Sign at the entrance to the closed-off pier. Blogfinger.net photo. 9/16/22. ©. It doesn’t mention “fishing” but it does mention “the venue for a full complement of exciting programs.”  Will those “programs” clash with those who would wander onto the pier for some unstructured fun, games, sightseeing, or fishing?

Paul Goldfinger photo. Click to enlarge. OG pier is now closed. Work to begin. 9/16/22, Supplies are beginning to gather on the beach. ©

An attempt to denigrate the plan to render the pier in the shape of a cross has fallen on its face.

Most folks we spoke to see no good reason to oppose the design.  And the opposition lacks the ability to back up its criticism with coherent reasons.

Our State Senator Vin Gopel tried to satisfy all sides when he asked the CMA to come up with a design that could be all for one and one for all. But that is wishful thinking, and at a time like this our Senator should just state a clear  opinion and move on to ending high taxes.

And, as a practical matter, the project is on its way, so that’s that!

At Blogfinger we said that a more “neutral design” would be less controversial, but we have more important issues in this town to differ over.  The truth is that the CMA presented this design publicly 3 years ago  (we reported on it,) and there was no opposition then.

We  at Blogfinger have had some differences with the CMA over the years, and most recently we have complained that the CMA was expanding its Grovarian presence in a significant way, and the symbols of their religious organization are all over town.

We  believe that this is not a “religious town” but rather a diverse small town at the Shore in which the historic CMA resides, and that the residential community, mostly secular, needs to be recognized.

The fact that the CMA owns most of the land doesn’t change the obvious:   Neptune is a NJ democratic municipality of which OG is a part.

And the governance must represent all the people equally, and one group should not be able to dominate the lives of all who reside and visit the Grove, especially when that group has as its mission the aggressive promotion of a particular religion.

And it has as its stated goal for OG to become  a “Christian seaside resort.”

The cross-shaped pier will merely be another symbol of that religion just as there are many all over town right down to the beach badges.. Only this one will be very prominent, although perhaps not quite as prominent as the Great Auditorium, the Yoga pad, the big cross on the beach, and the myriad of all-encompassing religious events that dominate  the entire calendar all season long and beyond.

If there are those who might want to challenge the overwhelming and growing  presence of the CMA in this small American democratic town, then fussing over the pier is not where it’s at.

Paul Goldfinger, MD, Editor Blogfinger.net

BOB DYLAN

Subterranean Homesick Blues: