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Monthly Archives: January 2012

WaPo: Maryland House Speaker Facing "Tough Road Ahead" on SSM

January 19, 2012 – 12:00 pm

The Washington Post on the unusual methods being used to push the same-sex marriage bill forward in the House:

In a sign of the tough road ahead for same-sex marriage legislation in Maryland, House Speaker Michael E. Busch said Monday that he would assign this year’s bill to two committees instead of one, a procedural change that could increase the measure’s chances of passage.

Busch (D-Anne Arundel) said the decision would allow more delegates to closely examine the controversial measure, which died unexpectedly on the House floor last year after narrowly passing the Senate.

But critics said the move suggests the votes are not there this year to advance the bill from the Judiciary Committee, the House panel that approved it last year, to the full chamber.

At times in the past, when bills have been “jointly referred” to two committees, House leaders have used a majority vote from just one panel as justification to send legislation to the floor. House rules are largely silent on such situations but grant the speaker considerable leeway on committee assignments.

“This issue is way too important to be playing games with,” House Minority Leader Anthony J. O’Donnell (R-Calvert), an opponent of same-sex marriage, said upon learning of Busch’s decision. “I guess it shows a great lack of confidence in the Judiciary Committee. I think that committee is capable of doing the job.”

By NOM Staff | Posted in Marriage, Maryland, Same Sex Marriage | Comments Off

WA State Sen. Padden Issues Statement Opposing Gay Marriage

January 19, 2012 – 11:00 am

The Spokane Examiner:

Sen. Mike Padden, (R-Spokane Valley) who represents the 4th District and sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said he does not support the effort in a statement issued Tuesday:

“I do not support changing the traditional definition of marriage," he said, adding that he would "oppose any bill that attempts to redefine marriage as anything other than its historic definition as a union of one man and one woman."

Padden, a former district court judge who was sworn into office last November, disagrees. “Marriage has always been understood as a comprehensive relationship between a man and woman, as husband and wife, grounded in their complementary nature and their ability to naturally conceive and give birth to children, as father and mother," Padden said.

“The state has always recognized the special nature of that relationship and its benefits for society as a whole,” he added

By NOM Staff | Posted in Marriage, Same Sex Marriage, Washington | Comments (16)

The Gay Male Couple’s Guide to Nonmonogamy

January 19, 2012 – 10:00 am

Daniel Vaillancourt, in the gay newspaper The Advocate, has a frank conversation about nonmonogamy in same-sex male partnerships:

Mikey Rox and Everett Earl Morrow, both now 30, were committed to monogamy when they met and fell in love. That was five years ago. “After a couple instances of infidelity to which we both confessed, we decided it’s not realistic to expect either of us to never hook up with anyone else ever again,” says Rox, principal of Paper Rox Scissors Copy and Creative in Manhattan. The legally married couple has had an open relationship for the last two years. “Who wouldn’t want to be allowed to hook up with other guys and have their husband be OK with it?” he asks. “Isn’t that what most men dream of, and isn’t the limitation of sex with one partner in a marriage the reason why so many people cheat?” Adds Morrow, “As two men, sex isn’t particularly emotional for either of us. That enables us to separate our love for one another from the occasional physical attraction we may have for another guy.”

Matthew and Pablo, married 40-something realtors in Palm Springs, Calif., were monogamous for the first eight of their 15 years together. “We sort of just fell into our open relationship,” says Matthew. “It’s been a slow evolution. In the beginning, we only played together, which made it feel less threatening.” They still enjoy the occasional threesome, but for the last few years have increasingly sought sex outside the relationship.

By NOM Staff | Posted in Culture, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (49)

Prof. Tom Farr of Georgetown U. on Marriage and Religious Liberty

January 19, 2012 – 9:00 am

In a recent interview in the National Catholic Register:

Yesterday, a group of U.S. religious leaders — including Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox Jews and Sikhs — released an “open letter,” “Marriage and Religious Freedom: Fundamental Goods That Stand or Fall Together.” Among other issues, the letter expressed alarm about the threat legal same-sex “marriage” poses to the free exercise of religion in this country.

This is a powerful statement. It is an encouraging and, frankly, very American phenomenon when religious groups with deep theological differences come together in defense of marriage and of religious freedom. The power of the statement comes from the truths it expresses. It sounds the alarm about the sweeping consequences for our society if the definition of marriage is overturned and about the threat to religious liberty implicit in such an act.

The letter itself is an example of religious liberty in action — public advocacy by religious actors on behalf of truths they hold sacred and which they believe central to protecting the common good.

There are those who would contend that this kind of public religious advocacy violates the separation of church and state. That reading of our Constitution is nonsense, but it exists, and it poses a danger both to marriage and religious freedom.

Consider Judge Vaughn Walker’s 2010 ruling on Proposition 8, the California referendum affirming marriage as between one man and one woman. He simply declared that the vote was in part motivated by religious and moral values, that those values did not and cannot meet constitutional standards of rationality, and that, therefore, the outcome of the referendum was unconstitutional.

Should this reasoning be more widely adopted by the courts, it would pose a severe threat to religious liberty by reducing the capacity of religious actors to prevail in democratic deliberation with religion-specific or even religiously derived moral arguments. It would implicate issues from marriage to abortion to the cloning of human beings for medical research.

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

Catholic Bishops of Washington Call on Faithful to Protect Marriage

January 19, 2012 – 8:00 am

An excerpt from their letter published today:

Upholding the present definition of marriage does not depend on anyone’s religious beliefs. Washington State’s present law defining marriage as “a civil contract between a male and a female” is grounded not in faith, but in reason and the experience of society. It recognizes the value of marriage as a bond of personal relationships, but also in terms of the unique and irreplaceable potential of a man and woman to conceive and nurture new life, thus contributing to the continuation of the human race. A change in legislation would mean that the state would no longer recognize the unique sacrifices and contributions made by these couples, thereby adding to the forces already undermining family life today.

For these reasons, we the Catholic Bishops of Washington State call on the citizens of this state to maintain the legal definition of marriage. We ask all to join in praying with us for married couples and families and to do everything possible to support them.

By NOM Staff | Posted in Catholic Church, Marriage, Same Sex Marriage, Washington | Comments Off

URGENT ALERT: Tell Governor Christie We're Counting on Him to Keep His Promises

January 18, 2012 – 6:16 pm

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Dear Marriage Supporter,

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has won the respect and trust of many on both sides of the political aisle with his straight talk, common sense, and fearlessness in taking on special interests.

That's why his comments on marriage last week were so troubling.

In 2009, Governor-elect Christie had this to say to a group of New Jersey Republicans:

"If a same-sex marriage bill comes to the desk of Governor Christie, it will be returned to the legislature with a big red veto across it. Because, one, I believe that and I made it very clear to people during the entire campaign that that was my position and so there will be no surprise for the 1.2 million people who voted for me that that was and that is my position." (read his full statement with video here)

But just last week, Governor Christie seemed to back down, suggesting he had not yet decided how he would handle a same-sex marriage bill if passed by the legislature, telling a reporter, "When forced to make a decision, if forced to make a decision on it, I'll make a decision."

Is he being coy? Is he backing away from his previous commitment?

Neither reaction is like the Governor Christie we've come to know and respect.

The outcome of any vote in the New Jersey legislature is still very much up in the air, and it's unlike Governor Christie to back down from a controversial issue. As Governor he has a bully pulpit to influence the outcome of what will be a very close vote in the legislature. And with many Republicans urging him to run for national office, he surely knows that becoming the first Republican governor to sign a same-sex marriage bill would be highly damaging to any future aspirations and to the integrity of the Republican Party.

Please take a moment today to send a message to Governor Christie. Click here to send your message right now.

Respectfully let him know that voters are looking to him as a man we can trust—a politician who keeps his word. He promised that if a same-sex marriage bill ever came to his desk, he'd give it the "big red veto," and we expect him to do just that if the same-sex marriage bill passes the legislature this year.

Then forward this message to five friends, especially your Republican friends or anyone you know who lives in New Jersey. Governor Christie needs to know just how much we respect his refreshingly upfront and honest approach to politics, and that we also expect him to keep his promise and be a man of his word when it comes to marriage.

Faithfully,

By Brian Brown | Posted in Marriage Election Watch, New Jersey, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (2)

EMERGENCY ALERT! Activists Pushing SSM Bill in Olympia--Help Stop them Today!

January 18, 2012 – 4:31 pm

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Dear Marriage Supporter,

Marriage rests on a knife's edge in Washington, and the next few days are critical.

Please use the links below to take action, then forward this message to five friends today, and come to the hearings at the Capitol in Olympia next Monday.

In early January, Governor Gregoire announced her support for same-sex marriage (SSM). Days later, legislators introduced SSM legislation in both the House and Senate. And with 50 House co-sponsors and 23 co-sponsors in the Senate, advocates are just two votes shy of passing the bill for Gov. Gregoire's signature.

We need a massive outpouring of grassroots opposition to stop them. Please join us today!

Use this link to take action now!

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.

Please, if there is any way you can be there, come to Olympia on Monday to attend the hearing and meet with your state senator and representative. Bring a group from your church to stand up for marriage. Organize friends to make phone calls and send emails.

Whatever you can do, please do it and ask others to join you.

Click here to look up phone numbers for your state senator and representative.
Click here to send your legislators an email today.
Then come to Olympia on Monday to attend the hearing.

IMPORTANT!

We need as many as possible to attend Monday's hearing. The hearing begins at 10am, and while the hearing room is small, and only a few will be able to get in, your presence will send a loud message to our elected officials about how their constituents feel about marriage. Please show up no later than 9am as the hearing will be heavily attended.

Senate Government Operations Committee
Monday, January 23rd at 10:00 am (come early!)
John A Cherberg Building
Senate Hearing Room 2
Click here for directions and parking information (PDF)

The Family Policy Institute of Washington and other grassroots organizations are doing terrific work in standing up against this latest threat to marriage.

But this effort will only succeed if all of us step up and tell politicians in Olympia: "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, and/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.

By Brian Brown | Posted in Same Sex Marriage, Washington | Comments (2)

Christie Gives No Love to SSM in State of State Speech

January 18, 2012 – 2:00 pm

PolitickerNJ:

A once pro-choice Gov Chris Christie said his unborn daughter's beating heart caused him to become pro-life, but while the pounding state Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-3) heard from Steven Goldstein and Garden State Equality prompted Sweeney's own change of heart on gay marriage, there was no evidence today that Christie heard anything new.

A week after Democrats stood at attention and declared their determination to ramrod S1, a marraige equality bill, Christie didn't mention it as part of his agenda, touching instead on tax relief, education reform and anti-crime intiatives.

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

Dr. Morse: Do Kids Need a Mom and a Dad? The University of Chicago Business School Study

January 18, 2012 – 12:00 pm

Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse of the Ruth Institute on the recent University of Chicago Business school study:

In a previous post, I discussed a Life-Style Leftist blogman’s outraged response to a perfectly reasonable statement about a very sound study, and analyzed the rhetorical strategy of accusing your opponent of saying something he didn’t say. In this post, I want to talk about the substance of the study, what it shows and what it doesn’t.

It is always dangerous to speculate about people’s motives of course. I’ve never met Zach Ford, the blogman over at Think Progress, so I don’t know exactly what he is thinking. But I can say this: the logic of the marriage redefinition movement requires its advocates to deny that gender matters.

If gender is to become legally irrelevant to marriage, the logic of their position drives them to claim that gender is irrelevant to parenthood. The gender of parents doesn’t matter. The gender of children doesn’t matter. There is no difference between “mothers” and “fathers:” those are just empty, social constructs. There are only generic parents. In fact, everyone is a generic person. There are no sons and daughters either, only generic children. So, the impact of an absent father on a girl should be exactly the same as an absent mother on a girl, or an absent father on a boy, or as an absent mother on a boy.

By NOM Staff | Posted in Children, Parenting, Research/Study | Comments (6)

Chris Christie Tells Interviewers This Summer He Won't Change His Mind on Marriage

January 18, 2012 – 11:00 am

In June of 2011, Governor Chris Christie in two separate interviews reiterated his opposition to same-sex marriage.

On Meet the Press with David Gregory, when asked about same-sex marriage, Christie said (emphasis ours):

“In New Jersey, we have a civil union law, and we had a very vigorous debate in late 2009, early 2010 before I became governor about same-sex marriage and it failed in the state legislature under Democratic legislature under Democrat governor Jon Corzine, and so my view on it is, in our state, we’re going to continue to pursue civil unions. I am not a fan of same-sex marriage. It’s not something I support. I believe marriage should be between one man and one woman. That’s my view and that will be the view of our state because I wouldn’t sign a bill like the one that was in New York."

In an interview with Piers Morgan, when asked about changing his mind on gay marriage, Christie said (emphasis ours):

“I don’t think so. I believe marriage is an institution between one man and one woman. I think it’s special and unique in society. And I think we can have civil unions that can help to give the same type of legal rights to same-sex couples that marriage gives them but I just think marriage is a special connotation. I couldn’t see myself changing my mind on that but I am in favor of making sure that homosexual couples have the same type of legal rights that heterosexual couples have.”

By NOM Staff | Posted in Marriage, New Jersey, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (11)

NOM Pledges $250K to Fund Primary Challenges to Any Washington State Republican Senator Who Votes to Redefine Marriage

January 18, 2012 – 10:35 am

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 18, 2012

Contact: Elizabeth Ray or Anath Hartmann at (703-683-5004)

"We intend to hold every legislator accountable for his or her vote on marriage."
—Brian Brown, NOM's president—

Olympia, WA — The National Organization for Marriage (NOM), the nation's leading pro-marriage organization, today announced that it will spend $250,000 to help fund primary challenges to any Republican legislator who crosses the party platform and votes in favor of same-sex marriage. NOM will also work with pro-marriage grassroots organizations to ensure that the people of Washington have the chance to vote on marriage in November 2012.

"It's fairly incredible that some legislators would try to legalize homosexual marriage so soon after giving same-sex couples all the rights and privileges of marriage through Domestic Partnerships. This effort proves that the question is not one of rights but preserving marriage as a child-focused institution that has served families since the dawn of time," stated Brian Brown, NOM's president. "We intend to hold every legislator accountable for his or her vote on marriage. Any Republican who votes to redefine marriage can count on funding of a primary challenge to them. All legislators need to know that the same-sex marriage lobby wants to destroy the institution of marriage, redefining not just marriage, but also 'husband,' 'wife,' 'mother,' and 'father.'"

NOM has helped mount successful election challenges to countless legislators who supported same-sex marriage in places like Minnesota, New Hampshire, Maine, California and New York. The group is particularly effective at ending the careers of Republican officials who abandon marriage. For example, NOM is responsible for defeating U.S. Senate candidates Bill Binnie in New Hampshire and Tom Campbell in California, as well as removing sitting state legislators in multiple states.

"In New Hampshire NOM worked with grassroots organizations to flip the state legislature there after liberal democrats legalized same-sex marriage in 2009. NOM played in 119 house races and won all of them. As a result, the New Hampshire legislature is now poised to restore the rightful definition of marriage in the coming weeks," explained Brown. "Our work in Minnesota and Maine also helped deliver a pro-marriage majority to both states. Minnesota will vote on a pro-marriage amendment in 2012 thanks to a bi-partisan majority of legislators in both houses."

NOM will also work to make sure that, if the State Legislature legalizes same-sex marriage, the people of Washington have the right to vote on it and repeal the work of the legislature.

"In 31 states the people have had the right to vote on marriage and every time the people have voted to protect the definition of marriage as one man and one woman. The people of Washington State deserve the same right. If the legislature forces through same-sex marriage, they need to know that marriage will be on the ballot in November and the people of Washington will hold them accountable," stated Brown.

To schedule an interview with Brian Brown, President of the National Organization for Marriage, please contact Elizabeth Ray, [email protected], (x130) or Anath Hartmann, [email protected], (x105) at 703-683-5004.

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By NOM Staff | Posted in Politics, Press Releases, Same Sex Marriage, Washington | Comments (23)

Washington Olympian Editors: Same-Sex Marriage a Distraction from Budget Crisis

January 18, 2012 – 10:00 am

Democrats in Washington state, like Democrats in New Jersey, appear to be elevating pushing same-sex marriage over bread-and-butter issues. The editors of the Washington Olympian say the state's budget crisis should be the top priority:

Will Washington become the seventh state in the nation to legalize same-sex marriage? Will lawmakers be so distracted by the contentious issue that they let it divert them from their primary purpose – balancing the state budget?

Long conflicted over the marriage issue, Gov. Chris Gregoire reversed course last week and threw her full support behind a bill to legalize same-sex marriage – legislation that is expected to breeze through the state House of Representatives, but struggle in the Senate.

... If lawmakers do muster the votes in the Senate to pass the same-sex marriage legislation, we suspect conservative and religious organizations will challenge it through the referendum process, sending it to the ballot for a public vote in November.

Our fear at this point is that the contentious marriage debate will distract lawmakers who have only 60-days to balance a state operating budget that’s $1.5 billion out of alignment. That must be the top priority.

Lawmakers know the depth of the financial problem and explored potential solutions in the December special session. It’s time for action. The longer the delay, the deeper the cuts to spending. If lawmakers get distracted on the marriage issue, and slip into yet another special session to balance the budget, it will be a failure of Democratic leaders in the House and Senate.

By NOM Staff | Posted in Economics, Marriage, Same Sex Marriage, Washington | Comments (7)

New Hampshire Voter: Gay-Marriage Law Doesn’t Reflect Us

January 18, 2012 – 9:30 am

A New Hampshire resident writes to the Nashua Telegraph:

The Dec. 28 editorial titled “Gay-marriage law assault perplexing” left me equally perplexed – and insulted.

What you characterize as an “assault” is actually a commonsense effort to finally put a much-needed check on a social activist agenda that doesn’t reflect the will of the people in New Hampshire.

Your editorial also drips with contempt for voters who last year rejected politicians who supported gay marriage when they should have been focusing on fixing our broken economy.

It may come as news to you, but voters are right to demand that their elected representatives show respect for the will of the people who elected them in the first place.

Unlike The Telegraph, I, for one, am glad to see politicians are heeding the message of 2010 and showing some backbone against liberal activists using New Hampshire to further their political and social agendas.

By NOM Staff | Posted in Marriage, New Hampshire, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (18)

Zenit: Jews, Muslims, Christians Join in Defense of Religious Freedom, Marriage

January 18, 2012 – 9:00 am

Italy-based religious news agency Zenit:

Leaders of some of the largest religious communities in the United States have joined together in an open letter to all Americans to voice their shared concern for marriage and religious freedom.

The letter, titled "Marriage and Religious Freedom: Fundamental Goods That Stand or Fall Together," was released today. Signatories include leaders from Anglican, Baptist, Catholic, Evangelical, Jewish, Lutheran, Mormon, and Pentecostal communities in the United States.

Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York and president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, was one of the four signing Catholic bishops.

"Marriage and religious liberty are at a crisis point in the United States," he said. "This letter is a sign of hope. Not only are tens of millions of believing citizens represented in the letter's signatories, but the letter itself testifies to the growing and shared awareness of just how important marriage and religious freedom are to the well-being of our country. The letter makes a compelling argument that needs to be heard by all of us, especially those in positions of authority: Anyone truly concerned with religious freedom must also be a defender of marriage's perennial definition."

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

It's Shaping Up To Be a "Make or Break" Year for Marriage...AND WE WILL WIN!

January 17, 2012 – 5:15 pm

Dear Marriage Supporter,

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2012 is already shaping up to be a "make or break" year for marriage in America.

With a high-stakes presidential election, Congress up for grabs, legal battles headed to the U.S. Supreme Court, and state-level battles raging over same-sex marriage from Maryland to Minnesota, from New Jersey to Washington, from Iowa to New Hampshire, the stakes could hardly be higher. And all of us at the National Organization for Marriage are gearing up to fight the anti-marriage assault like never before.

And let me remind you once again: marriage HAS, CAN and WILL WIN!

But we need your help! Please donate to NOM today to help us defend marriage all across the country!

Look no further than the presidential campaign, where the issues of marriage and religious freedom have come up again and again, with nearly all the Republican presidential candidates issuing forceful statements in defense of marriage and the faith communities which sustain it.

During the run-up to the Iowa Caucus, NOM stepped up to make sure Iowans knew the facts about the candidates' positions on marriage.

And the result was a huge victory for marriage champions Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum in a virtual tie for first place.

In New Hampshire recently, candidates stood boldly for marriage and religious liberty. Speaker Gingrich put it most forcefully when he jumped in to the conversation to point out the media's bias in covering the subject:

You don't hear the opposite question asked: Should the Catholic Church be forced to close its adoption services in Massachusetts because it won't accept gay couples? ...Should the Catholic Church find itself discriminated against by the Obama administration on key delivery of services because of the bias and bigotry of the Administration? The bigotry question goes both ways... and none of it gets covered by the media.

(To watch the video of the candidates' comments in New Hampshire, check out the NOM Blog here).

And as for the one candidate—Texas Congressman Ron Paul—who refuses to support marriage? His campaign falters whenever NOM spreads the truth about him!

Because the fact is, Ron Paul holds extremely radical views on marriage which, if implemented, would destroy traditional marriage in America (see our website WrongOnMarriage.com for specifics).

When asked if same-sex marriage should be legal, he responded "sure."

And he's repeatedly said that the federal government should offer zero recognition of any marriages at all!

We cannot back off...not one single inch.

That's why I am asking you to please take two immediate actions:

First, please forward the link to our TV ad to as many friends and family members you can think of who need to see it. A lot of people are attracted to Dr. Paul's message, but in my experience, 90% of those people do not know how adamantly Dr. Paul refuses to stand up for marriage. Please do your part to spread the truth!
Second, I need you to join the thousands of people who have already stood with NOM to stop the radical same-sex marriage agenda by making a financial contribution today using our secure credit card donation form.

Both actions are important, because dozens of fights at the state and national levels will pop up over the next two months, and we must be prepared. Already this year, major new pushes to legalize same-sex marriage have erupted in Washington State and New Jersey.

And with just days left before the South Carolina primary, we are at a critical moment in the race for the GOP nomination for president. NOM is committed to making sure voters have a marriage champion who will stand as a clear alternative to President Obama this November.

Remember, we are fighting to stop a small group of zealots from discarding 3,000 years of human history and redefining our country's biblical traditions on sex and marriage as the equivalent of bigotry.

If we lose, the result will be the absolute destruction of marriage in America...in your state, in my state, in all 50 states!

So please take action today—forward our TV ad to anyone you know who needs to see it.

And please make one urgent financial gift to help NOM continue to lead the fight for marriage.

Thank you in advance.

By Brian Brown | Posted in Election Watch 2012, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (23)