NOM BLOG

Monthly Archives: September 2013

Two Things

National Organization for Marriage

Dear Marriage Supporter,

Here at the National Organization for Marriage, we are dedicated to one simple mission: protecting and defending marriage and the faith communities that sustain it.

We believe, along with you, that marriage is about bringing men and women together for life, to the benefit of each other, of any children they may have, and of our society as a whole. We work to ensure that you, along with every other citizen, have the right to speak, organize, donate, and vote on behalf marriage as it has served humanity since the beginning of civilization: as the unique and special union of one man and one woman.

How we accomplish this mission is simple: we assist citizens like you to be able to stand united in defense of the most basic institution in society, the family.

We give your values voice, in the halls of power and in the opinion-making arenas of our culture, preventing our common-sense principles from being drowned out by a noisy but powerful lobby. This lobby is funded by Hollywood liberals, aided by a complicit media, and has purchasing power over politicians who place pork-barrel profits before their consciences and their constituencies. But we have the American people on our side.

You are our most important asset. I cannot express how grateful I am for your willingness to stand with us in this noble cause.

We believe every child, in this generation and in generations to come, has the right to both a loving mother and father, because kids do best with a mom and dad. We believe that no American should have to fear legal reprisals or intolerant shaming in the public square for standing on behalf of this time-honored value. And it's thanks to your courage and your commitment to these beliefs that we are able to stand on the front lines defending them.

Let me to give you just a snapshot of what we're doing right now to protect these cherished values.

  • By providing funding, messaging expertise, and coordination of local groups, we are working to defend marriage in states where it is presently under attack, by lawless elected officials, out-of-control legislatures, and activist courts; and we are preparing for defense in states we know will be targeted by the same-sex marriage lobby in the coming year;

  • Through our Marriage Anti-Defamation Alliance (MADA), we're shedding light on examples of intolerant and bigoted discrimination suffered by ordinary Americans simply because they believe marriage to be the union of one man and one woman.

  • With a pending lawsuit, NOM seeks to hold the IRS accountable for politically-motivated criminal activity, in particular for their illegal disclosure of our very own confidential tax documents to the ultra-liberal, pro-gay marriage lobbying group, Human Rights Campaign;

  • Through grassroots lobbying and targeted action alerts, NOM is rallying support for a Federal Marriage Amendment, such as the one currently being proposed by Rep. Tim Huelskamp of Kansas.

All this, and so much more...

Which brings me to the question: Will you recommit today to standing with us in this civilization-defining battle?

I'm asking you today to reaffirm your stance for marriage, for religious liberty, for the rights of children, and for the health and well-being of our society.

Here's two simple ways you can do this:

First, you can visit our Advocacy Center and, with just a few clicks, raise your voice for marriage and speak truth to power. Some of our current highlighted action items include:

  1. Urge Congress to Support the Federal Marriage Protection Amendment.

  2. Demand Answers from the IRS and Human Rights Campaign.

Second, if your means allow, you can make a contribution today to our ongoing work, and take advantage of a unique giving opportunity to have your donation doubled! That's right: a generous donor has pledged to match every donation NOM receives through the end of this year — up to $1 MILLION. That means we have the chance to raise $2 MILLION FOR MARRIAGE by the end of this year — but only with your help!

Donate Today

In the end, it's ordinary citizens like you who will make the difference in this most crucial battle for the heart and soul of our nation, for the future of marriage as we know it, for our prized freedoms of speech and religious expression, and for our precious children's right to be raised by their own mom and dad.

Please stand up today and add your voice to the growing list of marriage champions around America. Join us, and together we will seek righteousness and truth, and achieve the victory that we know belongs to our noble and just cause!

Faithfully,

Brian S. Brown

Eight More New Mexico Legislators Join Fight Against Marriage Redefinition

Opposition continues to rise in New Mexico after a Doña Ana County clerk started illegally issuing same-sex marriage licenses. Last month, GOP legislators took action to stop clerks in any county from taking the law into his/her own hands. And as of yesterday, eight more legislators have joined them.

New MexicoEight more Republican lawmakers have joined a lawsuit in New Mexico to argue a county clerk has usurped state law by recognizing same-sex marriages. Meanwhile, an eighth county in the state has begun issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, broadening the state's legal fight on the issue.

Last Friday, seven Republican lawmakers filed a lawsuit against Dona Ana County Clerk Lynn Ellins, who began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples two weeks ago under the argument that New Mexico's marriage laws are "gender neutral," and therefore do not expressly prohibit him from distributing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

The lawsuit against Ellins filed by the initial seven Republican lawmakers has since been joined by eight more Republican lawmakers, all of whom argue that Ellins is overstepping his power by distributing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Ellins "has violated the New Mexico Constitution's separation of powers doctrine by determining on his own which laws he will enforce based upon his interpretation of the statutes and constitution," the lawsuit reads.

"It's really a separation of powers issues," Rep. Paul Bandy, one of the eight GOP lawmakers to step in on the lawsuit filed in district court, told Reuters. "I don't think the county clerk has the power to make this decision."

Paul Becht, an Albuquerque lawyer for the GOP legislators and a former state senator, told the Associated Press that his clients filed the lawsuit because they believe the issue of same-sex marriage in the state should be addressed by the legislature, and a county clerk should not take the matter into his own hands simply due to his personal beliefs. -Christian Post

UK’s New Chief Rabbi: Marriage is Between One Man and One Woman

Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, the new Chief Rabbi of Britain, laid out the distinct differences between men and woman in an interview with the BBC this past weekend. Rabbi Mirvis also affirmed traditional Jewish values by promoting natural marriage as the foundation for strengthening families:

Stained glass Star of David“We have a clear Biblical definition of marriage which is the union of one man and one woman and through that we value traditional family life," Rabbi Mirvis told the BBC in an interview before Sunday’s installation ceremony.

“But I would like to reiterate our genuine sentiment to every single Jewish man and woman: you have a home in our synagogue and we will make you feel comfortable regardless of who you are.”

He added that while he wanted to offer women a greater role in Orthodox Judaism, he opposed female ordination. "Equality is what we strive for but when we talk about equality, it is not uniformity."

“When we talk for example of men and women and the opportunity within synagogues and within community life there are clear roles that different people can play and in that way each of us can achieve his or her own amazing potential,” he explained. -LifeSite

Texas National Guard Will Not Recognize Same-Sex 'Marriages' for Military Benefits

One of the obvious results of the US Supreme Court’s DOMA ruling this summer is confusion. Confusion with the tax code, confusion with how states, who have the sovereign right to define marriage for themselves, balance their positions on marriage with the new federal definition of marriage. Texas, as well as Mississippi, is at the forefront of these questions.

CNN reports:

"As a state agency, Texas Military Forces must adhere with Texas law, and the Texas Constitution, which clearly defines marriage as between one man and one woman," said Josh Havens, a spokesman for Gov. Rick Perry's office.

Texas Military Forces LogoTexas, like some other states, expressly prohibits same-sex marriage under its law. That state law trumps federal law, argues Perry and others.

"(Texas Military Forces) is a state agency under the authority and direction of the Texas state government," wrote the forces' adjutant general, Maj. Gen. John Nichols, in a memo dated August 30. "... Due to the potential conflict (between state and federal law), we are unable to enroll same-sex families ... at our state-supported facilities until we receive legal clarification."

In a statement Tuesday, the Texas Military Forces insisted that while Nichols is asking the state's attorney general for an advisory opinion, "the state is not denying any federal benefits to military personnel or same-sex spouses of military personnel."

"This is a processing issue, not a denial of benefits issue," the agency says. "As such, we fully encourage eligible members to enroll for their federal benefits at one of the 20 nearest federal installations, which are dispersed throughout the state of Texas."

Catholic Bishop Speaks Out Against Anti-Christian Bigotry

In an interview with blogger William J. Kelly at Illinois Review, Bishop Thomas Paprocki of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield, IL, warned against an increasingly tendency of anti-Christian bigotry in our culture, saying: "We still have the First Amendment of our Constitution but that is being sorely tested."

Click here to see the interview.

In the video interview, Paprocki spoke specifically about the fight for marriage and the trend of anti-Christian intolerance from those who advocate redefining marriage:

We have to continue to offer a very articulate, reasoned approach to our understanding, particularly in the area of marriage. Those that talk about this as an issue of equality and discrimination and if you don’t agree with that it’s a bigoted point-of-view – that that’s simply an erroneous viewpoint. And not let them box us into that by painting us as bigots. But I think we have to do the best we can to refute that.

The Bishop specifically praised the black community in Illinois for standing up against this bigotry: "I think some of the people that have been very articulate in refuting this have been members of the black community, African Americans who resent, frankly, depicting this as a civil rights issue."

51% of Ohioans Support True Definition of Marriage

A new survey by the Public Religion Research Institute shows that the majority of Ohio residents -- 51% -- do not support a measure to redefine marriage, as opposed to just 45% who would. While the Public Religion Research Institute describes itself as nonpartisan, the poll was funded by the Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund, which actually promotes same-sex marriage advocacy.

Cleveland.com:

OhioOhioans are split on the idea of gay marriage and, if the election were today, would not vote to overturn the state's ban on it, a new poll shows.

...when asked about a possible state constitutional amendment to repeal the one that banned gay marriage nearly a decade ago, 51 percent said they would not support the measure, compared with 45 percent who would. The findings seem to validate fears some gay rights groups in Ohio have about moving ahead with their ballot push in 2014.

When given the option to support civil unions, 41 percent favor gay marriage, 30 percent no recognition at all and 23 percent civil unions. But 68 percent – including 61 percent of Republicans – said they favor laws that protect gays from job discrimination.

Montgomery County SSM Hearing Set for Wednesday

Pennsylvania law makes it very clear: marriage is between a man and woman. All faux-'marriage' licenses that were issued to same-sex couples by a rogue county clerk who decided he had the authority to disregard the law should be considered invalid.

Gov. CorbettLawyers are set to meet in a Harrisburg Court for the argument to decide whether an elected Montgomery County clerk has the ability to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

Since July, Clerk Bruce Hanes has issued 164 same-sex marriage licenses, but Pennsylvania doesn’t permit civil unions or gay marriage.

Governor Corbett’s administration is leading up this lawsuit, contending that all of the licenses issued to same-sex couples in Pennsylvania are invalid because the law outlines marriage as between one man, and one woman.

“The key question here is, does a local official have the ability to pick and choose which laws they enforce and which laws they disregard,” Nils Frederkisen, General Counsel for the Corbett administration, said.

Governor Corbett spoke to CBS 21’s Sherry Christian last month, and said if the Attorney General won’t defend the laws of Pennsylvania, his administration will. “You can’t pick or choose which laws you want to defend, which laws you don’t want to defend. So at this point, since she has chosen not to defend it, we will defend it, and as I said, the courts will make the determination.” -Local21News

Gov. Cuomo Appoints Marriage Flip-Flopper Alesi to NY Unemployment Insurance Appeal Board

Back in 2011, then-New York Senator Jim Alesi betrayed marriage and his constituents by accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars from gay marriage advocates and flipping his position on marriage. But no amount of money can buy the support of voters once you've lost their trust. Sen. Alesi was subsequently driven from his re-election race by NOM's pledge to defeat him, and later claimed that his vote for same-sex marriage was what sunk his political career.

So what is former Sen. Alesi up to these days? New York Gov. Cuomo has just appointed him to the state Unemployment Insurance Appeal Board. According to Albany Watch:

Alesi_moneydanceThe longtime lawmaker will make $90,800 annually on top of his pension, which totals $35,231, according to the Empire Center.

Alesi said Cuomo’s office reached out to him as it was filling vacancies on various boards and commissions. The former senator fills a seat that has been vacant since 2011, with his term lasting through Nov. 18, 2017.

The former senator was one of four Republicans to vote in favor of same-sex marriage in 2011, giving the bill key support to become law. He was repeatedly hailed by Cuomo following the vote, but stepped away from running for re-election in 2012.

Scottish Parliament "Fast Tracking" Bill to Redefine Marriage

Think the Scottish Parliament may have heard about Scotland for Marriage's 50,000-strong petition to protect the definition of marriage as husband and wife? A bill to redefine marriage is suddenly being “fast-tracked” through the legislature.

Scottish Parliament, EdinburghAccording to the Herald newspaper, MSPs will hold double evidence sessions on the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Bill, with early start times.

A critic of the plans warned that law made “in haste” does not provide good legislation.

...John Deighan, parliamentary officer for the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland, cautioned: “You can only see this as undue haste.

“It looks like a bandwagon that no-one has been minded to take in the right direction.

“They ought to remember that if you make law in haste you do not get the best legislation.” -Christian Institute