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Monthly Archives: August 2012

Prof. Karl Stephan: Gay Marriage Advocates Use Political Intimidation to Stifle Research

August 8, 2012 – 10:00 am

Prof. Karl Stephan of Texas State University in Crisis Magazine:

"...In the 1930s, many prominent scientists and engineers in Germany lost their reputations, their jobs, and some eventually their lives because of a non-scientific reason: they happened to be Jews, or outspoken Christians, or simply opposed to some political aim of the government. Everyone now agrees that this was a grievous violation of human rights, an early warning sign of the greater wrongs the German government would do in World War II. While that situation differs from the one Regnerus finds himself in by degree, does it differ in kind from what Jewish scientists suffered in Germany in the 1930s?

Regnerus has reached scientific conclusions that oppose the prevailing political winds. Though his punishment has come from activists rather than official government sources, it is no less politically motivated and no less unjust. Smith thinks the integrity of the social-science research process is threatened by the “public smearing and vigilante media attacks” mounted against Regnerus. If such attacks are successful, we have taken a long step away from scientific integrity and a long step toward the encouragement of a political atmosphere that is totalitarian in its effects."

By NOM Staff | Posted in Children, Free Speech, Parenting, Research/Study, Science | Comments (9)

"My Black Dad and Chick-fil-A"

August 8, 2012 – 9:00 am

Lloyd Marcus reflects on mainstream media bias on marriage and how it sometimes hinders the ability of pro-marriage grassroots activists to organize:

I jump on every opportunity to respectfully challenge my 84-year-old black dad's loyalty to Obama. Dad has been a Christian pastor over 50 years. He lives in Maryland, and I live in Florida. I called Dad to ask if he participated in Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day. He said no, he had not heard about it. Then, he added, "All I know is Chick-fil-A discriminates against gays."

Folks, I was outraged. Struggling to keep my composure, I passionately said, "Dad, that is a lie! You have got to stop getting your news from the mainstream media!"

I went on to explain to my dad what the protest and appreciation day were really about. Dad was shocked. He does not support same-sex marriage, and he was pretty grossed out when I told him that in retaliation homosexuals have planned a "kiss-in" at Chick-fil-A restaurants.

I also took the occasion to inform Dad that black pastors across America have organized to protest Obama's support of same-sex marriage. Again, Dad knew nothing about the black pastors' protest.

By NOM Staff | Posted in Chick-fil-A, Marriage, Media, Same Sex Marriage, United for Marriage | Comments (8)

MRC: Chick-fil-A Controversy Exposes Media's Anti-Christian Bias and Free Speech Double Standard

August 7, 2012 – 4:00 pm

The Media Research Center sent out this press release today which includes a statement by our president Brian Brown:

Through the coalition of Citizens Against Religious Bigotry (CARB), more than 20 conservative leaders have joined Media Research Center (MRC) President Brent Bozell in raising their voices in support of religious freedom and our Constitutionally protected right to free speech. The controversy over Chick-fil-A exposed the rampant anti-Christian bias and First Amendment double standard characteristic of liberal media.

What began with Chick-fil-A President and COO Dan Cathy’s unremarkable comments affirming his family’s belief in the traditional definition of marriage swiftly and loudly escalated into a contrived culture war fueled by the liberal media.

...“It’s a double standard as old as the liberal media itself,” stated Media Research Center President Brent Bozell. “If it’s part of the liberal agenda, it’s protected free speech. If it isn’t, it’s bigotry. The media smeared anyone who lined up for a chicken sandwich as an anti-gay bigot instead of a proud Christian or free speech patriot, and when the counter-protest flopped, they were predictably silent. Thanks to Chick-fil-A, the media’s liberal bias was stark naked for all to see.”

Read the entire press release and the individual statements by conservative leaders here.

Our president Brian Brown said:

"When millions of people turned out nationwide this past Wednesday for Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day and the news reports gave greater coverage to the small bands of protesters at a couple of locations, the average Joe was incredulous. What better evidence that the mainstream media cares little for Christians and traditional values do we need?"

By NOM Staff | Posted in Chick-fil-A, Free Speech, Marriage, Media, Religious Liberty, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (33)

Frances Kelley: Defend Pro-Gender Marriage!

August 7, 2012 – 1:00 pm

Frances Kelly describes herself as a "conservative who lives and writes in the liberal land of Vermont" and published this at Renew America:

"...If we redefine marriage to include same-gender couples, we're saying there is no important difference between the partnership of two men, and the union of one man and one woman. In other words, women are disposable. They can be excluded from marriage and replaced with men. This is gender discrimination. This eliminates femininity and motherhood from the basic family unit. This is anti-gender.

Example: Sex advice columnist and SSM advocate Dan Savage likes to refer to a woman's birth canal as the [click here to see the unedited, graphic quotation]. If a Christian like Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy uttered such a sexist slur, the media would rip into him. But because Savage speaks for the gay community, he gets a media pass and an invite to the White House.

At the same time, allowing unigender couples to marry means that two women can marry each other, eliminating men from the family. Again, this is gender segregation and gender discrimination. This is anti-gender."

By NOM Staff | Posted in Civility, Culture, Marriage, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (20)

Video: Chick-fil-A Flashmob!

August 7, 2012 – 12:00 pm

Check out what happened at one of the Chick-fil-A's last Wednesday!

(The lyrics are by Tim Hawkins)

By NOM Staff | Posted in Chick-fil-A, Events | Comments (2)

Video: Hundreds of Thousands Show Support for Chick-fil-A and Marriage!

August 7, 2012 – 11:00 am

We've already reported about how the Chick-fil-A "kiss-in" counter-protest and boycott was a bust.

Here's a video showing the success of the Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day last Wednesday!

By NOM Staff | Posted in Chick-fil-A, Events, Marriage, Same Sex Marriage | Comments Off

George Neumayr: "Opponents of Gay Marriage Will Be Treated as Enemies of the State"

August 7, 2012 – 10:00 am

George Neumayr writes in the American Spectator about what he believes pro-marriage Americans can expect under a second term of President Obama:

"...Under this coercive secular state, Christian values are no longer American values. Obama's former chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, has made this view official by threatening to ban Christian businesses like Chick-fil-A that appear out of step with "Chicago values."

If Obama wins a second term, Americans will be expected to conform not only to Chicago-style politics but also to "Chicago values." Opponents of gay marriage will be treated as enemies of the state. Obama's military already tells chaplains and privates who dissent from Obama's agenda to "get out.""

By NOM Staff | Posted in Chick-fil-A, Free Speech, Marriage, Politics, President Obama, Religious Liberty, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (23)

Growing Up With Two Moms: The Untold Children's View

August 7, 2012 – 9:00 am

Over at Public Discourse, Robert Lopez shares his personal story of growing up with two moms and relates it to the recent study by Mark Regnerus:

The children of same-sex couples have a tough road ahead of them--I know, because I have been there. The last thing we should do is make them feel guilty if the strain gets to them and they feel strange.

Between 1973 and 1990, when my beloved mother passed away, she and her female romantic partner raised me. They had separate houses but spent nearly all their weekends together, with me, in a trailer tucked discreetly in an RV park 50 minutes away from the town where we lived. As the youngest of my mother's biological children, I was the only child who experienced childhood without my father being around.

After my mother's partner's children had left for college, she moved into our house in town. I lived with both of them for the brief time before my mother died at the age of 53. I was 19. In other words, I was the only child who experienced life under "gay parenting" as that term is understood today.

Quite simply, growing up with gay parents was very difficult, and not because of prejudice from neighbors. People in our community didn't really know what was going on in the house. To most outside observers, I was a well-raised, high-achieving child, finishing high school with straight A's.

By NOM Staff | Posted in Children, Marriage, Parenting, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (26)

Would You Look to a Food Company for Relationship Advice?

August 6, 2012 – 3:45 pm

Email Header Image

Dear Marriage Supporter,

Last week we surpassed 24,000 signatures on the DumpGeneralMills.com website! Will you forward this email to a friend and help us hit 25,000?

Since announcing their opposition to the Minnesota marriage amendment, General Mills has been pretty quiet on the issue of marriage. Apparently, they are content to have said their piece and to have allowed detractors to use their name and prestige to oppose the amendment, while sitting quietly on the side hoping that the furor will die off. That may soon begin to change.

General Mills has launched a new website, in cooperation with America Online and Everyday Health, hosted and staffed by the liberal Huffington Post news site. General Mills' new website, called Live Better America, will offer what you might expect: recipes, nutrition and healthy eating tips from General Mills designed to appear "authentic" (read: "we want readers to believe these are real articles, not an advertising effort designed to boost our sales and products").

Why would a company do this? The Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal asked that very question of General Mills. The response was that General Mills wanted to expand beyond food into lifestyle issues. The General Mills blog gives additional information that should give us pause: in addition to things like recipes, healthy eating, fitness and diet and nutrition—things you would expect a food company to cover—the site will cover mind and body issues and relationships. Look for these lifestyle, mind and body, and relationship articles to start off in a very benign manner (who thinks we don't need a little more exercise?), but expect before long a transition into a renewed effort pushing for the redefinition of marriage and family in subtle and not so subtle ways.

What does this mean for us? Our campaign targeting General Mills' meddling in this contentious and highly important issue is not even close to being over! We need to keep up the pressure and let the company know that consumers will not tolerate being made pawns in General Mills' political games.

What you can do this week!

Did you and your friends participate in last Wednesday's Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day? Forward this newsletter along to those you know who supported Dan Cathy's brave stand for marriage, and ask these friends to join you in protesting General Mills' out-of-touch position pushing the redefinition of marriage.

Also, if you haven't already done so, click here to send a note of encouragement to the Cathys and click here to check out some of the inspirational pictures and stories from the day.

To learn more about DumpGeneralMills, visit www.DumpGeneralMills.com.

By Jonathan Baker | Posted in Dump General Mills, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (22)

Gay Dating Site Creates Billboards Showing Conservative Politicians in Same-Sex Weddings

August 6, 2012 – 2:00 pm

The Advocate (a gay newspaper):

The idea makes the head spin: Mitt Romney marrying Donald Trump. Michele Bachmann marrying Sarah Palin. And President Obama officiating at both weddings.

Dating website BeautifulPeople.com has launched a campaign featuring the “weddings,” with actors portraying the famous politicos, to publicize its new gay and lesbian versions, BeautifulPeopleGay.com and BeautifulPeopleWomenOnly.com. After a billboard company rejected the images, BeautifulPeople.com put up “censored” versions, with outlines only, this week in cities including Clearwater, Fla., and West Hollywood, with the full versions on mobile billboards in New York City and on the company’s website.

“This is a national campaign championing equal rights for the LGBT community and pledging support in a colorful way,” said Greg Hodge, Beautiful People’s managing director, in a press release. “Through a humorous campaign we wanted to showcase how many of our political heavyweights are living in the last century.” For every membership to the gay and lesbian sites, Beautiful People will donate 15% of the fee to a nonprofit championing marriage equality.

By NOM Staff | Posted in California, Civility, Culture, Marriage, New York, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (15)

Chick-fil-A "Kiss-In" Protest a Bust

August 6, 2012 – 10:00 am

The New York Post:

Chick-Fil-A employees even handed out free lemonade to protesters during Friday's "kiss in"

This was billed as the greatest protest since Occupy Wall Street. Thousands of scantily clad gay men and lesbians said they’d lock lips in a coast-to-coast red-hot make-out session.

They were to blast anti-gay-marriage comments made by Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy. But gays preferred staying home to watch “The Real Housewives of New Jersey.”

Tumbleweeds could have rolled through the Paramus Park Mall in New Jersey yesterday as a symbol for the lack of stamina in the national kissing campaign.

By NOM Staff | Posted in Chick-fil-A, Events | Comments (64)

"You Sensed You Were Participating in Something Historic by Simply Purchasing a Chicken Sandwich."

August 6, 2012 – 9:00 am

Deacon Keith Fournier reflects on Chick-fil-A Day:

"The massive crowd reflected a cross section of America.You sensed you were participating in something historic by simply purchasing a chicken sandwich. I do not doubt everyone wanted their chicken sandwich, especially after such a long wait. However, they were there, like me, for a reason much more important. They were making a collective statement of support for the Restaurants' willingness to stand up for marriage and family. They were standing up for free speech and against political correctness. They were applauding with their purchase the courage of the owners of this restaurant..."

By NOM Staff | Posted in Chick-fil-A, Culture, Free Speech, Marriage, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (3)

How Drudge Viewed the Chick-Fil-A Controversy

August 6, 2012 – 8:00 am

Here's how his coverage appeared last week:

By NOM Staff | Posted in Chick-fil-A, Marriage, Media, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (1)

Heritage Meeting Shows United Front of Marriage Supporters

August 5, 2012 – 1:00 pm

The Heritage Foundation's Foundry blog (that's our President Brian Brown, of course!):

Who gets to make the decision about restructuring and redefining the basic cell of the civil order?” asked University of St. Thomas law professor Teresa Collett on a panel discussing the institution of marriage at The Heritage Foundation Tuesday. Is it the courts? Or under our concept of ordered liberty, should it be the people?

This year, voters in Maryland, Maine, Minnesota, and Washington will see marriage initiatives at the polls in November. Americans in all 50 states will see marriage head to the Supreme Court and be redefined in the Democratic party platform.