© Frank H. Jump
These two historic theatres are within a block of each other.
Jersey City Diversity or Culture Wars? Loews Jersey & Stanley Theatres – Journal Square, PAVONIA! Avenue
Posted in: LGBTQ related, New Jersey, Photography, Renovated Theatres, Self-Righteous Ranting, Theatres.
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FYI, neither of these historic theaters is on Newark Avenue (one of your shots even has the Pavonia Ave. street sign in it). Both theaters are on Kennedy Boulevard, a few blocks south of Newark Avenue.
If you’re going to try and politicize things, at least do a little more legwork.
As far as the “culture wars” go, try checking to see if there’s a “there” there. As one of the people involved in the civil union ceremony in question, there were no demonstrations, nobody involved in the city, the parking authority, the police department, the loew’s theater, or the jehovah’s witness congregation, had anything negative to say or do about our ceremony or reception. Everyone we worked with was polite and helpful. The Jersey Journal covered it in Monday’s edition as it would have any other special event.
The “culture wars” gets perpetuated by divisive people on both sides.
Mr. Finn-
First of all, congratulations on your union to Mr. Gomez. Mazel tov. My partner Vincenzo and I got married in Toronto that crazy week when everyone went to San Francisco on Valentine’s Day in 2004. The NY Post reported on it and my principal contemplated having me fired. It’s all good. Click here to see the pix. I applaud NJ legislature for boldly going where only some have gone before. As far as “culture wars,” I find it as divisive, but I guess you would have to read further into my blog to get the tone of it.
As for NJ directions, I’m at a loss. Thank you for the correction. Although I do believe at least ONE theatre is on Journal Square. That is what comments are for. If you care to see some of the other artists work I’ve featured that showcase former synagogues that have become churches, or former theatres that are now High Schools, feel free to roam my somewhat unnavigable site at http://www.fadingad.com.
Best of luck.
Frank
PS: I’ve been “out” since 1971 so the legwork HAS been done.
Looking @ these shots I cant help to see “the sacred and the profane.” I think you, Robert are trying to politicize your wedding by advertising it on a public bulletin where every one can see. So if you didn’t want to draw any negative, or in this case positive criticism, you should’ve opted for a more subtle way of displaying this form of political theatre. Pavonia, Kennedy, or Newark Ave- doesn’t everyone get lost in the great State of New Jersey anyway? Get over it and grow up.
Conny-
In defense of Robert and his partner David, we should be living in a society where the simple joy and celebration of this ritual is not a political statement. However, as was my marriage to my partner – which was covered by the Associated Press and televised live in Canada from Nova Scotia to British Columbia, it is a major social and political statement. I chose to be public to foster awareness that same-sex unions are as valid as opposite sex unions. There shouldn’t be any repercussions from hanging the announcement on a marquee.
I found it ironic, since I document historic theatres that have dual or altered purposes, that these two theatres were within a few blocks and mirrored the diversity of our time. However, some choose to see this as a cultural war (i.e. the Radical Christian Right). There needs to be a public dialog on the issue so all people can be heard and accepted, not just the status quo which have been supported by patriarchal institutions (the Church) for millennia. In reality, which is the sacred and which is the profane?
congratulations robert and david! my girlfriend coincidentally got off the PATH train at journal square that day and was delighted to see this marquee!
as for culture wars… in a more civil world, different versions of “sacred” will be able to peacefully coexist without the need to label the other “profane”… these photos serve as evidence of progress in that direction.
As i said before, it takes opponents on both sides to make up a “culture war”.
I have no problem with people reading a political statement into me and my partner exercising our rights under NJ law and being as public about it as every other wedding, gay or straight, that has been performed at the Loew’s has done (the use of the marquee is part of the rental agreement). But thanks for suggesting the don’t ask-don’t tell policy.
Negative or positive criticism? I took no issue with my wedding announcement being commented upon. The issue I have is the unfounded extrapolation that my wedding taking place a block away from a Jehovah’s witness congregation says something (and what exactly?) about Jersey City, NJ, a place I am proud to call my birthplace and my home.
I get it. Civil Union. Jehovah’s Witnesses. NEAR each other. Oooooh, the irony. Very high school. And intellectually on par with most high school analysis, it’s predicated on the assumptions of a drive-by tourist too lazy to pull up google maps, let alone get an understanding of the Jehovah’s Witness congregation that has beautifully restored the Stanley, before leaping to conclusions about its members and what they believe. They’re religious, they MUST hate gays. Just like how all gay men dress in drag and wish they could be women.
Right, but “we’re” the tolerant, accepting ones?
And yes, the official address of the Landmark Loew’s Jersey Theater is 54 Journal Square, which is several blocks away from Newark Avenue, which is what I called you on before the teeth-suckingly smug headline post-edit. 🙂
I don’t leap to conclusions. I allow my audience to do that. Remember, the caption was diversity vs. culture wars, drawing attention to a national debate in an election year. And yes, they did a wonderful job restoring the Stanley. Perhaps you should have had your ceremony there?
It’s always refreshing to know that the “right” doesn’t have a monopoly on self-superiority and righteousness.
Touché Wesleyan scholar.