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Monthly Archives: October 2011

Four New York State Senators and Their Same-Sex Marriage Money Dance

October 14, 2011 – 12:00 pm

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 14, 2011
Contact: Mary Beth Hutchins (703-683-5004 x105, [email protected])

Senators James Alesi, Mark Grisanti, Roy McDonald and Stephen Saland Benefiting from Bloomberg-Hosted Fundraiser This Evening

New York, NY — The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) today announced it is running an online advertisement throughout New York state in response to a Bloomberg-held fundraiser this evening for the four GOP senators that betrayed the trust of New Yorkers last summer by exchanging a vote for same-sex marriage for campaign contributions.

The advertisement, called "Money Dance," is modeled after the practice of some brides and grooms dancing for money with supporters at their wedding. In this case, the four Senators -- Roy McDonald, Mark Grisanti, James Alesi and Stephen Saland - are dancing with wealthy contributors like Michael Bloomberg and Tim Gill who purchased their allegiance during the recent legislative session.

"These four state Senators have betrayed New Yorkers in their quest for wedding cash," said Brian Brown, president of NOM. "They abandoned their stated values and their own promises to voters. We want to expose these Senators and their same-sex marriage money dance. NOM and our 'Let the People Vote' coalition will not rest until these legislators are turned out of office and the people of New York are allowed to vote on the definition of marriage."

The online advertisement is the latest in a series of efforts aimed at picking off every New York legislator that did not stand up for their constituents and allow a vote of the people before redefining marriage. Earlier this month, NOM ran a full-page advertisement in The Capitol asking David Weprin how his gay marriage vote worked out for him, referencing his September loss in the 9th Congressional District race. The print advertisement went on to further ask, 'who will be next?' At the end of September NOM and the "Let the People Vote" coalition announced a series of billboards that are being displayed in the districts of Senators McDonald, Grisanti, Saland, Alesi and Shirley Huntely warning them, 'they're next', referring to the pledge NOM made to hold every legislator that voted to redefine marriage accountable. Prior to the billboard launch, NOM funded mailers into the districts of the five state Senators and organized rallies in four cities that drew over 15,000 people. NOM alone has committed $2 million to fund the "Let the People Vote" effort.

The "Let the People Vote" coalition (www.letthepeoplevote.com) was formed to bring together many diverse religious and ethnic communities around the central issue of traditional marriage to demand that New York voters, just like voters in 31 other states, be given the right to decide the definition of marriage

For more information visit www.LetThePeopleVote.com

Paid for by the National Organization for Marriage, www.nationformarriage.org. Not authorized by any candidate or any candidate's committee.

###

By NOM Staff | Posted in New York, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (8)

New Poll: 64% Don't Support SSM

October 14, 2011 – 12:00 pm

Deseret News:

When it comes to polls about same-sex marriage, it's all about how you ask the question. A new national poll by Lawrence Research found that 64 percent of Americans feel that marriage should only be between one man and one woman. Thirty-three percent feel marriage should be redefined to include any two people.

... Maggie Gallagher, the president of the Institute for Marriage and Public Policy and the former president of the National Organization for Marriage, thinks Lawrence's poll results match the results at the ballot box when the question is put to voters. "People are becoming increasingly sensitive to not wanting to be perceived as hostile to gay people and that is affecting the polling," Gallagher said. She said this change has a lot to do with what she perceives as an enormous change in gay marriage advocates' rhetoric following the passage of Proposition 8. "In the past they acknowledged that not everyone who opposes gay marriage is a bigot or a hater or a discriminator. But the main message in the press now is that if you simply don't believe in gay marriage, that in itself, is enough to demonstrate that you have bigotry or animus," Gallagher said. "And people are becoming reluctant to tell pollsters what they really believe unless they have a signal from the pollster that it is safe to do so."

One thing in Lawrence's poll that may have made religious people feel "safe" was he was connecting the issue to religious questions.

By NOM Staff | Posted in Marriage, Poll, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (19)

After SSM, What Next? NYC Councilman Pushes for California-Style Pro-Gay History Curriculum

October 14, 2011 – 11:00 am

CitizenLink:

A New York City councilman on Tuesday introduced a resolution asking the city to adopt a new education curriculum — one that makes a point of promoting individuals’ sexuality.

An openly gay councilman from Queens asked the city’s Department of Education to buy new textbooks. The curriculum would be similar to one that will be taught in California beginning next year, where a new law mandates instruction on the contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people to the social sciences. A petition drive to repeal the law failed to gather a significant number of signatures by today’s deadline.

The Rev. Jason McGuire, executive director of the conservative group New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms, said the effort is to be expected after the state redefined marriage earlier this year.

By NOM Staff | Posted in Children, Education, New York | Comments (17)

Stephen Heaney: "Abortion, Divorce and Same-Sex Marriage: No Blood, No Foul?"

October 14, 2011 – 10:00 am

Stephen Heaney, Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Saint Thomas, argues in Public Discourse that political legitimization of "private" sexual and marital choices causes much public harm, and that "we have been personally harmed by the regimes of abortion and easy divorce":

For as long as I have debated topics of grave social concern, a particular sort of argument has been insouciantly tossed about by those who just want the conversation to end. It frequently takes the following form: "How will legalizing X harm me? I'm not being forced to do X. I'll just keep on doing what I'm doing. Therefore I support the legalization of X."

... such a claim is self-serving. It only considers the harm done to me, while discounting as irrelevant the harm done to millions of other human lives--and the evidence of the harm caused to so many people by these two legalized atrocities is incontrovertible.

... such a claim conveniently accounts for only that kind of harm that the arguer is thinking about at the moment, such as serious and obvious physical or psychological harm, while passing over less serious but no less real harms, and discounting the reality of moral and social harm.

... We have been personally harmed by the regimes of abortion and easy divorce. We might not realize it. We might have survived it. We might choose to ignore it. We might even have recovered. But we have all been harmed.

By NOM Staff | Posted in Culture, Divorce, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (5)

Cartoon: Obama's Defense of Gay Marriage Act

October 14, 2011 – 10:00 am

The President may still claim his views on marriage are "evolving" but what about his undermining of DOMA?

Source: U.S. News & World Report

By NOM Staff | Posted in DOMA, Humor, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (17)

Drag Queen (and Single Dad) Against SSM?

October 14, 2011 – 9:00 am

The Chicago Tribune:

By the time Marcus Parker left his hometown of Chicago in 2005 for California, he was well known around the city's drag-queen show circuit as Flame Monroe, the 5-foot-8, stacked diva with the crimson wig and extra-blue comedy act.

What most people wouldn't guess about the flamboyant Parker, who returns to Chicago this weekend for several shows, is that he's a devoted single father who is careful to tone down the color around his young children.

... And he doesn't support gay marriage.

... "I don't think it's right when a (gay) couple has lived a life together and family members step in at the last minute to take (possessions) or make decisions. But gay marriage? No. The only reason gay people want to get married is because they can't. Let them, and the divorce rate would be higher than (that of) heteros." [...] I just don't think marriage between gays is right."

By NOM Staff | Posted in Culture, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (15)

WaTimes: Social Conservatives Make Their Mark in Washington

October 14, 2011 – 7:00 am

And among them, pro-marriage conservatives especially:

Although the Family Research Council's Values Voter Summit wrapped up last weekend, social and evangelical activists are networking and appear ready to make sure their opinions are understood in 2012.

...“I’ve already had a handful of people come up to me and say that they changed who they wanted to vote for because of this information,” said Christopher Plante, the executive director of the National Organization for Marriage – Rhode Island, as he held up a spreadsheet with all of the candidates’ stances on several key values.

“People are grateful for this information. We need all the candidates to lead on marriage, not something else. Right now there are many who believe in marriage to be between one man and a woman. But, we don’t want them to just believe it. We need them to lead on it. So far, Rick Santorum is the only one who seems to be doing that,” Mr. Plante added. -- Washington Times

By NOM Staff | Posted in Election Watch 2012, Marriage Election Watch, Same Sex Marriage | Comments Off on WaTimes: Social Conservatives Make Their Mark in Washington

L.A. Group Attempts to Take Prop 8 Back to the Ballot

October 13, 2011 – 3:59 pm

We predict this attempt to overturn Prop 8 will fail. That was, after all, the conclusion of Equality California when they examined the evidence. Still this group is going to try:

Love Honor Cherish will submit language to the California attorney general by Friday for a ballot measure to overturn Prop 8.

The attorney general will write a petition title and summary, and then LHC can collect voter signatures for 150 days.

The group would need to collect valid signatures from 807,615 registered California voters. -- Rex Wockner

By NOM Staff | Posted in New York, Prop 8, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (10)

National Gathering of Argentinean Law Professors Reject SSM as Unconstitutional

October 13, 2011 – 2:44 pm

LifeSiteNews:

Law professors attending Argentina’s most important conference on civil law have voted to declare that the nation’s recently-passed homosexual “marriage” legislation is unconstitutional.

The legal scholars also recommended the prohibition of homosexual adoption, and condemned the legal concept of multiple mothers or fathers of the same child as incompatible with the nation’s civil code.

... The Symposium, which is the largest of its kind for civil attorneys in Argentina, reported its highest attendance to date this year, with over 2,200 participating, including professors of law, practicing attorneys, and law students. Only law professors have the right to vote.

By NOM Staff | Posted in Law, Same Sex Marriage, South America | Comments (4)

She spoke out in defense of marriage, and they threatened her job! Please help!

October 13, 2011 – 1:51 pm

"This may be the first time in my whole life that I've had to actually receive persecution."

It's downright un-American.

Over the past three years, hundreds of 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!

You've been a strong supporter of marriage and of NOM's efforts to protect marriage (thank you again), so you of all people need to know how our opponents are viciously targeting people's safety, property, and livelihoods – and what we can do to fight back!

If you do one thing this week, watch this video and then make one urgent online contribution to NOM so we can spread the truth about what's going on in America.

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 Brown

Brian Brown

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.

Simply visit MarriageADA.org, learn Rose Marie Belforti's story, and make one urgent contribution. Thank you again, and God bless you!

By Brian Brown | Posted in MarriageADA, New York, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (18)

Teen Wins School Apology for Suppressing His Right to Free Speech

October 13, 2011 – 1:00 pm

Proof that those who stand up for their right to free speech can win:

The Texas school where a teen was punished for saying homosexuality was wrong has apologized and stated the boy “has the right to express an opinion in a manner consistent with law and policy.”

The Fort Worth Independent School District has issued a letter fully vindicating high school freshman Dakota Ary, who was given in-school suspension for telling another student that he believes homosexuality is wrong because of his Christian faith. --LifeSiteNews

By NOM Staff | Posted in Education, Free Speech | Comments (12)

Fake "Conservatives" Trying to Take Over Conservative Party Line for Grisanti?

October 13, 2011 – 12:30 pm

ArtVoice:

Last week, you read here about an effort launched by Kitty Lambert of OUTSpoken for Equality and Blossom OUT to mount something a of a takeover of the local Conservative Party, by convincing LGBT voters and their straight allies to register as Conservatives by October 14. (That’s the deadline by which voters must register if they want to participate in their party’s primary next year.) Lambert says the purpose of the campaign is to provide a ballot line for State Senator Mark Grisanti, one of four Republicans to vote in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage in New York.

By NOM Staff | Posted in New York, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (2)

Video: Maggie Gallagher at the Values Voter Summit

October 13, 2011 – 12:13 pm

One of the attendees caught a part of NOM co-founder Maggie Gallagher's panel appearance at last weekend's Values Voter summit (EWTN reporter Michelle Bauman also wrote an article summarizing the points made during the discussion):

By NOM Staff | Posted in Election Watch 2012, Marriage Election Watch, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (1)

In New Hampshire, Santorum Speaks Up For Marriage

October 13, 2011 – 11:30 am

The Concord Monitor:

Presidential candidate Rick Santorum spoke at a "Restore Marriage Rally" this morning in downtown Concord, telling roughly three dozen people gathered in the Holiday Inn parking lot that one-man, one-woman marriage is the glue that holds families together, and American society is based on the family.

"Our country is not founded on the individual," Santorum said. "It is founded on the basic unit of society, which is the family. You don't want to found your society on individuals, because that's like founding a house on grains of sand."

The gathering was part of the Family Research Council Action’s national "Values Voter Bus Tour." Council President Tony Perkins spoke at the rally, as did Christopher Plante, northeast regional coordinator for the National Organization for Marriage, and Cornerstone Action Executive Director Kevin Smith.

By NOM Staff | Posted in New Hampshire, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (1)

2,000+ Evangelical, Orthodox, Catholic Chaplains United in Refusing SSM

October 13, 2011 – 11:00 am

The New American:

More than 2,000 Christian U.S. military chaplains have joined their Catholic colleagues in refusing to perform wedding ceremonies for homosexual soldiers who want to “marry” their partners. According to CNSNews.com, the evangelical and Orthodox chaplains are part of the newly formed Chaplain Alliance for Liberty, which will not allow member clergy “to perform same-sex wedding ceremonies under any circumstances.”

Dr. Ron Crews, executive director of the group, said chaplains are concerned about the implications of the September 30 directive that allows military clergy to perform same-sex “wedding” ceremonies.

By NOM Staff | Posted in DOMA, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (4)
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