FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 6, 2013

Contact: Elizabeth Ray or Jen Campbell (703-683-5004)

Southern Poverty Law Center list of organizations served as target list for would-be killer

Washington, D.C. — The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) today called on media outlets, reporters and activist groups to pledge to cease labeling organizations that oppose gay 'marriage' as "hate groups." The call came in response to an admission by would-be killer Floyd Corkins that he used a list of so-called "hate groups" prepared by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) to target his victims for murder.

"For far too long, media outlets and reporters have allowed activist groups like the Southern Poverty Law Center to label opponents of same-sex 'marriage' as 'hate groups' and regularly describe organizations that hold traditional Judeo-Christian views of sexual morality as 'anti gay,'" said Brian Brown, NOM's president. "But words have consequences, and we know that allowing such inflammatory terms to be used in media reports describing those who object to redefining marriage can lead to harassment and even violence against members of those organizations."

Would-be killer Floyd Corkins today pled guilty to a variety of charges relating to his shooting of a security officer at the offices of the Family Research Council (FRC). Corkins, a gay activist, reportedly admitted that he used a list of so-called "hate groups" prepared by the SPLC to create a target list for his campaign of terror.

"Standing up for traditional marriage does not make anyone 'anti gay' and it is deplorable that some reporters covering this issue allow mere opposition to redefining marriage to be labeled as such," Brown said. "It is even more reckless for news reports to allow the charge of 'hate group' to be applied to any organization because their beliefs affirm a traditional Judeo-Christian view of marriage and sexual morality. We hope that media organizations will seriously reflect on these issues knowing that irresponsible 'hate group' charges nearly led to a massacre at the Family Research Council."

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To schedule an interview with Brian Brown, President of the National Organization for Marriage, please contact Elizabeth Ray (x130), [email protected], or Jen Campbell (x145), [email protected], at 703-683-5004.

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