The New Hampshire House Judiciary Committee voted 11-6 along party lines today to send a bill restoring the definition of “marriage” as the union of one man and one woman to the full House after Christmas.
The bill — HB 437, sponsored by Rep. David Bates — would also expand the state’s civil-union law to any two unmarried adults, even if they’re related.
“I have no apologies for my current efforts to correct a bad policy decision,” Bates told the media before the committee convened. “I, and many people in New Hampshire, believe that those who pushed through this law in 2009 simply did not have the right to redefine marriage for our entire society.”
... Approximately 75 percent of the 400 legislators in the state’s House of Representatives are Republicans — many of whom ran on platforms of restoring the definition of marriage. Given that, HB 437 has good prospects of eventually landing on Gov. John Lynch’s desk next year — and he will almost certainly veto it.
“The governor in his previous campaign said he would not support same-sex marriage, but when the bill came to him, he reversed his position and signed it,” Bates told CitizenLink. “The governor lied to the people. It never should have happened.”
Monthly Archives: October 2011
NH SSM Repeal Bill Sponsor: Governor Lynch Lied to the People
California Lesbians Struggle With Allowing Son to Dress as Princess for Halloween
A good day is when Luc wakes up and wants to be a tractor for Halloween. Or a helicopter. Or Hercules. Or anything other than a princess, bounding door-to-door in tiara and tulle.
A few weeks ago, the 4-year-old boy's desire to trick-or-treat as a princess sparked a dilemma for his two moms, Anna and Louisa Villeneuve: Which do you honor and protect, your child's independent spirit or tender feelings?
"My first reaction was 'He wants to be a princess? We're there!' " said mama Anna. But almost everybody she talked with about Luc's intention told her, "Whoa; that's a bad, bad, bad idea."
For a girl who grew up wanting to dress like a boy, Luc's choice felt like a blow against stereotyping. "But I'm trying to leave my inner activist at home," she said, "and just do what's best for my son.
"It's one thing to say 'Son, you can be anything you want. Our society needs to be less uptight.' "
New York CNN Producer Laments "Sudden Pressure to Get 'Gay Married'"
I am reminded each day I park my car that the pressure will never subside. A billboard from a storage company cries out to couples tying the knot: "IF YOU DON'T LIKE GAY MARRIAGE, DON'T GET GAY MARRIED."
It's not the political message that's killing me. It's the marital call to arms.
... Mafe called me while I was on a reporting trip for CNN to tell me the New York State Legislature had voted to allow gays to marry. I reminded her she has been saying she wouldn't marry me for the last 10 years.
"That's not the point," she said. "It's big news."
... One lesbian couple asked if we wanted to marry at City Hall with a big group of couples. Uh, nope. We couldn't go more than a day without someone asking: "When's the wedding?"
... Neither of us had romantic notions of an anticlimactic public ceremony with two white dresses and thousands of dollars of finger food and gifts. We didn't think our friends would care. But boy did they. Our Facebook pages lit up.
After SSM, What Next? Losing Your Salary.
A housing manager has been demoted, and his salary slashed, after he criticised a controversial new gay rights law.
Adrian Smith, a Christian, was found guilty of gross misconduct by his publicly funded housing association for saying that allowing gay weddings in churches was ‘an equality too far’.
He posted the comment in his own time, on his personal page on the Facebook website, which could not be read by the general public.
But after a disciplinary hearing, he was downgraded from his £35,000-a-year managerial job to a much less senior £21,000 post – and avoided the sack only because of his long service.
...Friends said last night the father of two had been ‘shocked and distressed’ by his treatment and would now face financial hardship.
Katherine Kersten: We Can Expect Aggression On MN Marriage Vote
Katherine Kersten is the senior fellow at Center of the American Experiment. She writes in the Star Tribune:
A block thrown through a home window. Cars vandalized. Hate-filled anonymous phone calls at home and work. Swastikas scrawled on houses of worship. Physical assaults. Dismissal from employment because of political views.
Are these examples of retaliation against civil-rights activists in the South in 1954? Attempts by an authoritarian government to quash dissent?
No, this is the sort of intimidation that Americans who support marriage as the union of a man and woman can face today. Persecution of opponents is becoming a tool of the trade for some gay-marriage activists, who -- ironically -- seem to view themselves as beacons of tolerance.
Now, the groundwork for such intimidation is being laid in Minnesota.
In an early skirmish in the battle over the marriage amendment, which will be on the ballot in 2012, the state Campaign Finance Board has issued a ruling that could require a nonprofit organization to disclose the identity of supporters if that organization contributes to the marriage-amendment campaign.
The board's ruling breaks with the interpretation of the law in other recent amendment campaigns, and is an attempt to change the rules in midstream.
As a result, Minnesotans who believe that gay people have a right to live as they wish, but who oppose redefining marriage, may find their civil rights, livelihoods or safety threatened if they dare to oppose what's becoming politically correct orthodoxy.
She also mentions NOM's latest project -- the Marriage Anti-Defamation Alliance:
Given this reality, we need an organization to defend Americans who face reprisals merely because they exercise their fundamental civil rights.
Now we have it: the Marriage Anti-Defamation Alliance (MarriageADA), whose spokesperson, Maggie Gallagher, is a cofounder of the National Organization for Marriage.
...MarriageADA's larger mission is to fight back against the attempt of media, entertainment and political elites to convince the rest of society that belief in marriage as a male/female institution -- the form it has taken across the world and throughout history -- is equivalent to racial bigotry.
America's need for MarriageADA should open our eyes to the increasingly Orwellian situation we face. It's becoming an act of civic courage -- as speaking out against Jim Crow in the South once was -- to support marriage as a bedrock male/female social institution, and to state your belief that children need a mother and a father.
This raises a troubling question: If gay marriage supporters can intimidate and silence their opponents while one man/one woman marriage remains the norm, to what authoritarian extremes will they go if same-sex marriage becomes the law of the land?
Former State Senator Announces Candidacy For NH Governor
Former Democratic state Sen. Maggie Hassan announced her candidacy for governor Tuesday.
... She served three terms in the state Senate before losing last year. She served as Democratic leader.
... Hassan is the second to join the race after Gov. John Lynch said he will not seek re-election in September.Republican Ovide Lamontagne is the only other candidate to announce.
Have you responded yet?
Dear Marriage Supporter,
Six days ago, I issued a challenge, asking you to join me in standing up to Mayor Bloomberg and his Wall Street billionaire buddies who are using their money to buy GOP votes for same-sex marriage.
When Mayor Bloomberg raised $1 million in a single night as payback for Senators Alesi, Grisanti, McDonald, and Saland, I told you we needed your help.
I asked you to stand with us and help us gain 1,000 new donors and raise $100,000 in just 7 days, enabling us to:
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Hold elected officials accountable for their votes—especially for their votes to radically redefine marriage earlier this year;
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Thwart the plans of elite billionaires who think their wealth allows them to impose their own radical social agenda; and, most importantly,
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Give the people of New York their right to vote on marriage, by putting a state constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union of a man and a woman on the ballot.
We have one day left. One day to send a strong counter-message to the powerful forces arrayed against us: DON'T MESS WITH MARRIAGE!
Thank you to the hundreds who have already contributed thousands of dollars. But we need more to reach our goal.
If you haven't yet responded to this urgent request, please do so today. The amount is not important. What is important is that everyone receiving this email step up and say: "I'm committed to doing what I can to restore marriage and hold our politicians accountable for their broken promises."
We don't have to match the millions being funneled to same-sex marriage supporters, but we must be in a position to reach out to voters and respond to false attacks.
If we don't stop them, these four Republican senators who betrayed marriage and lied to their constituents will take the money and run, ignoring the wishes of New York voters.
Brian S. Brown
Treasurer
NOM PAC New York
P.S.: Gay marriage advocates are peddling a myth that the same-sex marriage debate is over in New York. Nothing could be further from the truth, as the thousands of New Yorkers marching in the streets showed earlier this year—not to mention the special election in NY-9 where voters elected a pro-marriage Republican for the first time in nearly a century. We can win, but only if we all step up and do our part. Please, make sure we have the means to continue both fighting and winning with your most generous contribution today.
NOM Praises New Hampshire House Judiciary Committee for Vote Repealing Same-Sex Marriage
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 25, 2011
CONTACT: Mary Beth Hutchins or Elizabeth Ray at 703-683-5004
Measure is a step toward restoring traditional marriage law in New Hampshire
Concord, N.H. — The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) today praised the New Hampshire House Judiciary Committee for voting to repeal same-sex marriage in the state. The measure is now moving to the House floor for a vote in January 2012.
“The people of New Hampshire had their rights hijacked in 2009 when the Legislature and Governor John Lynch redefined marriage without giving the people a say,” said Brian Brown, NOM’s president. “Voters let the politicians know what they thought about that in 2010 when dozens of towns passed measures in favor of giving the people a say in defining marriage in New Hampshire, and they elected a strong pro-marriage majority in the Legislature. It’s time now to restore the people’s right to traditional marriage, and we are committed to working with allies to do just that.”
To schedule an interview with Brian Brown, President of the National Organization for Marriage, please contact Elizabeth Ray, [email protected], (x130) or Mary Beth Hutchins, [email protected], (x105) at 703-683-5004.
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BREAKING NEWS: New Hampshire Committee Votes 11-6 to Pass Marriage Restoration Bill to Full Chamber
From the Associated Press:
A New Hampshire committee is asking the House to repeal the state's 15-month-old same-sex marriage law and replace it with civil unions for any unmarried adults including relatives.
The Judiciary Committee voted 11-6 Tuesday to recommend repealing the gay marriage law and establishing civil unions for any unmarried adults competent to enter into a contract.
THANK YOU to everyone in New Hampshire who took action through action alert to encourage legislators to vote the right way!
Urge Herman Cain to Sign the Marriage Pledge!
Dear Marriage Supporter,
Herman Cain's position on marriage is moving in the right direction. After earlier opposing a federal constitutional amendment on marriage, arguing that marriage should be left to the states, Mr. Cain told CBN's David Brody on Saturday that he now supports a federal marriage amendment.
What accounts for the change of heart?
Here's what Mr. Cain told David Brody:
I used to believe that it could be just handled by the states but there's a movement going on to basically take the teeth out of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act and that could cause an unraveling, so we do need some protection at the federal level because of that and so yes I would support legislation that would say that it's between a man and a woman.
I applaud Herman Cain's growing recognition of the need to protect marriage, not just at the state level, but at the federal level as well. Herman Cain has always been outspoken in support of marriage, but actions speak louder than words. It's time for Herman Cain to sign the NOM Marriage Pledge and join Rep. Michele Bachmann, Gov. Rick Perry, Gov. Mitt Romney, and Sen. Rick Santorum as true leaders for marriage. (See the signed pledges here.)
One gets the sense that Herman Cain may be just figuring out exactly how important marriage is to Republican voters. But his piecemeal and evolving positions on marriage do not serve his campaign well. The one way for Herman Cain to put this issue behind him is to sign the Pledge today.
We are grateful for the leadership on marriage already shown by the GOP presidential field. Please take a moment to urge Herman Cain to join Bachman, Perry, Romney and Santorum in publicly supporting marriage and pledging concrete actions to protect marriage should we elect them president of the United States.
Click here to send a message to Herman Cain today.
Faithfully,
Brian S. Brown
President
National Organization for Marriage
UK Judge Blasts Four Gay Parents For Inflicting Emotional Harm on Children Conceived Through IVF
A High Court judge issued a stark warning yesterday about the traumatic effects on children when complicated homosexual parenting arrangements unravel.
In a case in which a gay man and his lover took the lesbian mother of his children and her partner to court for access rights, the judge expressed frustration at the ‘lack of sufficient vocabulary to explain the true nature of the relationships’.
But Mr Justice Hedley was clear about the impact of the couples’ conflict on the two sisters in the case, saying at least one of them had suffered significant emotional harm.
‘The four adults in this case regard the price paid by these two children as an acceptable price for the pursuit of their own adult disputes,’ he said.
...he warned: ‘The case provides a vivid illustration of just how wrong these arrangements can go.’
The judgment quotes a social worker who said the older daughter was caught in ‘a horrendous tangle of emotion and conflict that exists between these adults. The girl is being made to carry the responsibility for the failure of the adults in this system to overcome the conflicts between them.’
Mr Justice Hedley said there was ‘widespread concern at the welfare of the children’.
‘I have tried hard to see whether there are any other concepts than that of mother, father and primary carer, all conventional family concepts.
Minnesota Companies Stay on Marriage Amendment Sideline
Opponents of the marriage amendment on the 2012 ballot see natural allies in the state's prominent companies, long seen as integral to preserving the state's fabled quality of life. But the symbolic and financial firepower of companies like Target, General Mills and others with a history of supporting gay causes may not be so forthcoming.
The Associated Press contacted representatives for the 13 Minnesota-based Fortune 500 companies that currently offer domestic partner benefits — nearly three-quarters of the state's complete Fortune 500 roster — and only one, a spokeswoman for Little Canada-based medical device maker St. Jude Medical, said the company would publicly oppose the amendment.
That's not what amendment opponents might have hoped for. "It's our preference that employers who are committed to fairness and equality for all their employees would find opposing the amendment a reasonable position," said Fred Sainz, vice president of communications and marketing for the Human Rights Campaign, the national gay-rights group that's already engaging in Minnesota's battle.
... [but] Even St. Jude Medical, Ellingson said, would not donate money as a company to defeat the amendment.
Of the other 12 companies, representatives for eight told the AP their companies would not take a public position. Those companies are Target, General Mills, Best Buy, Supervalu, Land O'Lakes, Medtronic, Xcel Energy and Ecolab. The other four companies — 3M, Ameriprise Financial, UnitedHealth Group and U.S. Bancorp — did not respond to several inquiries.
NYCF Demands Gov. Cuomo Apologize for "Anti-American Accusations"
New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms:
Recent media reports indicate that at an October 18 panel hosted by the New York Times New York Governor Andrew Cuomo was asked what arguments from authentic marriage advocates he found persuasive. At the same event, Cuomo was quoted as saying: "There is no answer from the opposition. There really isn't. Ultimately, it's, 'I want to discriminate.' And that's anti-New York. It's anti-American."
... In an open letter to the Governor, McGuire argues, "It is not a bigoted statement to say that children need a mother and a father. I contend that many of the issues our state is struggling with can be traced back to absentee fathers, a general lack of parental involvement and the breakdown of the family: low graduation rates, out-of-wedlock births, runaway welfare and Medicaid costs, even the spread of sexually-transmitted diseases.
McGuire says Cuomo's remarks should lead to an apology from the State's Chief Executive.
Archdiocese of NY Official: "We Are Now Enemies of the State"
Ed Mechmann, a graduate of Harvard Law School, writes on an Archdiocese of New York blog about Gov. Cuomo's recent inflammatory comments:
I have been warning for some time about the intolerance that we are likely to face from the forces of “tolerance” who backed the bill legalizing same-sex “marriage” here in New York.
The other day, the impending persecution became even clearer, as Governor Cuomo, the highest public official of New York State, declared us to be enemies of the state and nation.
... When asked if he found persuasive any arguments offered by the opposition to re-defining marriage, this is what the Governor of all New Yorkers said:
“There is no answer from the opposition. There really isn’t. Ultimately, it’s, ‘I want to discriminate.’ And that’s anti-New York. It’s anti-American.”
Savor that quotation for a moment, and drink in the depth of its arrogance, contempt, and hostility.
... In reality, Mr. Cuomo doesn’t just disagree with our arguments, he denies their existence. He clearly believes that they are pernicious, beyond the pale of proper discourse, and motivated only by hatred.
... And remember, the Governor’s thuggish remarks don’t just target the Catholic Church, but also the Orthodox Jewish community, the Evangelical Christian community, many mainline Protestant Churches and Muslims, and others of no religious faith who all believe in the authentic, traditional meaning of marriage.
It is a chilling moment when the top elected official of our state — a man who took an oath to uphold the Constitutions of our state and nation — has declared that so many people are political pariahs.
This is legitimately frightening. We all know what the power of the state can do to its enemies.
How could this happen in America?!
"This may be the first time in my whole life that I’ve had to actually receive persecution."
Dear Friend of Marriage,
It’s downright un-American.
Today, countless Americans have been bullied, threatened, and even fired from their jobs, for no other reason than because they support traditional marriage.
That’s why the National Organization for Marriage just launched a new effort: the Marriage Anti-Defamation Alliance.
The goal of the Marriage Anti-Defamation Alliance is to defend Americans’ religious liberty and free speech rights from being trampled by the same-sex marriage lobby.
The Marriage Anti-Defamation Alliance is here to support Americans like Rose Marie Belforti, who tells her chilling story in our brand-new video.
For over a decade, Rose Marie has been a widely-respected Town Clerk in Ledyard, New York. She loves her job and goes out of her way to ensure that local government works well for the citizens of her small town.
But when New York legalized same-sex marriage, Rose Marie realized that if she had to certify those marriages, it would conflict with her Christian beliefs. She asked if a deputy could perform any same-sex marriages should the situation arise, and she was denied.
And now, Rose Marie’s job is being threatened, all because, as she tells it, "I just want to respect the God I worship."
This is un-American, and we must fight back!
At the Marriage ADA website, you can hear more of "Our Stories" from citizens whose religious liberty is being threatened, send a note of encouragement to courageous Americans like Rose Marie Belforti who’ve been targeted by the anti-marriage goons, make a financial donation in support of this critical effort, and even share your own story if you’ve been subjected to threats, harassment or intimidation.
So please, today:
Watch this incredible video and make one special financial gift in support of our work.
Because this is just the beginning—there are literally dozens and possibly hundreds of outrageous stories to tell!
We also have testimony from corporate trainers, public school teachers and others who’ve had their livelihoods threatened because they spoke out for marriage.
And Marriage ADA will release—one-at-a-time over the next several weeks—a series of incredible new videos about other courageous pro-marriage citizens.
Our goal is to create a community of Americans who adhere to the core Gospel value: "Be not afraid!"
Thanks for acting fast,
Brian S. Brown
Executive Director
NOM Education Fund
P.S. Please forward this email to three friends right now so they can see the truth and get involved. Isolated and alone, we can be intimidated. Together we are too many to be treated as second-class citizens.
Learn Rose Marie Belforti’s story, and make one urgent contribution at the Marriage ADA website today. Thank you again, and God bless you!
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