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Monthly Archives: January 2012

EMERGENCY ALERT: Activists Fast-Track SSM Bill in Trenton-Help Stop them Today!

January 10, 2012 – 3:22 pm

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Dear Marriage Supporter,

Marriage rests on a knife's edge in Trenton, and the next few weeks are critical. Please use the links below to take action, and then forward this message to five friends today.

The bill to redefine marriage for everyone will be introduced tomorrow, and SSM activists have already begun the spin game—claiming they already have the votes needed to pass a same-sex marriage bill. It's not true—at least not yet—but SSM activists are making progress in the legislature, and we need a massive outpouring of grassroots opposition to stop them.

We stopped this bill two years ago, but it's going to take even more work this year, as the Democratic leadership in Trenton has made same-sex marriage its primary focus this year.

Use this link to take action now!

At a news conference yesterday, Senate President Steve Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver announced plans to make same-sex marriage their signature initiative in 2012, with same-sex marriage to be the first bill introduced in both houses when the session opens tomorrow, and fast-tracking the bill through the legislature, setting up a showdown with Governor Christie, who has promised to veto the measure.

The media is, as usual, playing along with this lie of inevitability by treating passage as virtually guaranteed. Mr. Sweeney even claims he already has the 21 votes needed to pass the measure in the 40-member Senate, but our sources in the legislature say that as of today, the votes aren't there to pass a same-sex marriage bill with even a simple majority, much less a veto-proof majority.

I repeat—as of today, the same-sex marriage bill would not pass in the Senate.

Two years ago, SSM activists made the same claims—that passage of the same-sex marriage bill was a done deal—only to see the bill defeated 14-20 when New Jerseyans sent a powerful message to Trenton.

But gay marriage advocates are pulling out all the stops, and are making progress in the legislature. They will likely have at least one Republican sign on to the bill in the Senate, and are getting very close to the majority needed for passage.

Please understand this: The only way to stop them is for you—and all your friends and family—to let your legislators know exactly where you stand on marriage.

Some of you can make a trip to Trenton to meet with your state senator and representative. Some of you can help organize your church to stand up for marriage.

And each of us can make phone calls and send emails today.

NOM has committed $500,000 to hold New Jersey legislators accountable for their vote on marriage, and we're working closely with grassroots leaders in the state to coordinate efforts in Trenton. But this effort will only succeed if people of New Jersey from all walks of life step up and tell politicians in Trenton: "Don't Mess with Marriage!"

Please, take five minutes to contact your legislators right now. Then forward this email to five friends, post it on Facebook, or print a copy and take it with you to church.

Together we can stop this effort, but it's going to take all of us.

Faithfully,

Brian Brown

Brian S Brown

Brian S. Brown
President
National Organization for Marriage

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

Video: Newt Gingrich Responds to CNN Bias Against Religious Liberty

January 10, 2012 – 3:15 pm

Newt Gingrich called out the mainstream media for bias when covering religious liberty issues at a GOP debate this weekend and defended that critique when a CNN host tried to counter his claims in an interview:

By NOM Staff | Posted in Election Watch 2012, Media, New Hampshire, Religious Liberty | Comments (39)

Reuters: South Carolina in Mind, Republicans Stress Social Stances

January 10, 2012 – 12:30 pm

A look at what's ahead, after today's voting in New Hampshire:

...Abortion rights and same-sex marriage were among the issues that came up in the ABC News debate at Saint Anselm College in Goffstown, New Hampshire.

Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum led the charge at the ABC News debate, declaring that marriage is a federal issue that should be defined as being between a man and a woman - even though he said in the same breath that the question of same-sex couples to adopt children was a "states rights" issue.

... South Carolina, which holds its primary on January 21, has a heavy concentration of social conservatives who are thought more willing to assess a candidate based on his or her views on abortion or gay marriage.

As in Iowa, where Santorum's campaign sprang to life, about 60 percent of Republican voters in South Carolina typically identify themselves in exit polls as born-again or evangelical Christians. Among that demographic in Iowa, Santorum finished first, with 32 percent support; Romney was at 14 percent, according to the Pew Forum on Religion and Republic Life. -- Reuters

By NOM Staff | Posted in Election Watch 2012, Marriage Election Watch, New Hampshire, South Carolina | Comments (2)

Study: A Home With a Mom and a Dad Improves Boys Behavior in School

January 10, 2012 – 12:00 pm

CitizenLink introduces these important findings:

An analysis of 20 years’ worth of school suspension rates nationwide shows that the greatest influence on boys’ behavior at school is not the type of school they attend or teacher they have, but the type of home in which they’re being raised.

Researchers at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business found that boys being raised in intact homes with both parents had the least behavioral problems and school suspensions, while those being raised by single mothers had the most. However, this was not found to be the case among girls.

Glenn T. Stanton, director of Global Family Formation Studies at Focus on the Family, said intact families are the best for children of either gender.

“This supports over three decades of consistent research showing that kids who grow up in a home with their married parents tend to do better in all measures of educational attainment than their peers being raised in single, divorced and cohabiting-parent homes,” he said. “This is true from everything from grade-point average, behavioral issues, high school graduation and going on to graduate from college. Moms and dads both matter here, as well as the type of relationship between them.”

You can read the study here (PDF).

By NOM Staff | Posted in Children, Education, Parenting, Research/Study | Comments (30)

Pope: Redefining Marriage Threatens "The Future of Humanity"

January 10, 2012 – 11:45 am

Reuters:

Pope Benedict said Monday that gay marriage was one of several threats to the traditional family that undermined "the future of humanity itself."

The pope made some of his strongest comments against gay marriage in a new year address to the diplomatic corps accredited to the Vatican in which he touched on some economic and social issues facing the world today.

He told diplomats from nearly 180 countries that the education of children needed proper "settings" and that "pride of place goes to the family, based on the marriage of a man and a woman."

"This is not a simple social convention, but rather the fundamental cell of every society. Consequently, policies which undermine the family threaten human dignity and the future of humanity itself," he said.

By NOM Staff | Posted in Catholic Church, Europe, Marriage, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (21)

Washington State Senator: No SSM Without Public Vote -- Protecting Marriage Is Not Apartheid!

January 10, 2012 – 11:15 am

Seattle PI:

Same-sex marriage will not become law in Washington without voter approval, an influential state senator told a raucous Saturday town meeting on Whidbey Island packed with gay rights supporters.

“I will tell you they will not have the votes in the state Senate without a vote of the people,” said state Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano, a 20-year veteran of the Legislature’s upper chamber.

Haugen represents a Republican-leaning Island and Skagit County district that includes liberal pockets, notably South Whidbey, as well as very conservative Oak Harbor. She is usually its only Democratic legislator.

She was confronted Saturday with intense emotion from the liberal end of her constituency. At times, the town hall seemed like a Tea Party confrontation in reverse.

“I must represent the entire 10th District and we have a lot of evangelicals . . .,” Haugen began.

“Don’t even go on,” shouted Laura Taylor, a Clinton resident.

... “There will be no bill in the state Senate if it does not go to the people,” said Haugen.

One exchange was particularly passionate:

The veteran senator was not afraid to mix it.

One constituent likened denial of marriage rights to gays and lesbians to racial apartheid in South Africa. “I saw apartheid, I was in South Africa and I can tell you this is different,” Haugen shot back. She recalled the “necklacing” practice in which victims were stuffed in a tire which was then set afire.

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

Early NH Voting: Romney - 7, Paul - 5, Huntsman - 4, Obama - 3

January 10, 2012 – 10:30 am

The Washington Post on the first results of primary day in New Hampshire:

Dixville Notch and Hart’s Location — the two northern New Hampshire communities that traditionally vote at midnight on primary day — cast the first votes of the first-in-the-nation primary early Tuesday.

Romney tied with former Utah governor Jon Huntsman (R) in Dixville Notch, with each candidate winning a total of two votes out of nine cast. Former House speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) took one vote, as did Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas). The remaining three voters cast their ballots for President Obama.

In Hart’s Location, Romney took five votes, compared to four votes for Paul. Huntsman took two votes, Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) took one and Gingrich took one.

The results mean that — at least for the few hours until the rest of the Granite State awakens — Romney leads the field with seven votes, while Paul has a total of five, Huntsman has a total of four, and Gingrich takes two.

Hat tip: NRO's Brian Bolduc.

By NOM Staff | Posted in Election Watch 2012, New Hampshire | Comments (2)

Gary Johnson: Obama "Opposes" Same-Sex Marriage Because of Black Voters

January 10, 2012 – 10:00 am

Long-shot presidential candidate Gary Johnson (who recently came out for SSM himself) is now issuing press releases explaining why he thinks President Obama does not support SSM:

Former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, currently running as a Libertarian Party candidate for president, lashed out at President Barack Obama in a Monday press release regarding same-sex marriage.

Referencing a New York Times report, Johnson said that Obama “gives lip service to gay equality,” but “will not support gay marriage before the election because of the opposition of African Americans, as reflected in his polling, and the need to assure maximum support from African American voters in November.”

Meanwhile, Johnson declared, Obama “sends out surrogates to imply that he will support gay marriage in a second term.” -- The Daily Caller

By NOM Staff | Posted in Election Watch 2012, Marriage Election Watch, President Obama | Comments Off

David Brooks: "The Country Doesn’t Want an Election that is Harvard Law Vs. Harvard Law."

January 10, 2012 – 9:30 am

David Brooks in the New York Times talks about a neglected core constituency of the Republican party:

Occasionally you get a candidate, like Tim Pawlenty, who grew up working class. But he gets sucked up by the consultants, the donors and the professional party members and he ends up sounding like every other Republican. Other times a candidate will emerge who taps into a working-class vibe — Pat Buchanan, Mike Huckabee or Sarah Palin. But, so far, these have been flawed candidates who get buried under an avalanche of negative ads and brutal coverage.

... I suspect [Santorum will do better post-Iowa than most people think — before being buried under a wave of money and negative ads. And I do believe that he represents sensibility and a viewpoint that is being suppressed by the political system. Perhaps, in less rigid and ideological form, this working-class experience will someday find a champion.

If you took a working-class candidate from the right, like Santorum, and a working-class candidate from the left, like Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio, and you found a few islands of common ground, you could win this election by a landslide. The country doesn’t want an election that is Harvard Law versus Harvard Law.

Rod Dreher, commenting on Brooks' "The country doesn't want an election that is Harvard Law versus Harvard Law line" adds:

That’s what it’s almost certainly going to get. Why does it have to be that way?

... I do strongly agree with Brooks that Santorum “represents sensibility and a viewpoint that is being suppressed by the political system.” Back in 2005, the Pew political typology indicated that the least representative viewpoints on the American spectrum were those most people identify as generally “liberal” and generically “conservative.” The great center of American politics, according to Pew’s finding, is socially conservative but economically “liberal” in the sense of being more or less skeptical of laissez-faire capitalism, and more open to a role for government in public life. Why is it being “suppressed”? I think part of the explanation is that the people who give money to both parties, and those who are most active in partisan causes, come from the extremes. Another part of the explanation is that Republicans and Democrats have gerrymandered Congressional districts such that the kinds of candidates who come out of them have a built-in reason to hew to partisan orthodoxies.

By NOM Staff | Posted in Election Watch 2012, Politics | Comments (3)

National Organization for Marriage Pledges Major Fight in New Jersey to Prevent Passage of Same-Sex Marriage

January 9, 2012 – 2:44 pm

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jan. 19, 2012
Contact: Anath Hartmann or Elizabeth Ray (703-683-5004)

"The people of New Jersey can and will stop this bill."
—Brian Brown, NOM president—

Trenton, N.J. – The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) today pledged an all-out effort to prevent same-sex marriage from becoming law in New Jersey, and said it would spend upward of $500,000 to support legislators who stood to preserve traditional marriage and hold those accountable who impose same-sex marriage in the state. Backers of gay marriage today unveiled yet another legislative attempt to redefine marriage in New Jersey.

"The media is reporting that gay marriage is sure to pass through the Legislature, but we heard the same false story in 2009 and 2010. The people of New Jersey can and will stop this bill." said Brian Brown, NOM's president.

Governor Chris Christie has previously pledged to veto any same-sex marriage legislation that is passed by the Legislature.

"We commend Governor Christie for his position that marriage is the union of one man and one woman, just as it has been throughout history. Even though the governor has pledged to veto the legislation, we are committed to holding legislators accountable for their own views and will work to assure that he never has to exercise his veto power," Brown said. "NOM will spend $500,000 in New Jersey legislative races to support those who stand with us in defense of traditional marriage, and hold those who abandon marriage accountable to voters."

NOM cautioned legislators that imposing gay marriage will have profound consequences for children and eliminate children from the marriage equation in New Jersey.

"States license marriage because of their inherent interest in ensuring that any children born of the sexual union of men and women have the best opportunity to be raised by their own mother and father," Brown said. "Same-sex marriage changes the focus of our marriage laws from a child-centered institution to one that exists only to satisfy the demands of adults. Children suffer because of this."

Brown noted that in other states that have legalized gay marriage children as young as second grade have been taught it in public school. This has already occurred in Massachusetts, New York and California.

"Legislators need to know that a vote for same-sex marriage is a vote to have it taught to kids in public schools, including to seven and eight year old children," Brown said. "This is not a ‘feel good' vote for political correctness; it will have profound consequences on families and especially children in New Jersey. It has happened in Massachusetts and right across the river in New York, and that is what legislators are being asked to support in New Jersey."

To schedule an interview with Brian Brown, President of the National Organization for Marriage, please contact Elizabeth Ray (x130), [email protected], or Anath Hartmann, [email protected], at 703-683-5004.

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Paid for by The National Organization for Marriage, Brian Brown, president. 2029 K Street NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20006, not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. New § 68A.405(1)(f) & (h).

By NOM Staff | Posted in New Jersey, Press Releases, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (7)

Colorado Churches Could be Forced to Host Same-Sex Civil Unions in Legal Loophole

January 9, 2012 – 2:30 pm

The Greeley Gazette:

A recent decision by a judge in Hawaii could open the door for churches in Colorado to be forced to allow same-sex couples to use their facilities for civil unions.

In February, Hawaii passed a law permitting civil unions. The law is similar to Colorado’s domestic partner bill. It contains a religious exemption saying, “Nothing in this section shall be construed to require any person authorized to perform solemnizations of marriages or civil unions to perform a solemnization of a civil union, and no such authorized person who fails or refuses for any reason to join persons in a civil union shall be subject to any fine or other penalty for the failure or refusal.”

Colorado’s Domestic Partnership law has a similar provision saying, “No priest, minister, rabbi, or other official of any religious institution or denomination shall be required to certify any domestic partnership in violation of his or her right to the free exercise of religion guaranteed by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution and by Section 4 of Article II of the Colorado Constitution.”

While the exemptions state that no one is required to certify the partnership, the question is; does that apply to an equal access use of the church, synagogue or mosque’s facilities? Some homosexual activist groups are saying that when the church opens up its facilities it is engaging in commerce and becomes subject to anti-discrimination laws.

Churches have a right to be concerned. In 2007, a lesbian couple in New Jersey sued a Methodist church association after the church refused to rent the couple a private campground for their civil union ceremony. The ministry lost its tax-exempt status over the issue.

By NOM Staff | Posted in Civil Unions, Colorado, Religious Liberty | Comments (44)

WaPo Blogger: Why Town Hall Protesters Are Helping Rick Santorum

January 9, 2012 – 2:00 pm

Aaron Blake at Washington Post's The Fix blog:

If you didn’t know better, you’d think Rick Santorum enjoys being grilled by protesters.

In fact, he probably does. And he should.

The former Pennsylvania senator has been inundated at his New Hampshire events with questions from unsympathetic voices in recent days, pressing him mostly on gay rights but also on issues like the separation of church and state...

...The questions are generally posed by members of a coterie of young political activists who stake out Santorum’s appearances early in hopes of catching him off-guard with questions on social issues.

It hasn’t worked yet. And in fact, one could argue that this is exactly what Santorum wants.

By debating social issues with what are often not-so-versed young antagonists, Santorum is creating oodles of YouTube clips and conflicts that the media loves to cover. And that footage can probably only help him in a Republican presidential contest.

It’s essentially Chris Christie light (so to speak). Santorum invites the jousting because he knows he can handle it and come out on top – at least in the eyes of the socially conservative voters he relies upon.

By NOM Staff | Posted in Election Watch 2012, New Hampshire | Comments (7)

Dying Meme Alert: Redefining Marriage Won't Stimulate New Jersey's Economy

January 9, 2012 – 1:30 pm

Maggie Gallagher has already debunked the false argument that gay marriage is an economic stimulus plan. Tami Fitzgerald has also countered the same claim in North Carolina and Minnesota State Rep. Steve Drazkowski has called this argument "desperate".

Now gay marriage activists are once again attempting to claim that if New Jersey redefines marriage it would result in the state bringing in an extra $500 million dollars over three years. That figure is based on the claims Brad Sears of the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law made back in 2008.

Really it confounds me why gay marriage activists continue to lead with this argument, because it's hard to find one more obviously false.

For instance, the Williams Institute claimed that Washington, DC's economy would be boosted by over $50 million dollars once they legalized gay marriage. That hasn't remotely materialized, as a local businessman explained last month. Last year the New York City's Comptroller office claimed legalizing gay marriage would boost the city's economy by almost $150 million dollars over three years. The clock is ticking on this claim now, and I'm not holding my breath.

In fact, California's non-partisan Legislative Analyst's Office and Department of Finance, when they examined the economic impact of redefining marriage back in 2008, found that it would be "negligible" over the long run. And as we wrote a couple weeks ago, there's plenty of evidence they didn't take into account that discarding our marriage traditional will result in real economic harm.

Meanwhile, the arguments proposed by Rick Santorum and other GOP presidential candidates on the campaign trail that healthy families and an intact marriage culture will result in less government spending and more economic output continues to gain traction -- and, most importantly -- a growing listening audience, especially as the harmful economic consequences of a weakened marriage culture become more apparent all around us.

By Thomas Peters | Posted in Economics, Marriage, New Jersey, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (12)

Ken Starr: Can I Vote for a Mormon?

January 9, 2012 – 12:00 pm

Ken Starr in the Washington Post:

Tuesday’s New Hampshire primary looms large on the political horizon. In the midst of lively public debates over taxes, jobs, the national debt and similarly important questions related to the future vitality of our nation, a different kind of question continues to privately occupy the minds of some prospective voters: Can I vote for a Mormon?

This is an important question in our constitutional democracy. Without endorsing or even praising (much less criticizing) any candidate, I strongly encourage Americans who would ask this question of themselves to consider and weigh thoughtfully our nation’s constitutional traditions. At their best, those are traditions of welcoming religious forbearance.

By NOM Staff | Posted in Election Watch 2012, New Hampshire | Comments (3)

The National Organization for Marriage Continues Campaign in New Hampshire Opposing Ron Paul's Position on Marriage

January 9, 2012 – 11:47 am

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 9, 2012
Contact: Anath Hartmann or Elizabeth Ray (703-683-5004)

"Many people think that Ron Paul is a conservative, but his 'anything goes' position on marriage isn't conservative—it's radical." —Brian Brown, NOM President—

Manchester, NH – The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) today announced that it is mounting a $50,000 independent expenditure effort in New Hampshire to educate state voters about Ron Paul's "unacceptable" position on marriage. The group began running television commercials online last Friday, as well as calling tens of thousands of voters to bring Paul's position to the attention of voters.

"Many people think that Ron Paul is a conservative, but his 'anything goes' position on marriage isn't conservative—it's radical," said Brian Brown, NOM's president. "NOM helped drop Paul from first to third in Iowa, and we are committed to making sure that New Hampshire voters know the truth about Ron Paul's views on marriage."

Paul is the only major candidate in the race to refuse to sign NOM's Marriage Pledge, committing himself to take specific actions as president to support marriage. Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum and Rick Perry have each signed NOM's pledge. Paul has said "sure" to gay marriage. He even believes that civil marriage should be eliminated altogether.

"We encourage voters to go to www.wrongonmarriage.com to learn more about Ron Paul's dangerous position on marriage. We have not endorsed a candidate in the race and support each of those who have signed our pledge. However, Ron Paul is unacceptable as a Republican nominee and we urge New Hampshire voters to reject him on Tuesday."

NOM will continue its campaign against Paul in South Carolina and other states.

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