Senator Who Represents The Most Members Of The LGBTQ Community Proudly Votes Against Them All
In today’s lackluster New Jersey State Senate “debate” and vote against marriage equality, only thirteen out of forty Senators spoke – nine spoke in favor, four spoke against – and yet the vote was 14-20 against.
I have watched and/or listened to every same-sex marriage legislative debate (and several judiciary ones as well) since Prop 8 in November of 2008. A few stand out in my mind as having been the most persuasive, the most logical, and the most eloquent. NJ Senator Nia Gill’s statement during the Judiciary Committee debate last month will forever stand out in my mind, and my heart, as one of if not the best marriage equality speeches ever.
In the anti-equality column, I can think of several that top the list as just downright wrong. I remember New York Assemblywoman Barbara M. Clark’s explanation of her vote against the gay marriage bill – it was downright disgusting. I called her office every day for several weeks – she refused to give me any response whatsoever. Her speech reminds me in structure a lot like New Jersey Senator Sean T. Kean’s speech today.
Without a doubt, Kean’s speech today was the most reprehensible. Why? Because it was mean, it was nasty, it was un-reasoned, and it was gross. But before you listen to it below, ask yourself this question:
Why is it when a politician wants to vote against something, they say it’s the will of the people in my district, but when that answer doesn’t give them the answer they want, they pretend to have spent many sleepless nights, then feign they are doing God’s work?
To New Jersey Senator Sean Kean, I say, bullshit.
As you yourself acknowledged, you have the “gayest” district in all New Jersey. The towns you represent have some of the highest LGBTQ populations in the Garden State. And yet, you voted against this bill. And your reasons were spurious. They were, as were Barbara Clark’s, disgusting.
As a representative of the people, as a law-maker, religion should NEVER enter your decision-making process. You’re in the wrong profession if it does. And your pretend anger against your colleagues was sickening.
Hypocrisy, dereliction of duty, feigned angst, pretend anger, usurpation of religion, and pure politics: none of these are pretty, yet you managed to invoke them all in your speech. At least New York’s Senator Clark – albeit mistakenly – thought she was making the right decision for her people. You, Senator Kean, didn’t even pretend to do that.
No longer, sir, are you allowed to claim you are a friend to anyone gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, or queer. You, sir, are the worst kind of bigot: an informed, intelligent one, who makes the wrong decision despite knowing what is right.
(Apologies for the background noise and low volume!)