Film featuring GSE civil rights battle wins Oscar
By Wally EdgeGarden State Equality is celebrating a major victory: an Oscar. "Freeheld: The Laurel Hester Story," the film chronicling a dying police officer’s fight for life and Garden State Equality’s fight in the political arena to win death benefits for her partner, won the 2008 Academy Award for Best Short Documentary on Sunday night. GSE has released a video Hester recorded days before she died, now on the organization’s homepage of , where she speaks of what GSE describes as a “hard-fought victory over the homophobic Ocean County freeholders, who finally caved in and granted the benefits to Lt. Hester’s partner.”
Contributors
Wally Edge
The GOP seems to be gearing up for a real Senate confirmation hearing if Governor Jon Corzine reappoints Barry Albin to the New Jersey Supreme ... >
Bob Torricelli
It's hard to not be concerned these days. We've all witnessed frustration with our institutions before but I never remember anything of this ... >
Michael Patrick Carroll
Instead of borrowing trillions to waste on make-work governmental projects, stimulate the economy with tax cuts. >
Debbie Holtz
Score one for the Governor’s public relations team. For the last few weeks, they have been working overtime to fuel speculation Corzine was being ... >
Dr. Joseph Marbach
I am pleased to report the results from the first national poll conducted by Environmental Studies Program in the College of Arts and Sciences at ... >
Rob Tornoe
Joey Novick
Hard to believe we have arrived at the last year of the first decade of the 21st century. Boy, seems like it was just yesterday that Bush was handed ... >
Juan Melli
It's actually come to this: A panel convened by the legislature of the State of New Jersey has concluded that discrimination is not good. Maybe ... >
Carla Katz
As it tends to, history seems to be repeating itself as 240 laid-off workers at Republic Windows and Doors in Chicago revive a decades old tactic -- ... >
Patricia Quattrocchi
Many columnists write a "year in review" or a "predictions" piece for the New Year, however I decided to refrain from going down ... >
Murray Sabrin
Five Democrat governors including New Jersey’s Jon Corzine and New York’s David Paterson have called upon the incoming Obama administration to ... >
Poll
PolitickerNJ Partners
Hot Topics
| Politicker INTERACTIVE | |
 |
Lawmaker Profile Follow the funding of your representatives |
 |
270 to Win See how Obama got to the magic number |
Most Active Stories
- Healy and Stack and the late Glenn Cunningham
- Kyrillos: 'We need a leader like Chris Christie'
- Lonegan camp says they qualify for matching funds
- Reilly joins Codey staff
- Merkt fights perceived Christie canonization in Passaic County
- Holt decides to run for assembly instead of state senate
- Christie will run for Governor
- U.S. Rep. Adler assumes seat on financial services committee
- Manzo to unveil slate next week
- Rule him out of District 36 Assembly run, says Scarpelli
- Correction: Weiner departure was not his own idea
- Torricelli on COAH
- Two N.J. super delegates go to Obama; Norcross backs Obama; key Clinton supporters endorse Obama
- At energy policy meeting, Rose fights with cabinet and walks away
- Sixteen Democrats are on Norcross' short list for Andrews House seat
- Jackson will be Corzine's new Chief of Staff
- Roughneen in court today on signature challenge
- Obama bundler says he lost $25 billion of N.J. pension funds
- Weinberg loses life savings in Madoff Ponzi scheme
- New Jersey's Most Powerful Law Firms
Recent Posts From Inside Edge
Quote of the Day
"Suppose you get stuck with a stiff? You want to pay him more money?" -- Morristown Mayor Donald Cresitello, on legislating a pay raise for his successor.
Recent Press Releases
In the News
Read the expanded Wake Up Call, our summary of today’s news media coverage.
Today’s Must Reads:
Yudin may be waffling on word to GOP boss ― CHARLES STILE
The City Boss Becomes the Country Boss ― DICK BENFIELD...MUST READ
Ferriero's support a curse for Kasparian? ― CHARLES STILE...MUST READ
Trenton must stop thinking outside box― DOUG FORRESTER
Three's a crowd, but one man isn't a party― ALFRED DOBLIN
Newspaper Shuns Web, and Thrives― DAN JACOBSON
Murder charge for Prisco― ANGELO PRISCO
Healy: Have yourself a merry little Christmas with my CD― JERSEY JOURNAL
Time for BCDO to clean up its act ― CHARLES STILE
Madoff investors will have trouble getting money back― FRANK LAUTENBERG
Syndicate
Steven Goldstein should be commended
For all his work with the gay community. But until we have marriage equality I think they will feel like failures emotionally and practically. we really should go forward with this now while we have the facts on our side.
Goldstein/Clinton
Why is Steve Goldstein so supportive of Hillary Clinton? She does not support gay marriage.
Huge Honor
To have a local story win an Oscar for best short documentary is indeed an honor. Should Jack Kelly be the Republican congressional nominee in district 3, we'll be reminding voters about is part in refusing benefits for Hester's partner.
But don't forget that the Haddonfield-based film ' In Sickness and in Health', also about the struggle for equal rights for gays and lesbians in N.J., has taken some top honors, too (at the Philadelphia Gay and Lesbian Film Festival):
http://piglff.bside.com/2007/?_view=_filmdetails&filmId=27407161
Marriage equality in N.J. in 2008!