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Hawaii, Please Contact Your Legislators Today

November 5, 2013 – 12:50 pm

Dear Marriage Supporter,

We've all been incredibly moved to see the tremendous outpouring of support for marriage at the grassroots level all across the state of Hawaii. The rally last week at the statehouse was incredible — a reported 10,000 people attended! And thousands more have submitted testimony in opposition to SB 1, the proposed legislation that would redefine marriage.

Please contact your state House Representative to let him or her know to vote against SB 1 and oppose redefining marriage.

Several news articles over the weekend suggest that the House is considering amending the legislation to put in place enhanced religious liberty protections. While preserving religious liberty is certainly important, this points out the fundamental problem with redefining marriage — it creates a whole host of conflicts that tears our society apart.

Not only are people of faith punished for believing in marriage as the union of a man and a woman, but redefining marriage puts every citizen, especially our children squarely in the crosshairs. Anyone who refuses to support same-sex marriage will be labeled a bigot and a hater. For adults, that comes with severe consequences that could affect someone's ability to earn a living, practice a profession and even raise a family. And school children will be taught that they have the choice of marrying anyone regardless of sex, even if that teaching squarely conflicts with what the child is taught at home or in church.

You see, once marriage is redefined then true marriage as we've always known it ceases to exist. There would be only one institution of 'marriage' recognized by the law — and it would be this new genderless version. Everyone will be governed by this new construct of 'marriage,' whether you like it or not.

The only way to avoid the inevitable clash and impairment of civil rights is to reject redefining marriage. Any attempt to mitigate the damage through passage of "religious liberty protections" will inevitably leave most unprotected and eventually leave even those covered without the protections that were promised.

Please act today — use this link to send an urgent message to your representative about this very important issue. And even if you've already called your legislator, call again to remind him or her that you remain strongly opposed to SB 1 redefining marriage.

And after you have taken a minute or two to contact your legislators, please take just a moment more to forward this message to your family and friends so they can do the same.

Marriage Emergency in Hawaii

September 10, 2013 – 5:32 pm

Dear Marriage Supporter,

It is time to take action and let your voice be heard in the halls of power in Honolulu. Send a message to your legislators today urging them to reject redefining marriage as proposed by Governor Abercrombie.

Yesterday, Governor Abercrombie announced that he was calling a special session of the legislature to vote on legalizing homosexual 'marriage.' The special session will begin October 28th.

Please send a message to your State Senator and Representative asking them to protect true marriage then forward this message on to as many friends and family as possible. The voices of marriage champions like you need to be heard quickly and firmly if we are to stop the redefinition of marriage in the Aloha State.

There are already a lot of misrepresentations being made to the people of Hawaii about this battle. For example, Governor Abercrombie claims that he has the votes to pass same-sex marriage. We have heard this before. In Illinois they claimed they had the votes, but when it got to it, they didn't and never even brought the bill up for a vote. So don't believe claims that we've already lost — in fact, we've only just begun to fight! Claiming victory before the battle has even begun is an old political trick to dishearten us, and we won't fall for that gambit.

In his comments announcing the special session Governor Abercrombie made several other outrageous claims. For example, he claims with a straight face that marriage can be redefined "without violating the religious principals of anybody in this state." That would be laughable if it weren't such a serious issue. All you need to do is look at the landscape littered with the remnants of liberty forcibly stripped from people of faith who stood in the public square for true marriage — bakers and florists sued, innkeepers fined and forced to exit the wedding industry, photographers punished, people threatened with loss of employment, small businesses targeted and threatened, and religious charities forced to close, among many other examples. Make no mistake about it, Hawaii: when marriage is redefined, people who disagree are kicked to the curb, their views trampled by the power of government.

Further, the Governor claims that there have been no complaints or lawsuits in Hawaii — yet. But that's because marriage has not yet been redefined! Just look around elsewhere. In Vermont, Christian inn-keepers were fined for declining to host a same-sex wedding AND ordered to cease hosting weddings altogether.

Recently, the New Mexico state Supreme Court ruled that Christian photographers must compromise their beliefs and offer their services against their will by photographing same-sex ceremonies. Never mind that same-sex couples can easily find other photographers who are happy to participate in these ceremonies. Instead the court said the price of citizenship is having to compromise your faith. Most recently in Washington State, the Attorney General is suing a Christian florist for declining to use their talents to arrange flowers for a same-sex 'marriage' ceremony, while a baker in Oregon was driven out of business for declining to bake a wedding cake for a same-sex couple because it violated their deeply held religious beliefs. This is what the future looks like in Hawaii if marriage is redefined.

Believe it or not, neither of these claims by the Governor were his most egregious statement. Because the Governor thinks he can trick you into remaining silent, he arrogantly claimed, "Everything that can possibly be said has been said, every issue that could possibly be worked on has been..."

Well, not quite, Governor Abercrombie. Not everything has been said because the Governor and the legislature have not heard from you. Apparently Mr. Abercrombie has forgotten when the people of Hawaii arose to speak about marriage back in 1998 and approved a Constitutional Amendment designed to protect marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

Now is the time for the Governor and the legislature to hear from you again. Please make the time to send them an urgent message telling them to protect marriage as one man and one woman, and reject the redefinition of marriage. Tell them not to listen to false promises that "all is well" and to look at the truth in other states. When marriage is redefined, individuals, small businesses, charities and churches are damaged.

We're no longer talking about an oppressed minority being given "equal rights." Instead, those who redefine marriage have become the oppressor, crushing liberty, choice and tolerance for other views in the process.

Please act today to contact your legislators, and then forward this email to as many friends and family as possible so your voices can be heard together.

Faithfully,

By Brian Brown | Posted in Alerts, Hawaii, Same Sex Marriage | Comments Off

Across the Nation

September 6, 2013 – 6:05 pm

Dear Marriage Supporter,

In the next couple of weeks, NOM will be unveiling a new website, an updated blog, and better news feeds for you to keep informed and equipped in the battle to protect God's ordained definition of marriage. Similarly, we will be reworking the weekly Newsletter as we go through this process.

It's all part of our end of year push to raise $2 million dollars through our matching gift program. To those of you who have already given generously, I say, "Thank you!" Your support is an encouragement to me and the whole team at NOM. If you have not yet been able to take advantage of the $1 million matching gift provided by a generous donor, please consider a sacrificial donation today.

Your sacrificial support allows NOM to defend marriage and all of our religious liberties across the country and in our nation's capitol. Here are a number of opportunities for you to stand for marriage even today.

Marriage Amendment

With Congress returning to work this coming week, now is a good time to write your Representative asking them to sign on as co-sponsor to Rep. Tim Huelskamp's Marriage Amendment. In the long-run we cannot rely on legislators or judges; we must have a federal marriage amendment defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Congressman Huelskamp's proposal already has over 50 co-sponsors, but we need more. Send your Congressman a message today.

New Mexico

Governor Martinez has still not officially intervened to defend marriage and stop the lawlessness that is sweeping across New Mexico. She has repeatedly declared her belief that marriage is the union of a man and a woman, but she has not yet used the power of her office to stop rogue county clerks from issuing illegal marriage 'licenses.' This week New Mexico's counties officially asked the New Mexico Supreme Court for guidance on the issue, while several legislators filed suit to stop county clerks from issuing same-sex 'marriage' licenses. Now is the time for Governor Martinez to step up to defend New Mexico's marriage law. Please use this link to send a message to Governor Martinez urging her use her power as the chief executive officer of the state to intervene and protect marriage.

IRS

Congress is coming back into session next week and we expect answers from them about the IRS scandal. To date NOM has not received any satisfactory explanations, nor has the perpetrator of this felony been identified, never mind charged with his or her crime. Thousands of folks have sent emails to Chairman Camp of the Ways and Means Committee asking that he use his committee's subpoena power to get to the truth. Now is the perfect time to add your voice as he and other members return to the Capitol this week.

Hawaii

The Governor and the Democratic Caucus in Hawaii are deciding even this week about calling a special session of the legislature to vote on redefining marriage in the Aloha State. The Catholic Church has made its voice heard in objection to this, but we need more folks to send email messages to the legislature urging them to reject this proposal. If you live in Hawaii, please take action today. If you know family or friends in Hawaii, please forward this urgent message to them right away. Let your voice be heard.

Every little bit helps, and with thousands of marriage supporters all across the country, we have the power to effect real change...if you and I act today! Thank you so much for everything you do to defend marriage!

Brian S. Brown

By Brian Brown | Posted in Alerts, Featured, Hawaii, New Mexico, Same Sex Marriage | Comments Off

Some things You Just Don't Want to Miss

August 30, 2013 – 4:15 pm

Dear Marriage Supporter,

It has been an incredible week for marriage and I want to make sure you've heard all the news.

This week was the launch of our $1 million dollar match campaign. A faithful and generous donor, who believes we can win the marriage battle, has stepped up and promised to match every dollar we raise between now and the end of the year. Up to $1 million dollars!

If you haven't taken the opportunity to have your donation doubled by this incredible donor, please do so right now. Help us defend marriage in the legislatures of Hawaii, Illinois, and New Jersey. Help us prepare for ballot fights in at least three and maybe eight states. Help us defend your religious liberties from coast to coast. Your sacrificial donation today will be doubled dollar for dollar.

After you've made your contribution there is still plenty of work to be done. NOM has several action items that you can take to protect marriage, defend our religious liberties, and urge a return to the rule of law in our land:

First is calling and sending an email to Chairman Camp of the Ways and Means Committee. In investigating the IRS scandal and the felony committed against NOM, the Ways and Means Committee has not conducted an in-depth investigation or questioned under oath anyone from the Human Rights Campaign, nor gotten full answers from anyone at the IRS including the former Acting Director. Please use this link to get Chairman Camp's phone number; then, after you’ve called his office, send him an email demanding he use the subpoena power of his committee to get to the bottom of the scandal.

Next, is the state of Hawaii. In Hawaii, the Governor has presented the legislature with a draft bill to legalize same-sex 'marriage' and he may call a special session of the legislature to force this through. If you're in Hawaii, or know family and friends there, please take action to send the State Representatives and Senators an urgent message urging them to reject the redefinition of marriage.

Moving east from Hawaii, the California Legislature is at it again, this time considering legislation that would strip groups of their tax exemption if their beliefs and practices don't affirm concepts like "gender identity" and gay "marriage" and other ideas that fly in the face of the teachings of virtually every faith tradition. SB 323 was originally aimed at the Boy Scouts, falsely claiming that they engaged in discriminatory practices by supposedly not accepting homosexual members. But the fact is that the bill would punish any type of group with traditional values, and allow only liberal groups that affirm the homosexual agenda to enjoy a tax exemption. If you are in California or have friends and family there, please use this link to send a message to the CA Assembly asking them to reject this discriminatory law.

Continuing our journey east, New Mexico and Texas continue to be in the news. In New Mexico, county clerks across the state are deciding for themselves to issue same-sex 'marriage' licenses, against the June written opinion of the Attorney General. Thousands of you have already sent emails to Governor Martinez asking her to intervene to restore the rule of law and defend marriage as one man and one woman. If you haven't yet, use this link to send her a message then forward it to any friends and family you have in New Mexico.

Finally in Texas of all places, religious liberties and the freedom to speak and live our faith in the public square is under attack by a proposed San Antonio city ordinance that would bar anyone who has ever allegedly "discriminated" in word or deed from working from the city. This includes organizations that have contracts with the city to provide essential services. Churches and other faith groups are understandably up in arms, knowing that this ordinance would impact them and anyone who has ever voiced support for traditional marriage. Homosexual activists consider the mere act of supporting marriage as the union of one man and one woman to be discrimination per se. The City Council vote is September 5th. Faith groups have begun having rallies and will continue to work to stop this unconstitutional proposal. Please take the time to make your voice heard by sending Governor Perry and the Attorney General of Texas a message urging them to do what they can to stop this proposal.

And don't forget the $1 million match. Please make sure you donate today to have your generous gift doubled in the fight to defend true marriage and our first amendment right of freedom of religion.

Faithfully,

Brian S. Brown

By Brian Brown | Posted in Alerts, California, Featured, Hawaii, New Mexico, Same Sex Marriage, Texas | Comments Off

Will They Hear You?

August 28, 2013 – 4:00 pm

Dear Marriage Supporter,

Governor Abercrombie has announced his intention to call a special session of the legislature in the event that there appear to be enough votes to redefine marriage in Hawaii to make it genderless.

We're urgently asking you to act right now to let your elected officials know that you oppose any such measure, and that they should vote to preserve and defend marriage in Hawaii as it has been legally defined: as the union of one man and one woman.

In a letter to the Catholic Diocese of Honolulu on August 22, Bishop Larry Silva wrote that "several legislators who are not in favor of same-sex marriage have told [him] that the loudest voices on the issue are those who favor it, while those who say they are opposed are relatively silent" [emphasis added].

This is how marriage has been redefined elsewhere around the country: the powerful lobbying forces and the noise-making power of an elite minority drown out the voices of the countless majority of Americans who believe that marriage is between a man and a woman.

We can't let that happen in Hawaii. Don't let the noisy few foist this radical agenda on the pro-family majority. Let them hear from you today!

We cannot remain "relatively silent" and expect marriage to be preserved against this latest attack. That means it's important to consolidate our voices and speak truth to power together. So, please, after you've taken action today, forward this email to your family and friends, and share it on Facebook and Twitter so that the loudest voice heard in Honolulu is yours!

Faithfully,

Brian S. Brown

By Brian Brown | Posted in Alerts, Hawaii, Same Sex Marriage | Comments Off

Hawaiian Bishop Makes Urgent Appeal for Marriage

August 26, 2013 – 5:06 pm

Hawaii House Democrats are planning to meet this week in a special session to discuss a bill that could redefine marriage for the state. But Hawaiian faith leaders are fighting back. Bishop Silva from the Diocese of Honolulu issued a memorandum to all parishioners this past Sunday, clarifying Church teaching and asking people of faith to mobilize into action.

Read Bishop Silva's urgent letter on the redefinition of marriage in Hawaii HERE.

By NOM Staff | Posted in Hawaii, Marriage, Politics, Religious Liberty, Same Sex Marriage | Comments Off

Peters on SSM Proponents: "They're Hugely Overplaying Their Hand"

July 10, 2013 – 11:30 am

NOM's Thomas Peters responds in an interview with Reuters to a new plan by gay marriage activists to target four states next:

Poker Hand Opponents of same-sex marriage called the Freedom to Marry's four-state strategy overly optimistic.

"They're hugely overplaying their hand," said Thomas Peters, a spokesman for the National Organization for Marriage, which opposes gay marriage.

"These are states where gay marriage advocates have been saying for months, if not years, that gay marriage is inevitable and they've made no progress."

In Illinois, a bill to recognize same-sex marriage stalled in the state legislature this year but could be revived when lawmakers return in the fall.

By NOM Staff | Posted in Hawaii, Illinois, Marriage, New Jersey, Oregon, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (2)

We're Told These Things Will Never Happen: But They Already Do!

April 17, 2013 – 1:25 pm

Hawaii's First Circuit Court has ruled in favor of a lesbian couple against the owner of the Aloha Bed & Breakfast, alleging that the religious owner "discriminated" against the couple for not renting them a room.

The Blaze reports the Bed & Breakfast owner's attorney, Jim Hochberg, saying that "[t]he public needs to be aware of this decision because it has far-reaching consequences," and because it ignores the owner's First Amendment rights.

Of course, while lawsuits such as this are becoming ever more frequent, yet still same-sex marriage activists claim redefining marriage will have no impact on anyone's religious freedom or basic rights.

But they know as well as we do that cases such as this one are only more frequent and harder to fight against where marriage is redefined.

By NOM Staff | Posted in Hawaii, MarriageADA, Religious Liberty, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (39)

Victory for Marriage Supporters in Hawaii!

February 12, 2013 – 12:30 pm

Thank you, all of you, for taking action! We've scored another victory for marriage:

"The [Hawaii] state House Judiciary Committee has decided not to schedule a hearing for a bill that would legalize gay marriage, which means the issue is likely tabled for this legislative session.

State Rep. Karl Rhoads, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said that after polling his colleagues he determined there was not the political will for a gay-marriage bill this session." (Star Advertiser)

Please take a moment and contact your representatives to thank them for standing strong for marriage!

By NOM Staff | Posted in Hawaii, Marriage, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (28)

URGENT: Action Needed to Stop Same-Sex Marriage in Hawaii!

February 1, 2013 – 2:00 pm

Dear Marriage Supporter,

We urgently need your help to stop same-sex marriage in Hawaii.

Twenty years ago, an out-of-control judge first tried to force same-sex marriage on Hawaii, launching our nation's ongoing debate about marriage. But thanks to a dedicated band of pro-family heroes, his ruling was not the final word!

It's a story we've seen play out time and time again in state after state...activist judges and politicians influenced by same-sex marriage lobbyist money try to force same-sex marriage on the people — only to run into a grassroots revolt from voters who know that marriage means a husband and wife joined together for the benefit of not only their own children, but all of society.

Today the need is perhaps even greater. Fresh off electoral victories in November, gay marriage activists are pressing hard to pass a same-sex marriage bill in Hawaii this year — even though Hawaii's civil unions law went into effect just a year ago.

It is critical that we step up today. Polling has shown that the people of Hawaii don't want same-sex marriage. But the pressure on politicians — from out-of-state activists and lobbyists flown in by the Human Rights Campaign all the way to President Obama himself — is growing intense.

Your legislators need to hear from hundreds or even thousands of their constituents right away!

That's why I am asking you to do two things immediately:

Contact your state senator and representative today! Use this link to send an email to your elected officials.

Or — better still — click here to look up their phone numbers and make a personal phone call to tell your senator and representative: Oppose Senate Bill 1369!

Please take action right now. It only takes a minute to send your lawmakers a message, and it is vitally important that they hear your voice right away.

Forward this email to friends and family throughout the state, or use the buttons below to share on Facebook and Twitter. It's going to take thousands of Hawaiians working together to protect marriage and freedom in the Aloha State. Help spread the word today!

I know that I can count on you to stand up for marriage today!

By Brian Brown | Posted in Alerts, Hawaii, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (14)

Bloomberg: SSM Backers Remain Focused on States Where People Can't Have a Say

November 16, 2012 – 11:00 am

More evidence that despite what happened in these past elections, gay marriage backers still don't trust their ability to win state elections:

Gay-marriage advocates, coming off their first ballot-box victories, are targeting New Jersey and five other U.S. states where the road to legalization is simpler because voters can’t overturn laws through referendums.

In Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey and Rhode Island, lawmakers plan to consider or revisit the issue next year, and all except Minnesota already allow civil unions. Even though they prevailed in votes in four states Nov. 6 after a decade of defeats, backers say they prefer to make homosexual weddings legal through legislatures or courts. -- Bloomberg BusinessWeek

By NOM Staff | Posted in Delaware, Election Watch 2012, Hawaii, Illinois, Marriage, Marriage Election Watch, Minnesota, New Jersey, Politics, Rhode Island, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (11)

Ed Whelan on Hawaii Judge Finding No Right to Same-Sex Marriage

August 15, 2012 – 8:00 am

Legal expert Ed Whelan comments on the good news for marriage out of Hawaii:

Via William Duncan at the Corner, I’ve learned of this strong and sound ruling yesterday in Hawaii by senior federal district judge Alan C. Kay holding that there is no federal constitutional right to same-sex marriage. Judge Kay determines (slip op. at 35-43) that the claim for such a right is foreclosed by the Supreme Court’s 1972 decision in Baker v. Nelson. Alternatively, properly applying rational-basis review and judicial restraint, he finds that such claim fails on the merits.

Because the proper exercise of rational-basis review has been so rare of late in the marriage context, I’m going to briefly outline Judge Kay’s reasoning... [continue reading]

By NOM Staff | Posted in Hawaii, Law, Marriage, Same Sex Marriage, Supreme Court | Comments (1)

U.S. District Court in Hawaii Upholds State's Marriage Law

August 9, 2012 – 9:30 am

Alliance Defending Freedom scores another important legal victory for marriage:

"A federal court Wednesday upheld Hawaii’s definition of marriage as one man and one woman. The court rejected a lawsuit that sought to tear down the state’s law defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman and Hawaii’s constitutional amendment that gives the legislature the power to maintain the timeless definition.

...In its order in Jackson v. Abercrombie, the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii concluded, “Throughout history and societies, marriage has been connected with procreation and childrearing…. It follows that it is not beyond rational speculation to conclude that fundamentally altering the definition of marriage to include same-sex unions might result in undermining the societal understanding of the link between marriage, procreation, and family structure.”

“In this situation,” the court continued, “to suddenly constitutionalize the issue of same-sex marriage ‘would short-circuit’ the legislative actions that have been taking place in Hawaii…. Accordingly, because Hawaii’s marriage laws are rationally related to legitimate government interests, they do not violate the federal Constitution.”

By NOM Staff | Posted in Hawaii, Law, Marriage, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (35)

Judge Allows Pro-Marriage Group to Intervene in Hawaii Lawsuit

May 3, 2012 – 11:30 am

Local KHON2:

A federal judge ruled that supporters of Hawaii's current marriage law can participate in a federal lawsuit.

The Hawaii Family forum will be allowed to present evidence as "interveners" in the suit.

In December a same-sex couple sued the state claiming they are being denied their constitutional right to marry, because civil unions are not the same.

In court filings, Governor Abercrombie agrees that the laws violate the constitution, while his health director plans to defend the same-sex marriage ban.

By NOM Staff | Posted in Hawaii, Law, Marriage, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (1)

Hawaii Governor Refuses to Defend State Laws Protecting Marriage

March 6, 2012 – 11:00 am

CitizenLink explains how respect for the rule of law is also a casualty of the push for gay marriage under any means necessary:

On Thursday, the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) filed a brief asking permission to officially defend a Hawaii constitutional amendment on marriage and a state law defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie has declared publicly that since he supports same-sex marriage, his administration won’t defend the law or the state constitution. Three people filed a lawsuit in January seeking to strike down the marriage-definition amendment, as well as another Hawaii law allowing homosexuals to enter into civil unions. According to the lawsuit, Jackson v. Abercrombie, civil unions granting same-sex couples all the rights and privileges of marriage aren’t enough.

Now, ADF — which represents the Hawaii Family Forum — is hoping for another court victory. The group was part of a team that was given the right to defend California’s marriage amendment, Prop. 8, when the state refused to do so.