NOM BLOG

Monthly Archives: May 2012

CNN Blog: Columnist Dan Savage Stands by Comments on "Bulls**t in the Bible"

Dan Gilgoff at CNN's Belief Blog:

Columnist and gay-rights advocate Dan Savage is standing by his comment that “we can learn to ignore the bulls**t in the Bible about gay people” at a recent conference for high school students, a line that prompted some to walk out and spurred intense online debate.

... Some Christian students walked out of the Seattle speech, prompting another controversial line from Savage: “It’s funny to someone who is on the receiving end of beatings that are justified by the Bible how pansya**ed people react when you push back.”

... One of the teachers attending the speech with his students told CNN’s Carol Costello on Monday that he was taken aback by the speech and that he supported the decision of some of his students to walk out of it.

“It took a real dark, hostile turn, certainly, as I saw it,” said Rick Tuttle, a teacher at Sutter Union High School in Southern California. “It became very hostile toward Christianity, to the point that many students did walk out, including some of my students.”

“They felt that they were attacked … a very pointed, direct attack on one particular group of students. It’s amazing that we go to an anti-bullying speech and one group of students is picked on in particular, with harsh, profane language.”

In case you missed it, here's the video of Savage's speech.

Photo: Marriage Amendment Sign Vandalism in North Carolina

Opponents of North Carolina's Marriage Amendment have embarked on a malicious campaign to destroy pro-Amendment signs. Here is one example of the aftermath, which took place near a children's playground:

Source: Vote for Marriage NC on Facebook

Update: Elderly Woman Files Criminal Report Against Man Who Attacked Her Over Marriage Amendment Support

An update from Vote for Marriage NC on their official Facebook page:

UPDATE: An elderly woman has filed a police report in Lumberton charging a man with aggravated assault. While looking for her sister, she claims the individual had committed a hate crime by physically assaulting her during an argument over her position on the marriage amendment. In her police report she claims the man was verbally harassing her over her marriage position, and then proceeded to prevent her from leaving. She also claims the man slammed her back with the car door 4-5 times while she tried to escape.

Later in the comments they added:

...the elderly woman filed a police report earlier today claiming the man committed an aggravated assault (also marking it as a hate crime). The Deputy also witnesses to red marks on her body.

Click here for a link to the police report (PDF).

Vote FOR Marriage NC Demands Apology From University Official Who Campaigned Against Marriage Amendment On Public Dime

From the Vote FOR Marriage NC campaign:

Today, Vote FOR Marriage NC demanded a public apology from UNC Greensboro Provost David Perrin, along with taxpayer reimbursement for his use of state resources to campaign against the marriage Protection Amendment on the May ballot. Failing this, the campaign has called on UNC trustees to remove Perrin from his position.

“This is an outrageous use of taxpayer resources in violation of university policy and state law,” said Tami Fitzgerald, Chair of the Vote FOR Marriage NC campaign, which supports the marriage amendment on next week’s ballot. “We’re pleased that the university has launched an investigation. Meanwhile, Provost Perrin should immediately issue a public apology and write a check to taxpayers for his misuse of state resources to campaign against the marriage protection amendment. If he fails to do so, then we call on university trustees to remove him from his position.”

On April 13, Perrin sent an email from his official state account to other state employees and the university’s Dean’s Council, titled “Vote Against Amendment One.” In the email, Perrin encouraged readers to watch an anti-marriage amendment video he called “wonderful” and to forward it to others. Using state resources to campaign against the amendment is both illegal and against university policy. A university spokesman says they are investigating.

“These academics are so insulated and live in such an ivory tower that they think they can do and say anything they want at our expense,” Fitzgerald said. “This is an example of why the marriage amendment is so necessary. It puts voters in charge of our definition of marriage and protects marriage from being redefined by the elite in academia, and activist judges on our courts.”

Sen Diaz: Adriano Espaillat's SSM Support Offensive to Religious Leaders

New York City and State's Notebook blog:

State Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr. says that Congressional candidate Adriano Espaillat is “slapping [religious leaders] in the face” with his full-throated support for same-sex marriage.

In one of his “What You Should Know” missives to the press, Diaz Sr. cites Espaillat’s recent speech at a meeting of the Stonewall Democratic Club, in which he promised to fight to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act at a national level if elected to Congress.

“Apparently now that Adriano Espaillat is running for a Congressional seat which covers a great part of the Bronx, he still thinks that the Christian and Catholic pastors and ministers are unimportant,” Diaz Sr. writes. “Once again, Adriano Espaillat is slapping us in the face by enthusiastically supporting gay marriage – now for the whole nation. He is clearly telling all of us, once again, to take a hike because he doesn’t need our vote.”

North Carolina District Attorneys, Family Law Attorneys, Law Enforcement Officials to Hold Press Conference to Address Domestic Violence Allegations

A media advisory from Vote FOR Marriage NC:

District Attorneys, Family Law Attorneys, Law Enforcement Officials Hold Press Conference to Address Domestic Violence Allegations

WHAT: District attorneys, family law attorneys, as well as other law enforcement officials will hold a press conference to address allegations regarding how domestic violence protections relate to the Marriage Protection Amendment.

WHERE: North Carolina General Assembly, Press Room
16 W. Jones St.
Raleigh, NC 27603

WHEN: Tuesday, May 1, 2012 at 10:30 a.m.

CONTACT: Rachel Lee (919) 701-0056 // [email protected]