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People, I think we all need to take a deep breath. We don't need to use the tactics of the worst of the other side. We're the good guys. - promoted from the diaries by Rosi
Hi, Blue Jersey community - this morning I emailed a letter of apology to Senator Tom Kean Jr., which I include below in its entirety.
But first, additional thoughts. Personal tactics or those which cross a personal zone of privacy are never acceptable. Our opponents have done that to me, as you'll read below, and perhaps others on our side of the marriage equality issue. We all have to be better than that.
Yesterday, in a separate instance, I terminated the employment of a staffer who referred publicly to a different public figure in deeply inappropriate terms. That, by the way, wasn't a free speech issue; it was stupid conduct.
Back to Senator Kean. He has been impeccably fair in this debate. Yes, we may have had a different candidate for U.S. Senate back in 2006. But it is to Tom Kean Jr.'s eternal credit that he has never held it against us in the marriage equality debate. He and his office have been nothing but respectful, meeting with us and being as courteous as can be in every contact we've had with them.
Not only did I send him the apology below, but I have also come to respect the guy very much, and I'm not kidding. Now here's the letter I emailed him this morning:
Dear Senator Kean,
Yesterday I learned, and read in the paper today, that people from the community, some wearing my organization's buttons, appeared outside a family event of yours. I am sickened by this. Though that occurrence was in no way authorized by Garden State Equality - more than 10,000 people have our Equality buttons and more than 4,000 people have our Equality t-shirts from events over the past months - it certainly gave the appearance otherwise.
I recently had protesters opposed to marriage equality chant "God hates fags" outside a personal event of my own, so this kind of tactic is deeply upsetting to me. Last week, someone called my home and left an anti-Semitic message. I know how it feels to have a zone of privacy crossed. Thus I am upset about what happened yesterday beyond words.
I deeply apologize to you that anyone, but anyone, crossed a zone of privacy. I don't care how important an issue is to any one individual, organization or greater community. Garden State Equality, and I as its leader, will never tolerate that kind of invasion of personal privacy.
In fact, as the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Monday, a number of marriage-equality opponents praised Garden State Equality for how we conduct ourselves in the public arena with respect for their points of view.
On a personal level, I want you to know how much the organization and I respect you. You have been a gentleman over the years and have been gracious in meeting with us and hearing our views. No matter how you vote on this civil rights measure, we will continue to respect and appreciate you for your public service to the people of our state.
I extend to you and your family a joyous holiday season.
Sincerely yours,
Steven Goldstein
Chair and CEO
Garden State Equality |
