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Thom Cardwell
James Duggan

Editor
James Duggan

Editor-at-Large
Thom Cardwell

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Expressed opinions are that of the author(s) and do not represent the thoughts, feelings and /or opinions of any person, organization, company, staff member, or any of our advertisers.

While growing up on Long Island, the neighboring state of New Jersey was often the brunt of many a joke and where a person lived was relegated to an exit number.  My only experiences as a child of New Jersey was to pass through it to get to some place better or so I thought.  But time and experience has taught me a lot.

I've come to enjoy a good traffic-circle or roundabout and have grown to appreciate the concept of the jug-handle. And really who likes to pump their own gas anyway?

In fact since moving to the region in 1992, I've grown to appreciate New Jersey in many wonderful ways (save corrupt politicians). I've always said I would love a weekend home in New Jersey and a condo for weekdays in Philadelphia. To tell you the truth, my mind's utopia South Jersey is its own state with Philadelphia as its capital.  But I digress.

I'm not here to praise the virtues of New Jersey. I'm here to appeal to you to take interest in that state's gubernatorial race. While I am not a single issue voter, nor a party partisan, I believe there are two major issues which affect all of us--legislatively approved marriage equality and medical marijuana access laws. These subjects must capture our attention.

Democrat Jon Corzine, Republican Chris Christie, and Independent Chris Daggett are all battling for the Governor's seat to the end with Daggett holding his base at 14% and Christie hanging onto a slight lead over Corzine at 39/38%.  But in moderate New Jersey where the governorship often swings between the Democrats and Republicans, the Republicans usually do not show as well in the vote count and as they do in the opinion polls which bids well for Corzine.

This is good for us as well because QUEERtimes is strongly endorsing Jon Corzine for Governor.

We believe that he is the only candidate who can win this election, who will sign into law both full marriage equality and a compassionate medical marijuana access law.  Yes, Chris Daggett also supports these two issues but the reality is he is not going to win this statewide election and the issues of equality and compassion are too great to cast a "statement" vote for Daggett.

As for Christie, he supports a medical marijuana access law, albeit with deep restrictions, but is completely opposed to same-sex marriage.  He's a supporter of marriage-light, "civil unions."  As the race as gotten closer to election day, Christie is attempting to rally his conservative base with a call for a vote on the issue by all the people, aka, state constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage.  This is completely unacceptable--the will of a majority should never rule on the rights of the minority.

Chris Christie is neither a friend of ours nor an ally as he stands in opposition to our full equality. Corzine, however, is a true ally with his pledge to sign into law a marriage equality law that places us on parity with our heterosexual counterparts.

This election is not about the ever-growing litany of promising the lowering of taxes, balancing budgets, and ending corruption, it's about whether a people who for too long have stood oppressed will archive greater equality.  It is not about Republican or Democrat--this one is about our right to equality and our willingness to fight for it.

Whatever state we reside in, we must take an interest in what happens in New Jersey by lobbying our friends and family in that state to vote for Jon Corzine.  It's not about the political stars it's about getting out the vote. It's about us and our heterosexual allies taking charge of our battle and changing the outcome of this race for the good of all.

Remember what happens in New Jersey happens to us all.  Let us not loss ground in our battle for equality.  Make the calls and lobby your friends and family on behalf of Corzine for Governor and for full equality now.

They're back, the queer comedy franchise originated by the queer creative genius of Q. Allan Brocka, with the third sequel feature film, Eating Out: All You Can Eat (which already opened in theaters in Los Angeles last week), with some of the cast from the previous sequels in the series, Eating Out 2: Sloppy Seconds and the original version, first in the sequel, just simply, Eating Out. Back in her role of Helen, actress Mink Stole ("stolen" from her real name Nancy Paine Stoll), the fellow native Baltimorean, like her world-famous director, John Waters, from Eating Out 2, Mink Stole returns to the role with a new vigor and attitude, as "a good gay Mom" and "the coolest Mom in the world." (That's taken right from the script). Stole, who entered early into the Waters circle (known as "Dreamlanders," the ensemble of regular cast and crew cast and crew of regulars whom John Waters has used in his films), was made a superstar with her meaty roles in Water's "Serial Mom" and "Hairspray." Stole said that there are some privileges, some perks, to playing characters of Dottie Hinkle in Serial Mom, "It's not every actor who gets to say to Kathleen Turner, 'You're a mother-f----ing c---sucker."  Stole said that it was fun working that out with her fellow actor friend. Of her close friend, Waters and his films, Stole admits (Blade, October 2009, to journalist Chris Carpenter) "I liked [the original] Hairspray a great deal and it's so much fun, but I never thought it would have the life it has had. But then, I never thought any of the films we made would have the life they've had."

(Editor's Note:  Eating Out: All You Can Eat premiered at the Philadelphia Qfest 2009, this past July.)

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"I don't know why President Barack Obama is firing me. I want to do my job. I want to do my duty," proclaimed queer, proud and out but ousted from the military, Lt. Dan Choi, a 28-year-old, Anaheim born and bred Korean-American, who is yet another victim of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." The dedicated queer officer has an abiding love for country, family pride, and dedication in serving in the military, he told journalist Charles Karerl Bouley II (Blade, October 2009). The West Point graduate with majors in Arabic Languages and Environmental Engineering, Choi has a long, diversified and impressive resume that spans everything from platoon leader to Iraqi Arabic language instructor to air assault ranger. Smart about so many things but naive about the coming out process on cable television where he announced to the world that he was gay on the Rachel Maddow Show, he says that everyone in the military that he knew, from the subordinates to his superiors told him to watch his back. "Time passed and I thought it was not going to be an issue. Then, I got a letter that the Army was offended enough to fire me, to kick me out," he recounted.  "Barack Obama is my Commander-in-Chief and as such could do what he wants in this case," explained Choi, "He says he's against the policy, then why is he firing me? He could stop this, for me and the thousands like me."

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At 76, Quincy Jones is unstoppable. He still travels the world. He celebrates life to the fullest and the best of everything that each corner of the globe has to offer him and us. In fact, he truly thinks of himself as a citizen of the world. He hasn't stopped playing, performing or traveling around the world. He told journalist Jeff Gordinier (Details, September 2009): "I was playing trumpet with Lionel Hampton when I was 19, and Ben Webster, the great saxophone player, said: 'Youngblood, sit down, let me tell you something. Everywhere you go in the world, eat the food the real people eat, listen to the music the real people listen to, and learn 30 or 40 words in every language.' I took that every seriously. I learned Serbo-Croatian, Farsi, Greek, Turkish, French, Swedish (two of my kids are half-Swedish), Russian, Arabic. I was getting into kanji. I feel at home everywhere in the world."  He's certainly done a lot and seen even more. Now how is he coping with the death of his close friend, Michael Jackson?  "It's surrealistic. It hurts my soul, man. It's just a lump down there. Our souls were joined, you know? And a piece of it goes with him."