirt. I get a Boy Scout leader vibe from him. Scary folks.

    Posted by: Malibu Boy | Jan 19, 2006 10:12:32 AM


  4. Its NJ, no one cares about anything other than property taxes and auto insurance. If it was a little white kid named Brittany or Megan with some sort of cancer, people MIGHT drop a dollar in a jar at the Dunkin' Donuts. Sadly, a Dyke Cop with cancer doesn't pull at the heartsrings of people who are more concerned with heating their McMansions and filling up their Expeditions. Not to mention the anymosity left over from McGreevey's antics. Nothing will change until Mary Cheney finds a lump.

    Posted by: Jeff | Jan 19, 2006 10:22:51 AM


  5. this is one of those moments when i don't know whether to cry or drive to new jersey and punch those fat bigots in the neck. oh, my kingdom for some juicy dirt on one of them... :-)

    seriously, to whom can we write and express outrage and disgust? and will it matter? i'm canadian and therefore unreasonably idealistic.
    :-)

    Posted by: gordon | Jan 19, 2006 10:28:56 AM


  6. Why am I still surprised by such bigotry?! Any contact information for protest letters/e-mails?

    Posted by: Chris | Jan 19, 2006 11:20:12 AM


  7. I've noticed that the younger generation, the ones in high school and college now, are much more open to the idea of GLBT equality. Perhaps one thing in our favor is the passage of time... the baby boomers, many many of whom (but not all) were hippies in the 70s turned self-rigteous selfish resource-hogging snctimonious neo-Christian assholes in the Millenium, are quickly careening toward certain death. This can only serve to tilt the demographics of the country, even New Jersey, in our favor.

    Posted by: Brian | Jan 19, 2006 11:50:41 AM


  8. Send an email to the new governor, Jon Corzine, at www.nj.gov. Click on the link to contact him and fire away. He's a decent man, perhaps he can put the spear to the serpents and crush them.
    Especially the fat one with the short sleeves and bad tie.

    Posted by: Liam | Jan 19, 2006 1:32:09 PM


  9. You can call the freeholders' board directly at 609-929-2005, or send email to CountyConnection@co.ocean.nj.us

    Posted by: Patrick | Jan 19, 2006 1:56:14 PM


  10. NJ resident here. Ocean County is home to the bulk of the State's senior-citizen and age-restrictive communities, many of whom are out-of-state retirees from the NYC metropolitan area; so it's no suprise to me that they are also the most socially-backwards county in the State....can you say "Redneck Rivera"? That entire area is repleat with fundementalist churches, and faithful TV-watchers of the right-wing/conservative Evangelical channels on cable. Plus Lakewood, the county-seat, is heavily-populated by several very-conservative ethnic-groups not known for their openmindedness. And they're paranoid about how much taxes they're paying in their "fixed incomes"...which is just used as a fiscal-smoke screen.

    Posted by: Ted B. (Charging Rhino) | Jan 19, 2006 2:04:05 PM


  11. Allowing Hester's partner her pension would "violate the sanctity of marriage." OK. Meanwhile, Asbury Park out and out rapes the sanctity of one's nostrils.

    Gentlemen. You have one town in your county beginning to thrive - Ocean Grove. It's no longer called 'Ocean Grave', in fact. Why? Because gay men and women have moved in, jazzed it up, and made it beautiful. Let 'em leave their money to whomever the fuck they want.

    Posted by: Jacko | Jan 19, 2006 4:59:56 PM


  12. oh wow they're a cute bunch....

    scuse me while i VOMIT.

    Posted by: Matt | Jan 19, 2006 7:33:03 PM


  13. I do not mean to be racist in any shape of form...

    But why do I get the creeps whenever I see a bunch of old white men involved in politics/public office?

    Posted by: Jason | Jan 19, 2006 11:46:32 PM


  14. Freeholders? Does that imply that they are from the town of Freehold? If so, very sad considering that The Boss is from there. I don't think this is something that he'd support!!!

    Posted by: samguy | Jan 20, 2006 6:50:13 AM


  15. As my Grandaddy would say "line 'em up and shoot 'em all!"

    Posted by: THOR | Jan 20, 2006 4:19:02 PM


  16. In New Jersey, the County government is a Board of Chosen Freeholders...."freeholders" refers the the old Colonial-era requirement that to vote you had to be a "freeholder"; meaning that you owed land "freehold", or persoanl/business property (chattels) of an equivalent value. "Freehold" means you own the land, versus you lease it or have a tenancy.

    Posted by: Ted B. (Charging Rhino) | Jan 20, 2006 6:43:11 PM


  17. When will bigotry against gays end, you ask? Never. That's when. It's going to be an eternal battle, kids. We need to face that awful fact, then keep pushing back against the bastards.

    Posted by: zinc alloy | Jan 20, 2006 10:06:08 PM


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