The authors of the Illinois Review note that while many mainstream media outlets are trying to play up the momentum to redefine marriage in Illinois, grassroots and new media-savvy pro-marriage groups are effectively communicating their message to their constituents:
It's always interesting to watch the mainstream media coordinate their stories with the left's public policy strategies. For example, below are just three of the headlines running today:
The truth is new media again showed itself to be more effective; picking up unreported stories from front-line, pro-family organizations like Thomas More Society, Illinois Family Institute, and the National Organization for Marriage. Organizations that clearly seemed to be leaders in the gay marriage battle taking place in Springfield provided inside information to Illinois Review and other new media outlets, while the mainstream media, as usual, fed off [their] leads.
You can watch this event online here at 12:30PM Tuesday (today):
What Is Marriage? Man and Woman: A Defense
Featuring authors--
Sherif Girgis
Ph.D. Student, Princeton University and J.D. Candidate, Yale Law School
Ryan T. Anderson
William E. Simon Fellow in Religion and a Free Society, The Heritage Foundation
Robert P. George
McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence, Princeton University
Until recently, no society had questioned whether marriage would be anything other than a male-female union. What Is Marriage? identifies and defends the reasons for this historic consensus and shows why redefining civil marriage is unnecessary, unreasonable, and contrary to the common good. What Is Marriage? answers common objections: that the historic view of marriage is rooted in bigotry; that it is callous to people’s needs; or that it can’t show the harm of recognizing same-sex couplings.
Originally published in the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy, the book’s core argument quickly became the year’s most widely read essay on the most prominent scholarly network in the social sciences. Since then, it has been cited and debated by scholars and activists throughout the world as the most formidable defense of the tradition ever written. Join us as authors Sherif Girgis, Ryan T. Anderson, and Robert P. George discuss what marriage is, why it matters, and how to talk about it.
Via the new MercatorNet blog on the future of marriage Conjugality:
The following press release provides an update on the same-sex marriage issue in New Zealand, where a bill redefining marriage to include such unions is due for a second reading on March 20:
Family First NZ and the ‘Protect Marriage’ campaign is welcoming a Herald on Sundaypoll today showing that support for redefining marriage has fallen from a previous high of 63% in a ONE News Colmar Brunton poll last May to just 53% now.
This echoes a similar slide in polling by Research NZ which showed support for ‘same-sex marriage’ dropping to less than 50%, down 11% from a similar poll in 2011...
Bishop Thomas Paprocki is the bishop of Springfield, Illinois.
Following the lead of Chicago's Archbishop, Cardinal George, he's taking a bold stand to protect marriage, instructing his priests to read this letter from the pulpit at Mass today in defense of marriage.
As we've already reported, seventeen hundred faith communities have already spoken out in defense of marriage.
We don't want to interrupt our regular flow of reporting and commentary, so please click one of these links if you live in Delaware, Minnesota or Illinois -- and continue to spread the word -- thank you!
As you probably have heard and read, same-sex marriage activists are once again attempting to redefine marriage for all Rhode Islanders this year, starting with the introduction of Representative Art Handy's same-sex marriage bill yesterday afternoon.
Despite what you have read and heard, the redefinition of marriage is not inevitable in Rhode Island; there is a clear path to victory for those who believe that this unique and blessed institution is defined as the union of one man and one woman. But that path starts now, and it starts with you calling your representative today.
We won't lie to you, the fight over marriage in the House of Representatives will be a difficult one. But we have a great coalition, with many groups working together to protect marriage and preserve it for the generations to come.
Here's the bottom line: We need you today to call your Representative and tell him or her, "Don't Redefine Marriage. Vote 'No' on Representative Handy's same-sex marriage bill."
A call will take just a few minutes of your time, and you don't need to be eloquent. Just tell your representative, "Don't redefine marriage. Vote 'No' on Representative Handy's bill."
Please stop what you are doing and make the call NOW. The fight to preserve marriage starts now and it starts with you.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 4, 2013
Contact: Elizabeth Ray or Jen Campbell (703-683-5004)
Defeat of Bill Strengthens Pro-Family Efforts to Preserve Marriage in Next Legislature
Washington, D.C. — The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) today praised the Illinois Legislature for refusing to agree to redefine marriage in the waning days of the lame duck session. NOM said that a bipartisan cadre of legislators stood for principle against political pressure.
"We commend the Illinois Legislature for resisting the push of political activists to redefine marriage and to impose a same-sex 'marriage' scheme on the people of Illinois," said Brian Brown. "The entire Senate Republican Caucus stood firm against redefining marriage, and there were several stalwart and principled Democrats who stood firm as well. We are proud of these legislators for doing the right thing and upholding the value of marriage and the concept that children deserve a mother and a father."
Gay activist groups led by Equality Illinois had pledged to push same-sex 'marriage' through the lame duck session of the Legislature, claiming "inevitable" momentum to do so. However, despite enlisting David Axelrod's former firm and reportedly enlisting President Obama to make personal lobbying calls to legislators, they were unable to get the votes to pass it out of the Senate.
"This is a tremendous victory for the grassroots in Illinois," said Brown. "Thousands of people of faith telephoned, emailed and wrote to Senators to oppose the redefinition of marriage. They overcome the machine that so often rules in Illinois politics, and they showed that nothing is inevitable about same-sex 'marriage.' We realize that the fight isn't over and that the battle in the next Legislature will be even more difficult than this one, but we've shown that when people of faith take action, as they did in the lame duck session, Democrats and Republicans can come together to preserve something that is profoundly good for society — true marriage. We will continue to work with pro-family groups to preserve marriage in Illinois, and are strengthened by our victory today."
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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 Jen Campbell (x145), [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).
That's what the liberal Chicago Defender just called the vote—"Too close to call."
Not. Enough. Votes. That's what a spokeswoman for Senate President John Cullerton told The Associated Press late Thursday: "There aren't currently enough votes to pass it on the floor."
What a difference 48 hours makes!
Not 'Inevitable' After All
Listen, we always knew this January would be full of tough, tough battles, with gay marriage advocates pushing gay marriage legislation deep in one-party blue states, like Illinois.
Just a few weeks ago, after the November elections, Equality Illinois was promising to "ride this momentum [for gay marriage] to its inevitable victory in Illinois."
But a funny thing happened on the way to "inevitability"—YOU!
You—and thousands of other decent, loving, law-abiding Americans—spoke up for God's truth about marriage! And yesterday the Illinois Senate adjourned without a vote on the gay marriage bill. The state senate was expected to meet on Friday to vote for gay marriage; but instead, they've unexpectedly cancelled Friday's session and adjourned for the weekend.
"The fate of a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage has been called into question," the Windy City Media group reports. "Repeated foibles have raised serious question about whether the vote can pass by January 9."
The AP reports: "Expectations were high that Cullerton's Democrats would approve a gay marriage bill. A committee OK'd the measure Thursday, but backers are uncertain when they'll call it for a floor vote after the proposal hit several unexpected snags."
Heather Steans, the sponsor of the gay marriage bill, told the gay publication The Chicago Phoenix late Thursday that she plans to move the bill on Tuesday... if she can "account for the 30 'yes' votes necessary to pass the bill."
"Right now, we are missing some of our 'yes' votes as I think some of you know," Steans told the Pheonix. "So I think we are likely to be back down here again. Things are very fluid down here as you know."
'Very fluid'... let me translate: she doesn't yet have the votes.
A poll of Illinois voters by the Democratic firm Public Policy Polling late last year found only a minority of Illinois voters support gay marriage (47 percent). A poll in September by the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, which offered voters the option of civil unions, found just 43.6 percent of Illinois residents approve of gay marriage, with 31.8 percent preferring the current law of civil unions and 20.2 percent saying there should be no legal recognition of such unions.
But despite ongoing public opposition, Pat Brady—chairman of the Illinois Republican Party—on Wednesday threw his "full support" behind the gay marriage bill, calling it "the best conservative principles."
He also claimed religious freedom would be protected.
Right, we heard those promises about Illinois' civil unions bill!
The civil unions bill (passed just 18 months ago) also had the Orwellian title, "The Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act." Equality Illinois promised that the bill would protect religious liberty. In fact, they promised that "[the] act would... not impact faith-based adoption agencies or adoption procedures" [emphasis added].
The bill's sponsor, State Senator David Koehler (D-Peoria), also promised on the floor that the bill would not affect Christian adoption agencies. But before the ink was dry, homosexual activists were charging Catholic Charities, Evangelical Child and Family Services and other Christian adoption agencies with "discrimination"—and they succeeded in shutting down these caring Christian services for abused and abandoned children.
Here's the eyewitness testimony of three families who adopted children through Evangelical Children and Family Services, one of the adoption agencies driven from the public square because they honor traditional Christian views on marriage and family:
Is this what Pat Brady considers a 'conservative value'?
David Cameron tried it in Great Britain: by pushing gay marriage, he's instigated what one newspaper called the "biggest rebellion" against his so-called Conservative party in a generation.
Four Republicans in the New York state senate also tried it and cast their votes for gay marriage.
The whole political establishment showered these turncoats with cash and lionized their "courage" for betraying the values of the people who put them in office. But with your help, NOM made sure at election time voters knew about this betrayal of their constituents' core values, and in the end the voters had the last word.
Even the New York Times eventually had to concede, "As four Republican state senators, one by one, agreed to break with their party and cast a politically risky vote to legalize same-sex marriage last year, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and gay-rights advocates vowed to do everything in their power to protect them against political retribution. But when the Legislature returns to Albany next month, only one of those four senators will be among those sworn into office."
Coalition Continues To Build In Illinois
Gay marriage was supposed to be a done deal in the Land of Lincoln. But then you and thousands of Illinoisans swung into action. Thank you!
Of course, NOM is only one part of a broad coalition that continues to grow. We are so grateful to the Illinois Family Institute, among many others.
After NOM took the lead, more Illinois conservative voices are standing up to Pat Brady's betrayal, conservative leaders in Illinois have begun speaking up against Pat Brady's betrayal of the Illinois Replublicans.
McLean County GOP chairman John Parrot is quoted by the Illinois Review stating his strong opinion on this matter: "You can put me on the record that I want Pat Brady to step down due to his actions of supporting Gay Marriage, which is against the Illinois Republican Party Platform."
Karen Hayes, another platform committee member, said it more strongly still: "Pat Brady needs to step down now. Sadly, he has embarrassed himself and the Illinois Republican Party."
Republican Party figures in the state are planning a press conference on the steps of the capitol to fight back against Brady's mischaracterization of gay marriage as a "conservative value."
Meanwhile, the voices of more than 1,700 faith communities from all different religious traditions—from Missouri-Synod Lutherans to Mormons to Muslims—swelled into a chorus in a recent joint statement, urging: don't do this; don't redefine marriage. Marriage, these religious leaders wrote, "is the natural order embracing the complementary physical, emotional and spiritual design of men and women."
Cardinal George and the other Illinois Catholic bishops sent a powerful letter to priests urging them to urge their flock to call legislators: "Civil laws that establish 'same-sex marriage' create a legal fiction," George and the bishops contended. "The state has no power to create something that nature itself tells us is impossible."
Meanwhile, late in the week, NBC Chicago's blog was reminiscing about the so-called "first same-sex wedding in Illinois" which took place on Dec. 12, 1995, in the small town of Lanford, which lies between Rockford and Elgin:
Leon Carp, the co-owner of a diner called the Lanford Lunchbox, married his boyfriend Scott at the Lanford Women's Club, in a ceremony that featured Judy Garland impersonators, male strippers, Michelangelo's David wearing a pink feather boa, and a red heart reading GAY LOVE, GAY POWER.
It was a Hollywood fiction, an episode of the comedy show Roseanne. Hollywood came back to Illinois this week, full circle, when the star of TV's Modern Family, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, appeared to lobby legislators. He sported a special custom bow tie that he is selling to raise money for gay marriage—not a feather boa, but the message that Hollywood supports gay marriage was unmistakably clear.
Hollywood will not have the last word, though, I promise you.
Finally, I owe a word of thanks to Bishop Paprocki of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, who sent his own letter to be read in parishes this Sunday. He writes powerfully:
Our state's elected lawmakers will soon consider a bill called "The Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act." A more fraudulent title for this dangerous measure could not be imagined. The proposed law is, in truth, a grave assault on both religious liberty and marriage. [...]
[N]either two men nor two women can possibly form a marriage. Our law would be lying if it said that they could. The basic structure of marriage as the exclusive and lasting relationship of a man and a woman, committed to a life which is fulfilled by having children, is given to us in human nature, and thus by nature's God. [...]
This so-called "religious freedom" bill would not stop the state from obligating the Knights of Columbus to make their halls available for same-sex "weddings". It would not stop the state from requiring Catholic grade schools to hire teachers who are legally "married" to someone of the same sex. Nor would it protect me, the Bishop of Springfield, if I refused to employ someone in a same-sex "marriage." [...]
Why should we expect it to be otherwise? After all, we would be people who, according to the thinking behind the bill, hold onto an "unfair" view of marriage. The state would have equated our view with bigotry—which it uses the law to marginalize in every way short of criminal punishment."
He ends by calling all people of good will, but especially the faithful Catholics under his care, to "defeat this perilous proposal."
Amen!
Nature and nature's God both teach us that marriage is the union of husband and wife for a reason.
Listen: these are hard tough, fights; I am not going to lie to you. Nothing is certain—except this: we will be there standing as your voice for your values; they knock us down, we get back up, and we will continue to fight for what is right and true and good about marriage.
And, with your help, we are making a huge difference!
The message we need to repeat again and again is this: a unified Republican party allied with conservative Democrats can form a winning coalition to protect marriage -- even in deep blue states like Illinois:
Fox News political editor Mike Flannery just tweeted that Senate President John Cullerton's spokesman says even though the Democrats have a healthy majority in the Senate, without Republican votes, they're unable to get gay marriage or assault weapon ban passed.
Is it possible that Downstate Democrats end up defeating the Chicago Liberals' plans? (Illinois Review)
We are not out of the woods yet, of course -- not by a long shot. That is why it is so important for you to continue your calls and emails.
Illinois GOP State Chairman Pat Brady is getting more and more push back for his choice to betray marriage and core Republican principles:
More conservative leaders within the Illinois Republican Party are voicing their dismay with party Chairman Pat Brady's phone calls to Republican senators urging them to vote in support of legalizing same sex marriage.
"You can put me on the record that I want Pat Brady to step down due to his actions of supporting Gay Marriage, which is against the Illinois Republican Party Platform," McLean County GOP Chairman John Parrot told IR. "How can he be a leader when he doesn’t any longer believe in what our Party stands for? I also question his position with his Church, which is outspoken against gay marriage. He has failed his belief of his Church’s teaching and he has failed his Party."
“Mr. Brady, I ask you on behalf of our Party and for all Conservatives within our Party and the Families of our Party, it’s time for your to resign as our leader," Parrott said Wednesday night.
Parrott is on the County Chairman’s Executive Committee, and serves as Party Chairman of McLean County Republican Party, (Bloomington/Normal). He also served on the 2012 IL GOP Platform Committee.
Karen Hayes, another platform committee member representing the 1st Congressional District in Worth Township, spoke out in defense of the 2012 platform:
... "Pat Brady needs to step down now. Sadly, he has embarrassed himself and the Illinois Republican Party." (Illinois Review)
Please take a moment right now to call the Illinois Republican Party and demand the resignation of Pat Brady. Call them at (217) 525-0011. Let them know it is simply unacceptable to have a party chairman who so openly flauts values central to the party and its platform.
A unified Republican party and conservative Democrats have foiled (for now) the "momentum" to redefine marriage -- please continue to keep up your grassroots lobbying!
With the limited time remaining in the lame duck session, advocates said Thursday night that there isn't enough time to pass the full Illinois marriage equality bill in the lame duck session, so they will focus instead on work in the next general assembly, which begins Jan. 9.Despite passing as an amendment to another bill in the Senate executive committee Thursday evening, advocates decided to regroup and present a new bill in the Senate and House starting next week, the start of the 98 General Assembly.
"There is no way for us to pass the bill in one house and continue in the other house in next assembly," said Bernard Cherkasov, CEO of Equality Illinois, one of several groups pushing for marriage equality in the state. "With just a handful of days remaining in the current lame duck session, time to move the bill through both chambers is not on our side." (Windy City Media Group)
[This post has been updated to reflect the latest information we are receiving from Illinois. -ed]
Even though we scored a victory in Illinois by preventing SSM from passing the full Senate today, our opponents haven’t given up and neither can we.
As expected, proponents of gay marriage passed the bill through the Senate executive committee tonight, allowing a possible floor vote as early as next week. This means we need to redouble our efforts.
Please contact your state senators in Springfield ASAP!
If we keep up the pressure, we have a real chance of stopping this lame-duck movement to impose SSM. This fight won’t be over until the session has been gaveled to a close!
Stay faithful and please contact your legislators.
We've just received word that Illinois Democrats have canceled plans to vote on same-sex marriage this week, unable to secure enough support to guarantee passage. Publicly, they're saying that it's just because some of their supporters are out of town, but we are hearing that your pressure is part of the reason legislators don't want to vote on this issue.
There's a long way to go, but suddenly same-sex marriage in Illinois isn't as inevitable as everyone said.
* * * * *
Meanwhile, there's plenty of work still to be done, and I need your help right now to keep the pressure on.
You may have already seen the headlines: "Illinois GOP Chair Backs Same-Sex Marriage."
Yesterday, Pat Brady, head of the Illinois Republican Party, endorsed the same-sex marriage legislation pending in Springfield, in prominent opposition to the state and national Republican party platforms. Republican activists and pro-family voters from every corner of Illinois are outraged and calling on Pat Brady to resign as leader of the party.
Marriage and family are central, not just to the Republican Party platform, but to the votes and values of Republicans across the nation. NOM joins with voices from across the state in demanding that Pat Brady step down or be removed as leader of the party.
We are calling on all GOP donors to immediately stop funding to the Illinois GOP, and to let the party know that you will be withholding any future donations as long as Pat Brady is head of the party.
Instead, I would urge you to take those dollars that you would normally give to the Republican Party, and give them to NOM, or to one of the wonderful pro-family groups in Illinois fighting to defend marriage.
In addition to calling on Pat Brady to resign, NOM today pledged to form a brand new PAC, funded with $250,000 to defeat any Republican lawmakers who vote for same-sex marriage. Any Republican in Illinois who betrays the cause of marriage will be casting a career-ending vote and will be held accountable to their constituents.
We will spend whatever it takes — hundreds of thousands of dollars if necessary — to remove them from office, just as we did three of the four turncoat Republican state Senators in New York who were responsible for gay 'marriage' passing there. We will not hesitate to support pro-family Democrats to replace them, as our record in New York proves.
Please take a moment right now to call the Illinois Republican Party and demand the resignation of Pat Brady. Call them at (217) 525-0011. Let them know it is simply unacceptable to have a party chairman who so openly flauts values central to the party and its platform.
Also, if you live in Illinois, please make a phone call to your state senator and representative. We have won a major battle today, but the war continues on, as gay marriage activists work to organize support for a vote very soon.
Finally — and this is crucial, especially for those of you outside of Illinois — please keep forwarding this information to your friends and family who live in Illinois. We need every voice engaged in this fight.
The spokesman for the Illinois senate president admits they do not have the votes currently for gay marriage -- and the Republicans stand united in opposition to it. These are more encouraging signs that we can score a big surprise win here if we keep making calls and lobbying the politicians in Springfield:
Illinois Senate Democrats are delaying a vote on a plan that would make the state the 10th in the nation to legalize gay marriage.
Senate President John Cullerton's spokesperson Rakeesha Phelon said the proposal to extend marriage rights to same-sex couples will get a committee hearing Thursday but there aren't currently enough votes to pass it on the floor.
"It is clear that we will need bipartisan support in order to take floor votes on gun safety and marriage equality this week," Phelon said. "We will take some time to work on these important issues to advance them in the near future."
Phelon says she doesn't know how many votes there are for the plan or when it might be called. Some Democrats were not in attendance Thursday. Phelon says no Republicans supported it. (AP)
Proponents of redefining marriage had hoped to ram through this bill as soon as possible. Today they failed to get the votes needed to get the bill to the floor.
The fate of a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage has been called into question after Senate Democrats reported that the bill will not come to a vote this week.
Anthony Martinez, executive director of The Civil Rights Agenda, confirmed that Senate Democrats have stated that the vote will not come to pass Jan. 3 or 4.
Repeated foibles have raised serious questions about whether the vote can pass by Jan. 9, when new lawmakers are sworn in.
Senate Democrats had hoped for a vote on Thursday, but they failed to secure the votes to waive a 24-hour rule on the posting of the original marriage bill. Democrats then tacked marriage equality onto an unrelated bill in an attempt to push it through faster.
... The repeated delays have dampened enthusiasm in Springfield, with questions being raised about whether or not the bill will come to a vote this session at all. The House is seen as a greater hurdle than the Senate, and repeated hiccups in the Senate have raised concerns about support for the measure. (Windy City Media Group)
The authors of the Illinois Review note that while many mainstream media outlets are trying to play up the momentum to redefine marriage in Illinois, grassroots and new media-savvy pro-marriage groups are effectively communicating their message to their constituents:
Featuring authors--
The following press release provides an update on the same-sex marriage issue in New Zealand, where a bill redefining marriage to include such unions is due for a second reading on March 20:
Bishop Thomas Paprocki is the bishop of Springfield, Illinois.
With the limited time remaining in the lame duck session, advocates said Thursday night that there isn't enough time to pass the full Illinois marriage equality bill in the lame duck session, so they will focus instead on work in the next general assembly, which begins Jan. 9.Despite passing as an amendment to another bill in the Senate executive committee Thursday evening, advocates decided to regroup and present a new bill in the Senate and House starting next week, the start of the 98 General Assembly.
