ENEMY OF THE STATE
| Freedom is a subjective term. Few things infuriate me more than politicians who feel the need to generate phony public outrage by politicizing populist morality. Our "liberties" regarding freedom of speech and freedom of expression have apparently become subject to the (supposed) values of those in authority, if not how denying the rights of the citizenry in favor of placating special interest groups can further their careers. Sanctimonious liars. Such was the case with the opportunistic, if not sex-o-phobic Mayor of Secaucus New Jersey, the less than honorable Dennis Elwell. The city of Secaucus, which houses the taxpayer built Meadowlands Convention Center (MCC) was intended to bring much needed revenue to the State of New Jersey, and the city of Secaucus in particular by playing host to business oriented and social convocations. The commerce generated by convention attendees is not merely subject to the arena floor; rather it extends into the community at large through hotels reservations, restaurants, shopping, not to mention whatever other methods local business people can create revenue by accommodating those passing through their town. However the welfare of his community does not appear to be the priority of Mayor Elwell. Victory Tradeshow management, which runs the Exxxotica Expo scheduled for late September at the MCC was denied by the sex-obsessed Elwell, who waited until the week prior to the event to discover that there were "problems" with what he had a moral objection to. Scheduled months in advance had there been any actual legal issues to be dealt with Mayor Elwell would have had plenty of time to address them. Instead he decided to hold out until the event coordinators had no recourse other than to relocate. He delayed submitting his injunction in an effort to make a political splash by denying a legal event to take place because he felt it would gain him public approval. Vilifying sex has become a cheap method politicians employ to grab headlines. This cost his town, local business owners, and the State of New Jersey countless dollars in favor of self-promotion and political grandstanding. Regardless of how offended by the act of procreation he may be, (my guess is that the erection challenged Mayor cowardly caved in to some sex-hating religion based special interest group) Elwell is obligated as a public official to be objective when it comes to imposing his personal beliefs, especially when it comes to a facility paid for by taxpayers. It is not his job as mayor to impose his impression of how consenting adults should conjugate, or even something as benign as voyeurism. Nor is it his job to make negative assumptions about a peaceful, trouble free, and most importantly...LEGAL event. Literally thousands of local residents (it would have been more had the event occurred in Secaucus) packed the relocated venue in Edison NJ and demonstrated their constitutional right to their freedom of expression by not only attending, but also enjoying the Exxxotica Show. This occurred despite the feckless and flaccid Mayor Elwell's best efforts to circumvent the Constitution to appease other hard-up erotophobes. Even more despicable, was that Elwell was feigning morality under the guise of protecting children. By implying that the nearby daycare facility would be adversely affected by the sexually charged atmosphere (not to mention fully clothed models) inside the convention center, Elwell either lied, or he simply is not very bright. If Ole' Limpy truly wanted to protect children he might have thought to launch investigations into some of the Churches in his city. If there was no illegal kid-touching going on, Secaucus would be rare for a city it's size. Try as I might though, nowhere could I find such an investigation. But then again, that type of effort would involve integrity, which he doesn't posses, and might earn him political enemies. Eclipsing the corruption of even the most morally bankrupt politicians New Jersey is famous for, Mayor Dennis Elwell and his self-righteousness cost his town, his constituents, and Secaucus business owners an immeasurable amount of revenue. Even more importantly, he put self-promotion before the people he represents. Nothing is more despicable than politicians who sacrifice the freedoms and liberties guaranteed in our Constitution for personal gain. Nothing. |
