Dear Friends of Marriage,

The great victories in Maine and New York-23 for pro-marriage forces continue to reverberate up and down the Eastern Seaboard.

NJ.com reported on Nov. 18 ("Gay Marriage... Now!"): "The word on the street is that the gay marriage initiative in the New Jersey State House is in big trouble. Apparently, the Democrats can't get enough votes to pass it, even though outgoing Governor Jon Corzine is prepared to sign it."

Praise God!  And pray harder--this fight is not finished yet.

No wonder even New Jersey Democrats are having second thoughts. Jon Corzine ran on a pro-gay-marriage platform and he lost.  Dede Scozzafava voted for gay marriage twice in New York--and she was trounced by an unknown third party candidate.  Do these New Jersey politicians want to follow Jon Corzine over the political cliff?

If we can hold off this juggernaut over the next six weeks, we can prevent the New Jersey legislature from imposing gay marriage on voters whether they like it or not!  I promised you, when I asked you to join with NOM, that we would fight for marriage wherever and whenever we needed.  We knew that after Maine we would have to pivot and turn to New Jersey, where gay marriage advocates has promised their supporters they would push a bill through the lame duck session.  NOM is different from most organizations--we go where the fight needs to be, to make sure that your voice and your values are heard.

In D.C. the city councilmembers appear to be men with hardened hearts.  We suspect they will not listen to reason or to their constituents and will instead push a gay marriage bill through the council.  But the fight will not end there.  Not with Bishop Harry Jackson and others leading the charge to fight through the legal fog and the media spin to give the people of D.C. the power to take control of the future of marriage.  Sitting in the council chambers watching liberal politicians condescend and lecture to these brave black pastors about civil rights would give anyone with any sense of history an odd feeling.  Still, the room burst out in wild applause when these leaders of the black church stood up for their--for our--right to vote for marriage.

Why do we fight so hard? This week the Catholic bishops released a statement, "Marriage: Love and Life in the Divine Plan." It's a document worth reading by any person of faith, or anyone who cares about the future of marriage.

On same-sex marriage the Catholic bishops remind us that we hold these truths to be self-evident: "Marriage, this clinging together of husband and wife as one flesh, is based on the fact that
man and woman are both different and the same. They are different as male and female, but the
same as human persons who are uniquely suited to be partners or helpmates for each other."

I've included a link below if you want to read more.  (I've also included NOM president Maggie Gallagher's statement in her column on Carrie Prejean--keep her in your prayers.)

What do we have on our side in this fight?  Nothing but truth, justice, and the majority of the American people!  And a God who watches over each and every one of us.

You are the reason NOM can do all that we do. Thank you.

Faithfully,

Brian S. Brown
Executive Director
National Organization for Marriage
20 Nassau Street, Suite 242
Princeton, NJ 08542
[email protected]

PS: Marriage has won many victories this year, but there are tough battles ahead! Can you help NOM by donating $10, $20 or, if God has given you the means, $100 or $200? With your help we will fight--and we will win!

NOM Featured Articles
"Marriage: Love and Life in the Divine Plan"
November 17, 2009
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
The task of proclamation to which the Holy Father refers is one that we bishops exercise
today as teachers and pastors, specifically in this pastoral letter. We address the pastoral letter
first and foremost to the Catholic faithful in the United States. We call upon them to stand
against all attacks on marriage and to stand up for the meaning, dignity, and sanctity of marriage
and the family. In a spirit of witness and service we also offer our message to all men and
women in the hope of inspiring them to embrace this teaching.

We intend this pastoral letter to be a theological and doctrinal foundation. It can be a
resource to help and encourage all those who are moving toward marriage, who are journeying in
married life, and who are accompanying and assisting those who are called to the vocation of
marriage.

"After Carrie"
November 17, 2009
Maggie Gallagher
Let me tell you a fairy tale. Once upon a time, a gorgeous blond California girl -- let's call her "Carrie" -- wanted to be a beauty queen.

NOM in the News
"Push for Same-Sex Marriage in NJ Faces Uncertain Future"
November 18, 2009
Philadelphia Inquirer
The National Organization for Marriage, which has spent about a half-million dollars nationally to overturn gay marriage, has focused on New Jersey since Maine voters reversed that state's same-sex marriage law on Nov. 3.

"Bishops Re-Affirm Stance on Marriage as DC Rejects Referendum"
November 18, 2009
All Headline News
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops moved to bolster their defense of traditional marriage on Tuesday, approving a pastoral letter that provides direction to the faithful amid nationwide efforts to legalize same-sex marriage. The D.C. Board of Elections ruled the same day against a proposal to hold a referendum on gay marriages.