Dear Friends of Marriage,
Victory for Prop 8!
Victory for the 7 million Californians who worked, donated, spoke, organized and went to the polls to defend our views and our values from activist judges who can't tell the different between marriage and bigotry.
Most of all this is a great big victory for you--because you are the people who put NOM in the position of being able to fight for marriage in California. Read More
Today, NOM announced a major new initiative to mobilize grassroots opposition to same-sex marriage in New York State.
One of our largest state efforts to date, the New York campaign is highlighted by an initial $100,000 radio and TV ad buy, with ads running in Long Island, Albany, Poughkeepsie, and a handful of other New York markets through the weekend. The radio and TV ad campaign follows on a massive automated phone campaign begun last week, contacting 1.4 million New York households in 25 key senate districts to identify and mobilize opponents of same-sex marriage. We even have an electric billboard up in Times Square! Read More
By Maggie Gallagher
Prop 8 won yesterday. Even in California, they could find only one supreme-court justice willing to strip 7 million people of their core civil right to amend the state constitution, guaranteed by the constitution itself. Why do I feel, absurdly, that I should be grateful?
Liberals who support gay marriage may understand what their movement is willing to endorse and where it draws the line. The rest of us have to sit back and wonder:
Why stop at marriage? Many well-defined, seemingly secure words and terms can be redefined to help remake society along sexually liberal lines.
Take "religious liberty." Religious liberty is a deeply American solution to a perennial problem. It means that every individual has a right to pursue ultimate meaning without coercion from the government. Totalitarian governments repress religion because they recognize faith communities as competitors with the state's power to define - or redefine - human rights.
Earlier today, the California Supreme Court ruled 6-1 upholding the constitutionality of Prop 8. This is a tremendous victory for marriage, or as Maggie put it, "This victory for Prop 8 is a victory for children, for civil rights, and for the common good."
And it's gratifying for NOM as well -- thanks to your support, we were able to dedicate much of 2008 to the Prop 8 effort, establishing a ballot committee through NOM-California, and ultimately emerging as the single largest donor to the Prop 8 campaign.
Thank you. The full statement we released to the press a few minutes ago is here.
May 20, 2009 -- HUGE victory for marriage in New Hampshire!!!
A few minutes ago, the New Hampshire House of Representatives voted by a 2-vote margin (188-186) to reject amendments to the same-sex marriage bill that had been required by Governor Lynch as a condition of his signing the bill.
Same-sex marriage advocates were SHOCKED! As one blogger wrote: "We were hardly even watching since we thought the vote was such a sure thing." State Democratic Party chair Ray Buckley has been pressuring legislators for weeks in an effort to push this bill through. I'm told the shocked look on his face after the House vote today was unforgettable!
There is already talk of the parliamentary wrangling to come as proponents seek to salvage the bill. More details will follow, but we need to keep the pressure on, urging Governor Lynch to keep his word and veto the bill today!
ACTION NEEDED!
If you live in New Hampshire, please email Governor Lynch again today. Urge him to make good on his promise to veto the same-sex marriage bill. The House refused the religious liberty amendments. Now it's time for him to keep his word, veto the bill, and move on. Click here to send a message to Governor Lynch!
Then forward this message to anyone you know who lives in New Hampshire!
SUPPORT NOM'S STATE CAMPAIGNS TODAY!
Working closely with CPR Action on the ground in New Hampshire, NOM has helped sponsor grassroots organizing efforts and hard-hitting TV ads that played a major role in today's victory. (Click here to watch our latest New Hampshire ad!) For the first time, supporters of same-sex marriage are feeling the heat from their constituents, and Governor Lynch knows that the people of New Hampshire oppose same-sex marriage -- because thousands and thousands have called or emailed to tell him.
Today's victory is further evidence of the success that we can achieve, even in the Northeast. But the fight is far from over, and we have other battles on our hands yet this year. Please consider your most generous donation to support NOM's work in New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey and elsewhere. Or better yet, become a regular supporter of marriage by pledging a monthly contribution.
Right now, every dollar makes a difference as our opponents are in full-court press trying to push same-sex marriage throughout the Northeast. With your help, we will hold the line and then watch the momentum begin to turn as the American people are awakened to the fact that same-sex marriage affects all of us. Please use this hyperlink to make a secure online donation today.
Dear Friends of Marriage,
It's not news to you and me: The drive to impose gay marriage "whether we like it or not" continues.
The people of New Hampshire do not want gay marriage. But a legislature bought and paid for by gay billionaire Tim Gill chose to ignore their wishes and do the will of a big out-of-state donor base. Now the next question: Will New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch veto the bill?
Governor Lynch does not support same-sex marriage. He's said so publicly, as recently as a few weeks ago. Will he do the right thing? Will he stand up against the money guys and be the voice for the values of New Hampshire people? We'll make certain he hears from New Hampshire people who care about marriage-thanks for helping us get the message out.
One thing is certain: The mask of tolerance which gay marriage advocates once wore is slipping off; the gloves are coming off. Will the bullies win? Will they persuade us to surrender something as deep, as core, as sacred as marriage to politicians who care only about the next election?
Here's my pledge to you: not without a fight. The fight for marriage is a fight for decency, common sense, and for God's own truth. We will fight for marriage in New Hampshire and Iowa, and Maine, and New York, and New Jersey, and anywhere else in this great and God-blessed nation where marriage is under attack.
A bit of good news the media will not let you hear: A just-released Quinnipiac poll shows no change in support for gay marriage in the last year. Americans oppose gay marriage 55 percent to 38 percent. And the hard-core gay marriage supporters-people who say they want gay marriage rather than civil unions-make up just 33 percent.
That's right: Two-thirds of Americans just don't believe in gay marriage. Because they haven't been able to persuade, gay marriage advocates have to silence opposition.
Standing up to bullies requires courage, and grace under fire.
What courage and grace were on display at the National Press Club this week! I had the honor to be with Carrie Prejean, the beauty queen who chose truth over the tiara. Carrie was appearing with NOM at our press conference as we launched our new "No Offense" ad campaign, the second ad in our $1.5 million media campaign for marriage.
Watch Carrie, and NOM's President Maggie Gallagher and me in the news clips below-perhaps you may be seeing her right now on a TV near you. At our press conference she said, "I'd rather be Biblically correct than politically correct." What an amazing young woman! You can see the ad at www.nationformarriage.org.
Carrie is not exactly a rich woman-except in the sense of being richly blessed by moral courage, by an inner beauty and strength which (if possible) outshines the gift of outer beauty God gave her. If Carrie can give up the Miss USA crown to stand for marriage, if she can afterward face the public insults, the ongoing attempts by pageant officials and others to belittle and demean her dignity (as if those people can touch that!)-what excuse do you and I have to back down from this fight?
I'm asking you today to heed Carrie's message: Stand up for what you believe. Help us get this new ad message out: Marriage matters. Gay marriage has consequences. Can you sign up for monthly donation of $10 for the next three months to help us launch this ad far and wide? Can you reach down and donate $5, $10, $100 or, if God has blessed you, even more?
Let me be absolutely clear: Carrie does not work for the National Organization for Marriage. She is a spokeswoman for her own views, as anyone watching her can tell.
But we're very proud that she chose to stand with NOM as we launched our new national ad campaign for marriage, and we're asking YOU to stand with us as we get her message on marriage out to millions of Americans-especially young Americans who need to know they are not alone, that they can fight back. See the ad for yourself at nationformarriage.org. And pass it on to three of your friends today!
Bullies can only win if you and I let them. At NOM we're not going to let them.
Thank you for your prayers, your support, and your well-wishes.
It's an honor to know and serve people like you.
Faithfully,
Brian S. BrownP.S. Watch for Maggie Gallagher on Larry King Live this evening, Friday night. And don't forget to see the ad and help spread the word at www.nationformarriage.org.
NOM in the News
Carrie Prejean on the Today show, talking about NOM's new ad
MSNBC
Carrie Prejean Fights Back in New Anti Gay Marriage Campaign
FoxNews
May 1, 2009
While former Miss Californians Tamiko Nash and Raquel Beezley and current Miss California Director Shanna Moakler have been busy this week posing for a NO H8 Campaign to overturn Proposition 8 in California, the reigning Miss California has been busy promoting her new television ad campaign against gay marriage for the National Organization for Marriage.
Miss California Becomes Spokeswoman for Ad Campaign
ChristianityToday.com
April 30, 2009
The National Organization for Marriage is promoting Miss California as a spokeswoman to oppose same-sex marriage.
Carrie Prejean told NBC's "Today show today that marriage is "something that is very dear to my heart" and she's in Washington to help save it.
