Here’s a crazy little tidbit that fell through the cracks during Monday night’s rally decrying the March 2 gay bashing on Luquer Street.
As every local elected official in the city cried out for justice, standing front and center with a vigil candle in hand was John Heyer.
No one seemed confused by the presence of this longtime Carroll Gardens resident and would-be elected official even though Heyer is an opponent of gay marriage, a stance that earned him plenty of heat during last year’s run for the Council, a race that ultimately went to gay marriage supporter Brad Lander.
Even more surprising than Heyer’s presence at the anti-hate rally (after all, who likes hate?) was that Heyer somehow managed to get quoted in Lander’s follow-up press release about the rally.
Even zanier was that he somehow managed to insert his pro-life stance — another controversy from last year — to settle the score during his remarks about the anti-gay attack.
“A central tenet of my religious beliefs is the sanctity of human life,” he said in the press release. “Since I have been personally singled out due to my heritage and religious beliefs, I would never want anyone stigmatized or victimized because of race religion, gender ethnicity or sexual orientation.”
Lemon? Meet lemonade.
Gay blades
The political action committee Fight Back New York continues to insist that it’s not targeting any specific lawmakers who voted against the marriage equality bill — it’s targeting all of them.
Following the defeat of disgraced former state Sen. Hiram Monserrate (D-Queens), the group produced a poster depicting eight black chairs set on a blood-red background, one of which was toppled on its side. The name on the fallen chair reads “Monserrate.”
Spokesperson Alex Navarro said the image is simply a way for supporters to celebrate Jose Peralta’s March 16 victory — and a symbol that seven more votes are required to pass the controversial bill. “The goal of the fight is to get the number [of votes] up to 32,” Navarro said. “It’s the seven more chairs we need to do something about,” he continued.
Navarro said the strategy will be either to get incumbents to change their minds, or “replace the people who sit in those chairs.”
In Brooklyn, only Democrat Carl Kruger and Republican Marty Golden voted against the bill.
Navarro said that while the group has not made any decisions about how to “get” the next seven, he insisted that “no one will be getting a pass.”
The group will gauge an incumbent’s popularity, resources, and, most important, whether there’s an opponent who supports gay marriage.
Both Golden and Kruger represent socially conservative neighborhoods and enjoy popularity in their districts, so it remains to be seen whether their chairs can even be nudged.
One longtime political observer wondered how committed Fight Back New York is to getting its hands dirty.
“Are they only going after people who are easy to take out?” he asked. “What kind of message does that send?”
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