Um... here is why we are having this conversation...
One presumptive mayoral candidate appears to be making his sexuality an issue in the 2017 race, arguing that Hoboken's LGBTQ community has not been properly served by the current Mayor.
Suspend disbelief for a moment and consider what this candidate, Mike DeFusco, has said on the record, whether or not he is truthful.
Defusco said to the Hoboken Reporter, "As the first openly-gay elected official in Hudson County..."
Ummm.... No.
That was 2010. But, even Velazquez was not "Hudson County's first openly gay elected official."
In 2008 Hoboken residents elected an openly gay official- a Democratic Committeeman, Recording Secretary, George Ortiz.
Ortiz came out publicly in 2000, in a strange case of "he said-he said" published in the Hoboken Reporter.
But wait... what about DeFusco's mentor, a beloved figure in Hoboken whose sexuality was "no secret" when he was elected as Democratic Committeeman in 1981, then Freeholder three times. GA met Maurice Fitzgibbons, and he was open about who he was, down to the ascot. Maurice was brave, and open for the era he was born into.
So...
We see that Mike DeFusco's claim to be the "first" openly gay elected official in Hudson County is verifiably false, so the question is: why say it?
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| Where are the NJ Democratic ladies? |
It appears DeFusco's trying to paint a false picture of Hoboken as in the cultural Dark Ages, where gay folks are treated like second-class citizens.
No, they are our friends, our neighbors, our family members and our elected officials.
By the way, GA has heard about more "openly gay" elected officials in other Hudson County municipalities. But, the point has been made.
I think it shows something about the character of a candidate who would make such a brazenly dishonest boast to pander to voters.
Do voters care?
I mean, how germane is the sexuality of a Chief Executive to his/her governance over our City's fiscal health, taxes, infrastructure, flood management, emergency services, sanitation, environmental services, parking and transportation, etc.?
Does anybody care whether the person who lowers their taxes is gay or straight?
NO.
DeFusco can bleat about our progressive, pro-LGBTQ Mayor's imagined failures to the LGBTQ community, but there is no basis in fact for such an allegation, and the City's urbane voters will suss that out.
Oh, and watch how anyone who criticizes his "schtick" will be called out as "homophobic."
10... 9... 8... 7... 6... 5... 4... 3... 2... 1....
He meant retroactively openly gay!!! The first retroactively openly gay councilman!!!! Look it up!!! Plus Castellano was openly hostile!!!! And not the first!!!! Fake news!!!! Sad!!!!
ReplyDeleteMay I just take a moment to say that Wank -- in all his permutations and name variations -- is the best thing to happen to Hoboken blogs in ages, LOL! Thanks for highlighting all the election-year wanky panky for what it is, in fine style. Kudos, Wankster.
DeleteI thought DeFusco choose people for his campaign because they had historical perspective on Hoboken and Hudson County.
ReplyDeleteWHA-HAPPEN?
He has just proven that he is an equal opportunity douche bag.
ReplyDeleteOkay Mike, we know who you are and what you are. Cool. What's your platform?
ReplyDeleteMDF plays fast and loose with facts: "I was the first in Hudson County to wear sneakers without socks."
ReplyDeleteYes, but were you the first in Hudson County to were crocs with socks?
DeleteOh man that article is BRUTAL.
ReplyDeletehttp://hudsonreporter.com/view/full_story/2362687/article-Messy-situation--Former-campaign-managers-file-charges-against-each-other
Then another openly gay idiot at the event said "Hoboken doesn't even have a gay bar"
ReplyDeleteMaxwell, default gay meeting place in the 80-90s.
The old bar on first/bloomfield had the same rep
Cafe Louis had "gay night" monthly in the 80s
The very spot they were in, The Dubliner, in its earlier incarnation also had a year of "gay nights" in the 90s.
Excalibur was open on the far west side of town for over a decade, then the same crew of people opened the Cage which lasted another good number of years and then closed and became Havana.
Then let's see. Ask MikeD about Janet Aiello the HPD officer who came out as transgender and how the city actually dealt with her respectfully. Bet he has to google it.
So these arrogant young men continue to self promote thinking nothing ever occurred before they showed up and demanded attention.
Janet Aiello the HPD officer who came out as transgender and how the city actually dealt with her respectfully. Bet he has to google it.
DeleteREALLY? She retired after suing the city for discrimination
Interesting. After 8 years, Hoboken's only gay bar The Cage was turned it into Havana by its own management.
Delete"Fox said that the new cafe/lounge will cater to a general clientele.
"Since we want equality, why should we have a gay bar," he said."
The Cage, like a lot of gay bars, was owned by straight people. It morphed into an Irish bar on St. Paddy's day.
DeleteNo gay bars here anymore; all been replaced with strollers.
ReplyDeleteBizarre recycling program revealed!!!!! Gay bars melted down for strollers!!!!! Generations of baffled toddlers!!!! Zimmer must go!!!! Fake news!!!! Sad!!!! The cover-up is worse than the crime!!!!!
DeleteI was going to suggest its capitalism, but maybe OhWankyBoy! is right.
DeleteHe's also the "first" to think about building a new High School and recreation complex in the Northwest. Too bad that was the plan 15+years ago
ReplyDeleteGA: it does appear you've ignored the facts here -- again -- how can zimmer be comiteed to equality when we received a score of 51 out of 100 from a nationally respect human rights non profit?
ReplyDeleteCheck for yourself: http://www.hrc.org/mei
Well, I have no problem publishing the report you linked. As I look at it, I've no doubt the city fucked up somehow in responding to the HRC questionnaire. Thats my view from looking at the results. For example, the City scored "0" in areas which make no sense, such as discrimination in hiring. Does the hrc adjust for population? Does a city with a hospital and a population of 50,000 need a dedicated HIV/AIDS treatment center, when we are next to Jersey City with a population of 300,000+ and a large gay community AND when we are a PATH ride away from the GMHC in the West Village? My docs are in JC and Manhattan, I'm not complaining.
DeleteHow can Hoboken do better? Let's hear it. But I would say, all the complaints appear to be coming from one person- a candidate for mayor. I don't see any grassroots LGBTQ activism in Hoboken. Probably because the city and the mayor are progressive, and they are treated as equals by their straight neighbors.
Hey GA - Velasquez was APPOINTED not elected.
ReplyDeleteFacts are silly things, right?
Do you realize how STUPID you sound???? Councilman Valezquez isnt as gay as Councilman DeFusco????
DeleteIs there anything better than watching the Defuscophile nitwits grasping at the slimmest straws and acting they're oak trees of relevance?
ReplyDeleteGood, run on the HRC score and the Valezquez appointment. It's practically guns and butter.
DeFusco's campaign, if that's what you can call it, is a series of solutions in search of problems. Problems we don't have. The mayor isn't homophobic, there is no great need for the things he's proposing, and there are so few gay people in Hoboken now, he had to import them for his fundraiser.
ReplyDeleteAlice laughed. "There is no use trying," she said. "One can't believe in impossible things."
ReplyDelete"I daresay you haven't had much practice," said the Queen. "When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before before breakfast. There goes that shawl again !"
Lewis Carroll