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Monthly Archives: March 2012

West Virginia Legislature Takes Bold Step in Strengthening Marriage

March 15, 2012 – 11:00 am

The Family Policy Council of West Virginia:

On the final day of the 2012 Legislative Session, the West Virginia State Legislature approved H.B. 4605 a bill creating a premarital education option to applicants for marriage licenses in the state. The measure is aimed at strengthening the more than 13,000 marriages and reducing the more than 9,000 divorces that take place every year in West Virginia.

“Our government should be doing everything it can to strengthen marriages in West Virginia,” said Jeremiah Dys, president and general counsel of the Family Policy Council of WV. “We are grateful that this legislature is encouraging men and women to start their marriages on secure footing by encouraging them to pursue premarital education.”

H.B. 4605, which now travels to the Governor’s desk for his signature, seeks to create a community partnership, with pastors, counselors, and social workers, to address the growing problem of divorce in West Virginia. Under the bill, the marriage license fee is increased by $20, but that increase is waived if the couple undergoes at least four (4) hours of premarital education.

...Research concludes that couples who undergo premarital education prior to their nuptials have a 30% less likely chance of ending their marriage in divorce. The state’s 9,000+ divorces cost taxpayers between $20,000 and $30,000 per divorce or an approximate burden to taxpayers in the amount of $230 million annually. If the state’s divorce rate is cut by just 2% annually, West Virginia stands to save over $5 million every year.

By NOM Staff | Posted in Divorce, Marriage, West Virginia | Comments (6)

Bid for SSM Drains Support for Scottish Nationalism

March 15, 2012 – 10:00 am

We've seen this before -- fixation on redefining marriage carries with it political costs:

The Scottish National Party (SNP) will lose support for its goal of independence by backing same-sex marriage, the Catholic bishops of Scotland have predicted.

A new political survey finds that 11% of voters will be less likely to favor independence if the SNP moves forward with its bid to legalize same-sex marriage. Only 3% of voters said they would be more likely to support independence in that event.

Thus the campaign for same-sex marriage is “a massive vote loser which will only alienate many electors,” observed Peter Kearney, a spokesman for the Scottish hierarchy. He encouraged SNP leaders to recognize that the issue is an “electoral liability” as well as an injustice. -- Catholic Culture World News

By NOM Staff | Posted in Marriage, Politics, Same Sex Marriage, United Kingdom | Comments (1)

Fertility Company Targets Gay Men as Sperm Donors

March 15, 2012 – 9:00 am

Mumbrella:

Fertility service IVF Australia is to launch an advertising campaign encouraging gay men to be sperm donors, and promoting its services to same lesbian couples looking to have children.

... The campaign asks for “healthy, intelligent & generous” donors

Among the information available to prospective parents is the sexual orientation of a sperm donor.

Prof Michael Chapman, senior fertility specialist at IVFAustralia, said that one reason for the campaign was because sperm donations are declining. He said: “We have more than 100 women looking for sperm donors in our clinics in New South Wales, and many have to wait more than six months for that donation. Between 2005 and 2008, the number of IVF cycles facilitated by donors decreased markedly, and anecdotally we believe the numbers have continued to decline since then.”

Ben Mulcahy, MD of Pink Media Group, said: “We are delighted to be assisting in creating lives. It is great to have IVFAustralia welcoming the gay & lesbian community.”

The ad promoting its services stresses that IVF Australia’s customers include single women and same sex couples.

By NOM Staff | Posted in Australia, Children, Ethics, Parenting, Science | Comments (6)

Join Me in Des Moines on Tuesday!

March 14, 2012 – 2:30 pm

Join Us in Des Moines on Tuesday!

Dear Marriage Supporter,

Next Tuesday morning at 10am, I'll be at the Capitol in Des Moines for a LUV (Let Us Vote!) Iowa Rally in support of the Iowa Marriage Amendment.

Please make plans to join us, and bring your friends!

For two years, Senate President Mike Gronstal has blocked every attempt to bring the marriage amendment to a vote in the Senate. The amendment already passed the House last year, the first of four legislative votes required before going to the ballot to be ratified by voters.

Now it's time for the Senate!

Over the next few weeks, every state senator needs to hear from his constituents demanding the right to vote on marriage. And there's no better way to deliver that message loud and clear than with a strong showing in person next Tuesday morning.

The rally, co-sponsored by the Family Leader, NOM and CatholicVote.org, will be held indoors on the first floor of the Capitol Building. Please plan to arrive by 9am for the rally which will start at 10am.

Click here for rally details.
Click here for directions and parking.
Click here to download flyers, posters, and bulletin inserts (PDF).

I'm looking forward to being back in the great state of Iowa next week, and hope to see you there.

And if you haven't already signed the petition calling on the Iowa Legislature to pass the Iowa Marriage Amendment this year, please click here to add your name now.

Thank you for standing strong for marriage, and as always, please take a moment to come say hello and show your support of marriage on Tuesday!

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

National Organization for Marriage Commits to Support Washington R-74 Petition Drive

March 14, 2012 – 1:00 pm

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 14, 2012
Contact: Anath Hartmann or Elizabeth Ray (703-683-5004)

"We are confident that voters will have a chance to vote on redefining marriage, and they will reject it." —Brian Brown, NOM President—

National Organization for Marriage

Washington, DC — The National Organization for Marriage (NOM), the nation's leading pro-marriage group, said today that it will actively join with Preserve Marriage Washington to circulate petitions on R-74 that will give voters the right to decide if the definition of marriage should be changed in Washington. Yesterday a judge cleared the petition for circulation.

"We are excited to finally begin this referendum petition drive and look forward to working alongside Preserve Marriage Washington to collect the required signatures to put marriage on the ballot," said Brian Brown, NOM's president. "We are confident that voters will have a chance to vote on redefining marriage, and they will reject it, just as voters in 31 other states have done."

Thirty one states, including the "deep blue" states of California, Wisconsin and Maine, have voted to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Earlier this year the Washington legislature narrowly passed ESSB 6239, which made marriage genderless for all couples, same-sex and otherwise, and redefined common terms like "husband" and "wife" to make them interchangeable. Preserve Marriage Washington, the coalition backing Referendum 74 to overturn the law, must collect approximately 120,500 voter signatures by June 6th to put the issue on the ballot. Once that occurs, the legislation does not go into effect and voters will decide whether to approve or reject the legislation in November.

"We call on all supporters of traditional marriage to sign the R-74 petitions," Brown said. "Voters can go to www.PreserveMarriageWashington.com to request petitions, volunteer or contribute much needed funds."

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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.

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 Press Releases, Same Sex Marriage, Washington | Comments (8)

Poll: Republicans Trust Rick Santorum Most, Ron Paul Least, on Marriage

March 14, 2012 – 12:45 pm

The results of a new Washington Post-ABC News national poll of 1,003 adults (March 7-10). They asked this question of adults who self-identified as leaning Republican:

"Regardless of who you may support, which of the Republican candidates do you trust most to handle Social issues, such as abortion and gay marriage?"

Rick Santorum: 31%
Mitt Romney: 22%
Newt Gingrich: 15%
Ron Paul: 13%

Rick Santorum won two primary contests in Mississippi and Alabama last night. Ron Paul placed last in both states.

By NOM Staff | Posted in Election Watch 2012, Marriage, Marriage Election Watch, Politics, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (14)

AP: "N.H. Lawmaker: Ditch Gay Marriage, Adopt Civil Unions"

March 14, 2012 – 12:15 pm

The Associated Press:

The sponsor of a bill to repeal New Hampshire's gay marriage law proposed Tuesday to give voters a chance to weigh in through a nonbinding ballot question on whether the state should restore a 2007 civil unions law.

State Rep. David Bates, a Windham Republican, said his proposal would repeal gay marriage effective March 31, 2013, and replace it with civil unions. He said if voters decide in November they want to keep civil unions for homosexuals, gay marriage would be repealed. He said if voters object to repealing gay marriage, lawmakers would have time to stop the repeal from taking effect.

The civil unions law enacted in 2007 was considered by gay marriage supporters to be marriage in all but name. Bates' proposal is intended to return to that law by giving same-sex couples the contractual protections of marriage and requiring them to go through divorce proceedings like heterosexual couples.

By NOM Staff | Posted in Civil Unions, Marriage, New Hampshire, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (38)

What Marriage Means for Working-Class Adults Searching for Marital Love

March 14, 2012 – 10:00 am

David and Amber Lapp, researchers at the Institute for American Values, are the co-investigators of the Love and Marriage in Middle America project, a qualitative inquiry into how working class young adults in one small Ohio town form families. They summarize their findings in the Public Discourse:

... How do working class young adults think about marriage today? Do they still revere it even while they choose to delay it, or are they jettisoning marriage altogether? If they do revere it, why the increase in cohabiting unions with children?

These are among the questions we have been exploring in more than one hundred interviews with mostly white working class young adults in southwestern Ohio. Our findings are both sobering and hopeful to friends of marriage.

Hopeful, because in spite of the “new normal,” most of the young adults who spoke to us do aspire to marriage, or at least to what marriage stands for in their minds—mainly love, fidelity, permanence, and happiness. This is consistent with national statistics that find that 76 percent of high-school educated young adults say that marriage is “very important” or “one of the most important things” to them.

But sobering, because even as working class young adults dream of love, commitment, permanence, and family, they inherit a cultural story about love and marriage that frustrates those longings. And while there are other factors—both economic and social—this inadequate philosophy of love and marriage helps to account for the “new normal.”

By NOM Staff | Posted in Culture, Marriage, Ohio | Comments (8)

NY-9 Victor Bob Turner to Challenge Pro-SSM Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand

March 14, 2012 – 9:00 am

Bob Turner, who defeated pro-SSM David Weprin in a massive upset earlier this year (with NOM's help!) is planning to challenge New York Senator (and fierce same-sex marriage activist) Kirsten Gillibrand, as Politico reports:

I've heard from two sources in GOP circles in New York that Bob Turner, the congressman who captured former Rep. Anthony Weiner's seat in NY-9 in the post-scandal special election, has been calling around this morning telling people he plans to challenge Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand this year.

... There are already three other Republicans looking at challening Gillibrand, whose seat remains one the GOP harbors hopes of capturing. One of them is Wendy Long, a New York City-based judicial activist who has gotten an important boost - warm words from Mike Long, the chairman of the state Conservative Party (and no relation), whose backing is critical for a statewide Republican.

But Turner, who has at least some ability to self-fund, would also head into the race with high name recognition after the nationally-watched special election against David Weprin.

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

Chicago Tribune: Axelrod Not Making Obama's Non-Stance on Marriage Any Easier

March 14, 2012 – 8:00 am

Seema Mehta of the Chicago Tribune with more about the controversy caused by efforts to introduce same-sex marriage into the DNC platform:

...[Obama 2012] Campaign manager Jim Messina, asked about the matter [same-sex marriage in the DNC platform] during a conference call with reporters, did not take a position on such a plank, but said that such a proposal would go through the normal platform revision process.

But at the same time, he and senior strategist David Axelrod argued that GOP front-runner Mitt Romney's wooing of conservative voters, such as his hard-line immigration stance or his refusal to forcefully condemn Rush Limbaugh for calling a law student a "slut," will not be forgotten if he is the Republican nominee.

"This is not a game – you're running for president of the United States," Axelrod said. "If you don't have the strength to stand up to the most strident voices in your party, how are you going to stand up to [Iranian President Mahmoud] Ahmadinejad? How are you going to stand up to the challenges of the presidency?"

By NOM Staff | Posted in Election Watch 2012, Marriage, Marriage Election Watch, Politics, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (6)

National Organization for Marriage Urges New Hampshire Legislature to Pass Compromise Legislation on Same-Sex Marriage

March 13, 2012 – 5:30 pm

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 13, 2012
Contact: Anath Hartmann or Elizabeth Ray (703-683-5004)

"The redefinition of marriage was forced on New Hampshire with no vote of the people. We support letting voters decide this issue." —Brian Brown, NOM president—

National Organization for Marriage

Washington, D.C. — The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) today urged the New Hampshire legislature to pass HB 437, compromise legislation to restore civil unions for same-sex couples, and repeal same-sex marriage while protecting couples who have already been "married." The bill's author, Rep. David Bates, has said he will offer an amendment letting voters have the final say on the legislation through a statewide referendum vote.

"Gay billionaires like Tim Gill forced same-sex marriage on the state in 2009 without voters having any say," said Brian Brown, NOM's president. "We urge the legislature to adopt this compromise bill and let the voters have the final say."

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By NOM Staff | Posted in Marriage Election Watch, New Hampshire, Press Releases, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (14)

You're an Accomplice to Murder?!

March 13, 2012 – 3:00 pm

Email Header Image

Dear Marriage Supporter,

Just when you thought you'd heard it all...

Apparently believing that marriage is between a man and a woman, as millions of Americans like you and I do—and saying so publicly—is hate speech and equivalent to murder.

I'm not making this up. (To tell the truth, I don't have a good enough imagination to come up with this stuff.)

But I am completely serious when I say that this is exactly what NOM is fighting against every day: a vicious attempt to impose a radical social agenda while trying to silence anybody who disagrees.

Please make a donation to support the National Organization for Marriage today, and help us stand up to these vile attempts to silence and stigmatize supporters of traditional marriage! Stand with us today and help us raise $25,000 in the next 72 hours to make your voice heard!

You see, recently, actor Kirk Cameron went on the Piers Morgan show to promote his new film, Monumental. Cameron is a devout Christian and father of six (four of whom he adopted), who is not afraid to stand up for his beliefs—which he did when Piers (as he has been doing with so many social conservatives lately) turned the conversation quickly toward same-sex marriage.

Cameron explained that he believed marriage "was defined by God a long time ago...one man, one woman for life, till death do us part."

Well, as I'm sure you can guess, his answer and the subsequent discussion generated a swift and intense backlash. And it included this tweet from actress Roseanne Barr:

"Kirk or kurt or whatever Cameron is an accomplice to murder with his hate speech. So is rick warren. Their peers r killing gays in Uganda."

Yes, you read that right: Barr thinks anyone who believes in marriage is guilty of hate speech and an accomplice to murder!

According to Hollywood radicals bent on destroying marriage and the family, you and I are now accomplices to murder, and God's truth about marriage is nothing more than hate speech which leads to the killing of gays and lesbians in Uganda.

As you can see, the same-sex marriage movement is NOT about live-and-let live.

It's about viciously and aggressively imposing a radical transformative social agenda on society and ruthlessly silencing anybody who disagrees with them.

We have so many fights on so many fronts—none of which we can afford to lose if we're going to stem the tide eroding our fundamental cultural values. Please make a gift right away to help us make your voice heard.

Sure, we may be tempted to dismiss tweets from Roseanne Barr as absurd and removed from reality. But sadly they illustrate a much larger and more important point:

Proponents of same-sex marriage want to end the debate about the issue by silencing and stigmatizing us, the opposition.

That's the bottom line.

In their worldview, you and I don't have the right to say in public that it takes a man and a woman to form a marriage. So they try to brand us as bigots and haters...and now, murderers.

Marriage Supporter, it's up to people like you and me to stop them.

In love, we speak the truth, and let the American people be the judge.

Please act now.

If we can raise $25,000 in the next 72 hours, it will enable us to continue to fight. Your gift today will send a loud message to Hollywood elites like Roseanne Barr that everyone has a right to their opinion without slander and retribution.

By Brian Brown | Posted in Culture, Marriage, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (65)

Hundreds of El Paso Christians Face Jail Time for Opposing Pro-Gay Legislation

March 13, 2012 – 1:00 pm

CitizenLink:

Approximately 250 Christians affiliated with various ministries in El Paso, Texas, have asked the state Supreme Court to step in immediately to prevent them from being sent to jail.

Their crime? Circulating petitions seeking the recall of Mayor John Cook and two city council members in 2010.

That year, El Paso residents passed a ballot initiative banning unmarried domestic-partner benefits. But the city council — with the mayor’s approval — voted to rescind the ordinance, prompting the recall election.

But last month, a state appeals court halted the recall and decertified the petition signatures. Immediately afterward, the city’s district attorney subpoenaed the petitions and assembled a grand jury to look into having the petition organizers prosecuted criminally. According to Texas election law, churches can’t circulate petitions; the constitutionality of that law is currently the subject of a separate federal lawsuit.

“We have more than 250 signed affidavits from local citizens there in El Paso who are terrified that they may go to jail simply for engaging in legitimate political and free speech efforts,” said Alliance Defense Fund attorney Joel Oster. “This is the United States of America, and the mayor can’t be allowed to put his opponents in jail just because he doesn’t like that they participated in a valid effort that he doesn’t favor.”

Bob Unruh has more background on this story.

By NOM Staff | Posted in Law, Religious Liberty, Texas | Comments (17)

PA State Government Committee to Take Up Marriage Protection Amendment

March 13, 2012 – 12:30 pm

Pennsylvania is in the earliest stages of introducing a marriage protection amendment which could go to the voters of Pennyslvania as early as 2013.

State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe initiated a hearing of HB 1434 this morning in the State Government Committee.

Please contact your state representatives in the Pennsylvania House and especially those on the PA State Government Committee and ask them to support the marriage protection amendment right away!