Dear Marriage Supporter, NOM's chairman, Professor John Eastman, will be speaking at the Heritage Foundation about 'Political Speech and the IRS: Protecting the First Amendment.' One of the first casualties of redefining marriage is the First Amendment — there is no guaranteed remedy to protect our religious liberties except to not redefine marriage in the first place.

The one hour presentation will take place: Thursday October 3rd, from Noon — 1 PM EDT To register to live stream the one hour event, click here

Today's Wall Street Journal picked up on the existing conflicts in which Professor Eastman was quoted.

Religious-rights advocates argue that the Constitution affords people the right to abstain from a ceremony that violates their religious beliefs. "It's an evisceration of our freedom of association," said John Eastman, the chairman of the National Organization for Marriage, a group opposed to legalizing same-sex marriage.

NOM and marriage champions like you fight to protect marriage — not just for the sake of our children - but also for the sake of the soul of our country and the freedoms we take for granted. Remember to register to watch the live stream of this important lecture by clicking here. Beside Professor Eastman, the panel will include:

Cleta Mitchell Partner, Foley & Lardner

and Bradley A. Smith Chairman, Center for Competitive Politics The synopsis of the lecture reads: Political Speech and the IRS: Protecting the First Amendment

The First Amendment was intended to protect political speech and encourage participation in the political life of the nation. Campaign finance laws implemented over the past four decades have imposed various restrictions on political speech as have tax laws as they have been interpreted by the Internal Revenue Service. Congress is now conducting an investigation of the possible targeting by the IRS of conservative tea party and other groups because of their political views and beliefs, and lawsuits are pending over the unauthorized disclosure of sensitive donor and tax information by the IRS. Did the IRS unfairly target certain organizations? What is the status of their claims and the investigation? How far can the government go in balancing the interests of preventing public corruption with encouraging open and spirited political debate? Do IRS tax rules need to be changed to protect the First Amendment rights of advocacy organizations? Do current campaign finance rules restrict political speech and discourage participation by citizens and associations? Three experts, including a lawyer representing conservative organizations, the head of an advocacy group targeted by unauthorized disclosures, and a former chairman of the Federal Election Commission, will discuss these issues. The panel will be moderated by a former FEC commissioner.

When marriage is redefined, religious liberty of individuals, small businesses and religious groups are often the first casualties. Scholars on all sides agree that as gay 'marriage' becomes more and more recognized, the pressure on our first amendment rights will only grow. That's why the best remedy is to not redefine marriage in the first place. And that's what NOM and our allies, like the Heritage Foundation, are striving to do. Please consider a generous donation to NOM today so that we can maintain this fight, protecting our children and our first amendment rights. And remember, this is a perfect time to make a sacrificial donation to NOM because your gift will be matched dollar for dollar by a generous donor. Thank you for your faithfulness and support. For our children and the country they will inherit, Brian S. Brown