Dear Friends of Marriage,

It is a sad day in our nation's capital, as District offices begin accepting marriage applications from same-sex couples.

Local officials in Washington, DC have done everything possible to silence District residents opposed to same-sex marriage, even going so far as to deny their civil right to file a referendum.

And despite strong efforts in Congress, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and the Democratic leadership refused to step in to protect voters rights in DC.

However, while same-sex marriages will be permitted in the District for the time being, NOM is continuing to fight bring an initiative to the ballot to restore marriage to what it has always been -- the union of a husband and wife.

We will fight on!  This battle is far from over.

Standing shoulder to shoulder with Bishop Harry Jackson, Dr. Walter Fauntroy, and the entire StandForMarriage team, we are confident that at the end of the day, DC voters will have the chance to repeal this bill at the ballot box.

Although lower courts have allowed the DC Board of Elections to hide behind the Human Rights Act as a reason to deny voters the chance to have a say on marriage, we are confident that we will ultimately prevail on appeal. Just yesterday, although Chief Justice John Roberts did not grant our request for an injunction to stop the same-sex marriage bill from taking effect, he noted that the initiative effort is still pending, and that our arguments for bringing the initiative to the ballot have "some force," and could be pursued in the initiative case.

We will continue to pursue every avenue available to make sure that initiative right, guaranteed to DC voters by the District Charter, is upheld -- and while we press the legal case, we are also continuing to grow the relationships and coalitions in the District that will be key to our success during the campaign.

This is our nation's capital, and we're determined to do what it takes to make sure marriage is protected.

Unfortunately, these marriage battles tend to be long, drawn-out efforts. Our opponents have spent years laying the groundwork for same-sex marriage, and we are in this for the long haul -- mission-focused to rapidly respond wherever the need arises. To do that, we depend on the support of our monthly partners who, month in and month out, give whatever they are able to protect marriage. Would you become a monthly partner today? Think one less Big Mac a month -- can you give $5 to save marriage? Please click here to make a monthly give of $5, $25, or even $100 a month. Or if you're not sure you can make a monthly commitment, click to make a secure one-time donation.

Thank you for your sacrifice to save marriage.

Faithfully, 

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

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