Three Strikes and You're Out
Posted January 18, 2008

In a triple-whammy this week, Governor Corzine proved that he is no friend to family, faith, or sound fiscal policy.  On Sunday, January 13, the governor signed numerous bills into law, and while the majority of these will head straight to the books without a second glance from the public, three in particular deserve not just a public glance but a public outcry.

A-4591/S-2975– Hate Crimes Legislation – We spoke out strongly against this dangerous bill, which adds “gender identity or expression” to the state’s existing hate-crimes law.  Sexual orientation is already included in the law, and according to Caleb H. Price of Focus on the Family, “Not only is there no need for adding the category of ‘gender identity or expression,’ but this category is inherently ambiguous and unlimited – and is subject to an ever-morphing understanding of a person’s ‘perceptions’ about their biological gender.”  Our own NJFPC representative, Greg Quinlin, testified against the bill and was “assured” by legislators that some of the bill’s problems would be addressed by amendments at a later date.  Such a promise is equivalent to a government guarantee that “the check’s in the mail.” 

Nevertheless, despite the bills glaring flaws, its ambiguity, and the fact that New Jersey already has more than 150 laws to protect homosexuals and transgendered people, the legislature and governor felt compelled to find yet another way to cater to the homosexual/transgendered camp. 

A-3451/S-2488 – Making it Unlawful to Discriminate against Employees Because of Religious Practices – At face value, this bill seems like a no-brainer.  But read the fine print, and you’ll see the title is just a façade for violating religious freedom and pandering to homosexuals and the gender-disoriented.  The bill goes far beyond “employment” requirements and includes a section stating that:

It shall be an unlawful employment practice, or, as the case may be, an unlawful discrimination … [f]or any owner, lessee, proprietor, manager, superintendent, agent, or employee of any place of public accommodation directly or indirectly to refuse, withhold from or deny to any person any of the accommodations, advantages, facilities or privileges thereof … on account of the … civil union status, domestic partnership status, sex, gender identity or expression, [or] affectional or sexual orientation….

Additionally, the bill makes it illegal:

To refuse to sell, rent, lease, assign, or sublease or otherwise deny to or withhold from any person or group of persons any real property or part or portion thereof because of … civil union status, domestic partnership status, sex, gender identity or expression, [or] affectional or sexual orientation….

and…

for any owner, lessee, proprietor, manager, superintendent, agent,  or employee of any private club or association to directly or indirectly refuse, withhold from or deny to any individual who has been accepted as a club member ... or is otherwise entitled to full club membership any of the accommodations, advantages, facilities, or privileges thereof, or to discriminate against any member in the furnishing thereof on account of … civil union status, domestic partnership status, sex, gender identity or expression, [or] affectional or sexual orientation….

The ramifications of this bill are huge.  Take as a case in point the recent radical assault on the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association – a religious organization –for not allowing gay civil union ceremonies to take place on its property.  Last year, the Association was partially stripped of its tax-exempt status, while the New Jersey Division of Civil Rights questioned whether the Association is even a religious organization, which it openly is! If the state, with no evidence, deems the Association is not “religious,” under the legislation it will be required to accommodate same-sex couples – even though it is a private organization. This underhanded attempt by the legislature to deceive the public by burying a pro-gay agenda into an anti-religious discrimination law is pure despicability.

A-2135/S-2748 – Judicial Salaries Raise – Finally, in a fiscal “in your face” maneuver, Governor Corzine signed into law a bill to hike judicial and prosecutors’ salaries.  Under the bill, judicial salaries will increase by 5 percent effective January 1, 2008, and another 5 percent effective January 1, 2009.  County Prosecutors’ salaries will jump from $141,000 to $153,000 effective January 1, 2008 and leap again to $165,000 effective January 1, 2009.  Additionally, the law will increase the salaries of Administrative Law Judges, Workers’ Compensation Judges, County Sheriffs, Clerks, Surrogates, and Registers of Deeds and Mortgages.

While we don’t question the service these public employees provide to the state, we do question the source of funding for this spending hike.  In other words, Who is going to pay?  Our state is already in a nationally-recognized fiscal crisis, and yet, amid this, Governor Corzine signs legislation increasing spending!!??  He may be touring the state touting his plan to fix New Jersey’s finances, but his actions speak volumes louder than his words, and the governor has proven once again that he is no friend to New Jersey.

 

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