COMMENTARY

Dane Wells, who describes himself as a “run-of-the-mill, middle-aged straight guy”, is not very happy with the movers and shakers of his local community, Ocean County in New Jersey.
 

The retired policeman is angry because Ocean County will not extend “domestic partner benefits” to a former colleague, Lt. Laurel Hester, who is terminally ill with lung cancer - and is gay.

And the problem?  Lt. Hester is in a long term same-sex relationship with Stacie Andree.  All Laurel wants is to leave her police pension to Stacie.

“Please, I need help,” Mr. Wells said in an email to UK Gay News.

“I need the help of decent and compassionate people everywhere to help grant the dying wish of Lt. Laurel Hester, a terminally ill career police officer in Ocean County, New Jersey, who’s just been cast into the gutter by the government she so loyally served for a quarter of a century.

“After 25 years of risking her life every day in the trenches of law enforcement, her employer has just denied her pension benefits because she has “come out” as a lesbian on the eve of her death.

“Please help.  Time is short as death draws closer every day to Laurel’s door.  At Thanksgiving 2005, there are few travesties in America more compelling than this one.” He wrote.

It is a sad case that, again, underscores just why same-sex couples in a long-term relationship need to be recognised in the name of common human decency and compassion.

■ The Five Ocean county Freeholders who said "no" to the wish of a dying police officer that her pension should be allowed to go to her long-term same-sex partner.

Lt. Laurel Hester applied a year ago to have, on her death, her pension transferred to Stacie, but it was only last week that her application was discussed by elected “freeholders” (councillors).  Their decision was “no”.

One Freeholder, John Kelly, told the Asbury Park Press last week that the reason her request was turned down was because, if granted, it “would violate the sanctity of marriage”.

But this week, a different reason emerged:  “cost considerations” were the primary reason, the New York Times, reported.

New Jersey law (the Domestic Partners Act of 2004) permits – but not requires – local authorities to extend “domestic partner benefits” to lesbian and gay couples.  But Ocean County had not addressed this issue until Lt. Hester applied.  All State employees are, however, covered by the law.

How this situation – and the thousands of others that go unnoticed – can arise in the United States puzzles us at UK Gay News.  America proclaims itself as the leader of the world.  But when it comes for basic rights of same-sex couples living in a long-term relationship, the country is probably in the bottom quartile.

The old chestnut about family values and sanctity of marriage just does not wash.  America has one of the highest divorce rates in the world and is where a pop star can get married for the weekend.

The word “humbug” comes to mind.  And is this instance it applies to the Freeholders of Ocean County.

All it requires is a “yes” to Police Lt. Laurel Hester’s request.  Does her almost 25 years of loyal service mean nothing to the community she has served?

■  Representations to the Freeholders of Ocean County can be made to the Clerk of the Board at (732) 288 7777 or, from outside the USA +1 732 288 7777.  The email address is CountyConnection@co.ocean.nj.us

SEE ALSO:

County to Hester: "Never Mind ..."  Editorial.  After a frantic scramble, the Ocean County freeholders finally came up with what they believe is a logical reason to deny Lt. Laurel Hester's request to pass on her pension benefits to her registered domestic partner — a woman.  "We will not unilaterally extend benefits; They must be negotiated through collective bargaining," the freeholders righteously huffed.  Collective bargaining.  Yeah, that's the ticket. Never mind that Hester served the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office with valor, excellence and professionalism for more than two decades. ... (Ocean County Observer, November 27)

Laurel’s Legacy: A Quest for Gay Justice in New Jersey, by Dane Wells.  For nearly half a century now, I have been proud to call myself an Ocean County native.  Among the many highlights of my life have been the years I spent in law enforcement with the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, where I worked alongside Lt. Laurel Hester. (UK Gay News, November 26, 2005)