This is The NY Times photo used to headline today’s OG article. The caption refers to the CMA as a”conservative religious organization.” The use of “conservative” for this article is inappropriate and reveals the way that The NY Times mixes biased politics with news. PG Blogfinger.net
By Paul Goldfinger, MD, Blogfinger.net, Ocean Grove, NJ, USA,
In the Times article today the beach closure topic is featured because this week a NJ court hearing will be held where the CMA will defend its practice of Sunday morning beach closures. The opposing arguments will be made by lawyers from the NJDEP. It will take two weeks.
The title of the article is, “Can a Christian Community Close the Beach on Sunday Mornings?”
The Times article is superb—the best I’ve seen on this topic: fair and comprehensive. They have interviewed some folks in town and have carefully reviewed our history current and distant.
But somehow they have managed to unearth the point of view of the Neptune United leader Shane Martins who has been the AIC–the agitator in charge– of their unruly summer Sunday raids at our beach. The Times reporter, mostly thorough and fair, failed to find out how the NU forced their way (“a protest”) past the lock and chain to enter the beach each Sunday morning.
Here is a small portion of the Times article:
“State officials decided last year that by blocking the beach on Sundays, the association violated the Coastal Area Facilities Review Act, a law based on the “public-trust doctrine,” which gives the government rights to natural resources for the public good.
“In its request for a hearing, an attorney for the association argued that the state’s order is an unconstitutional infringement on the association’s religious beliefs and practices. The association’s Sunday beach closure is part of its mission to build and maintain a beautiful seaside community to serve as a place for meditation, reflection and renewal, the attorney, Michael J. Connelly, wrote.
“The association argued that it also had secular arguments for beach closure, including giving lifeguards time off, reducing traffic and noise, and allowing visitors to frequent local businesses instead of the beach.
“’Regardless of one’s beliefs, spending the morning hours in an unhurried morning stroll on a less crowded boardwalk has emotional, spiritual and bodily health benefits,” Mr. Connelly wrote. The president of the association declined to comment on the case.'”
Blogfinger photograph from Sunday morning, last July 30:
Leader of a raiding party argues with the staff and then “gains access” by climbing over the chain and then pulling it up for others to enter. Paul Goldfinger photo 8:45 am 7/30/23 Sunday morning at an Ocean Grove beach entrance.
The case is about a small group of people imposing their religious practices on the public. Access to the beach and ocean is a public right, not just in Ocean Grove but in every NJ shore town.
Is there anything more New Jersey than going to the shore?
Camp Meeting Association also accepts huge tax credits to protect this public beach.
If people in Ocean Grove want to enjoy the sand on Sunday morning, some church has no right to prevent that. If you worship on Sunday morning, good for you. Stop forcing it on other people.
As is the practice of modern journalism, The Times honed in on one of the most disturbing aspects of summer life in our historic village rather than about the joyous wonders of Ocean Grove’s lifestyles.
Although this topic is relatively small affecting only a few hours each Sunday morning in the summer months, it represents more significant matters regarding the interaction of church and state. It is about freedom of religion and freedom from religion. And it relates to a most unique institution: The Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association
So overall, it is understandable that The NY Times would run with our fascinating controversy about summer beach closures in the Grove.