Social Justice

Abolition of the death penalty / Full and complete rights for all state residents

    Many concerns come under the broad issue of social justice, but two social movements in particular are of an interest to the campaign.  The abolition of the death penalty, of course, calls for the removal of this antiquated punishment as a perceived means of deterrence.  The state need not be in the business of killing individuals as a process to either punish or rehabilitate those that have violated the law.

    Full and complete rights are not enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of our state's residents and this situation needs to be remedied by having the full franchise of citizenship bestowed upon them.  There is no such position as second-class citizenship but such a practice is currently being made by the state through its actions.

►"Same-sex couple wants to file tax return", The Star-Ledger 10-25-03

The following Policy was approved by vote for the Lavender Greens.  It was also presented to the Green Party of New Jersey and approved with a minor change in the introduction not seen here.

Lawful joinings of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender couples
advocated and supported by the Green Party of New Jersey.

            Same-gender couples necessarily bring attention to the rights denied and discrimination practiced by the state in the areas of gender (sex) and affectional or sexual orientation.  Same-sex joinings are more a matter of gender involving, more specifically, sexual orientations of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and gender identification of Transgender people.

Same-Sex Civil Marriage is a joining currently denied Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender couples under law.  In order that these couples more fully share the franchise of citizenship with their heterosexual counterparts, we support the basic human right of this contract be extended to them.  Same-gender couples in civil marriage would have liberty to enjoy the 1,049 rights under federal law and the hundreds of rights under each of the states' laws while moving about the states unconcerned about the transference of such rights.  Only Same-Sex Civil Marriage alleviates the problems Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people now encounter during their life in same-sex relationships in all areas of law.

Civil Union is a legal contract legislated, passed and signed into law by the State of Vermont.  Therefore, under the Full Faith and Credit Clause of the United States Constitution, this contract must be recognized by member states and territories of the union.  However, Civil Union does not fulfill the magnitude of civil marriage and efforts towards civil marriage for same-gender couples is further championed.

Domestic Partnership Benefits and the several types of relationships that would be covered by such legislation, with the few benefits it provides to couples, not necessarily loving and sexually involved nor of the same-gender, need recognition and legal support.  Nonetheless, this legal arrangement and the important financial, property and medical concerns it may entail is not to be confused with either the contracts of civil marriage or civil union.

            Equal rights is in use in the common language by various groups for expressing the political demand of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people.  But, this term has been corrupted and diminished leading towards confusion for the movement and its supporters.  Full and complete rights recognizes the proper qualification of the demand made by the Green Party of New Jersey to secure equality and happiness for all New Jersey inhabitants regarding the above.

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Proposed by:  George DeCarlo and Ryan Reyes, members of the Green Party of New Jersey

                        and Co-Founders of the New Jersey Lavender Greens

Approved by: New Jersey Lavender Greens on March 8, 2002

                        Green Party of New Jersey Green Council on March 24, 2002

P.O. Box 172, Gillette, NJ 07933 ● Tele (908) 342-1275 · geodecarlo@yahoo.com

Elist: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NJ-LavenderGreens (a low volume elist)

Donations may be made to the address below by filling out the "District 21 Greens" campaign contribution forms:  [check form]

  [secure credit card authorization form]

Contact:  P.O. Box 172, Gillette, NJ 07933 ● (908) 322-4319 ●  CampaignManager@District21Greens.org

District 21 serves Berkeley Heights, Chatham Township, Cranford, Garwood, Harding, Long Hill, Madison, Millburn, Mountainside, New Providence, Roselle Park, Springfield, Summit, Warren, Watchung, Westfield.