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Monthly Archives: October 2013

How the Left Does it

October 16, 2013 – 12:30 pm

Dear Marriage Supporter

In recent days, it has become clearer than ever that the fight to defend true marriage is a fight for the very identity and destiny of our great nation. Marriage is the foundation that supports our country, and we simply cannot have a well-functioning nation if we destroy the marriage culture. But that's what is happening before our very eyes.

In North Carolina, a lawsuit has been pending before the courts to strike down the state's Marriage Amendment — a law passed just last May and by 61% of the popular vote! But just this week North Carolina's Attorney General, tasked with defending the voters' will in this case, compromised his integrity in that role by formally announcing his support for same-sex 'marriage.' Worse, he's headlining a fundraising event for a group that wants the courts to strike down the marriage law!

As if that were not bad enough, hot on the heels of the A.G.'s reckless announcement, a County Register of Deeds in North Carolina announced that he would begin accepting same-sex couples' applications for marriage licenses — a move we've seen before in states like New Mexico and Pennsylvania. This is the lawless destruction of democracy that we can expect to see spreading around the nation if we do not act today!

Please click here to contribute to NOM's efforts to stem this tide of anarchy and lawlessness and restore order to our democracy. The well-funded attacks of same-sex marriage activists will only become more and more brazen unless we push back fiercely right now.

Of course, orchestrations like we're seeing in North Carolina don't happen on their own — they are carefully planned and executed. A group named the Campaign for Southern Equality has been fishing for county-level officials in states like North Carolina to break their oath of office and flout the law the way D. Bruce Hanes of Pennsylvania's Montgomery County did earlier this year.

The Campaign for Southern Equality has been working tirelessly at this, and here is the fruit of those efforts: by the flagrant and irresponsible actions of two public officials, the will of the voters of North Carolina has been placed in peril. The strong majority of voters who declared last May that marriage is between one man and one woman are now in danger of being silenced by two elected politicians beholden to a well-financed special interest group.

Please give right now to NOM and help us consolidate the voices of the pro-marriage majority in America to be heard in the public square and the halls of power. We cannot allow our values to be drowned out by the shouting mob seeking to destroy our democratic order. Will you raise a cry for marriage with your generous gift today?

One of our great Founding Fathers, Benjamin Franklin, announced after the Constitutional Convention that we had "a Republic — if you can keep it!" We feel the duty implied by those words more than ever today. Stand with us now, and together we will keep the republic — and marriage!

Faithfully,

Brian S. Brown

P.S.: The aggressive same-sex 'marriage' lobby continues to whittle away at the will of the people and the foundations of our democracy. Help us defend marriage — and our nation itself — against these outrageous attacks. Your donation to NOM is a gift to our children and grandchildren, an investment in the future of our county and society. And remember, every dollar you give now will be matched — dollar for dollar — by one of our faithful donors. So, please give generously today!

By Brian Brown | Posted in Alerts, Same Sex Marriage | Comments Off

Today's the Day New Jersey! Vote for Steve Lonegan in the Special Election!

October 16, 2013 – 7:00 am

By Brian Brown | Posted in Alerts, New Jersey, Same Sex Marriage | Comments Off

Redefining Marriage "Consistently Heedless of Logic"

October 15, 2013 – 4:30 pm

Writing today in The Public Discourse, Matthew J. Franck probes "the prominence of [the] assault on reasoning itself" within the movement to redefine marriage:

Rather than say what marriage is—which anyone can see is an absolute prerequisite to saying whether "equality" demands its availability to partners never before thought capable of marrying—these advocates simply shout "marriage equality" ever more loudly, point to an array of "government benefits" linked to marital status, and make their desire for the thing substitute for an argument about what the thing is that they want.

You can read the rest of his article here.

M.Franck

By NOM Staff | Posted in Debating Marriage, Education, Same Sex Marriage, Supreme Court | Comments Off

A Race to Win

October 15, 2013 – 2:00 pm

Dear Marriage Supporter,

Please be sure to vote in the special election tomorrow Wednesday October 16th — and when you do, cast your vote for Steve Lonegan.

Steve Lonegan is a true social conservative who will protect and promote marriage, life, and religious liberties on the national stage. And Steve Lonegan supports the right of the people of New Jersey to vote on the definition of marriage as three dozen other states have done.

Steve Lonegan would be a champion in the US Senate for New Jersey families. He's a tremendously effective public official and will get immediately to work to begin to restore the direction of the country.

Lonegan began the campaign 35 points behind, but has worked to make the race close in these final days. Each passing poll shows him closing the gap and gaining momentum. With turnout expected to be low, the race is now up for grabs.

Cory Booker expected a coronation — not a close contest. He's been busy raising money in Hollywood and among the gay lobby, who've lavished money on his campaign because he shares their values. Meanwhile, Steve Lonegan has worked hard to talk about the real issues impacting New Jersey families, and voters are responding.

It's vital that we carry Steve Lonegan over the top by voting tomorrow, Wednesday the 16th, for the only candidate who shares New Jersey's values and will fight for them in the U.S. Senate — Steve Lonegan.

And be sure to forward this message to as many of your friends and family as possible. With turnout expected to be low, every vote is particularly important.

Fighting for New Jersey Families,

Brian S. Brown

By Brian Brown | Posted in Alerts, New Jersey, Same Sex Marriage | Comments Off

The National Organization for Marriage Launches Independent Expenditure Campaign In Support Of Steve Lonegan for US Senate in New Jersey

October 12, 2013 – 8:00 am

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 12, 2013
Contact: Elizabeth Ray or Matille Thebolt (703-683-5004)

“Steve Lonegan is a champion for marriage, life and religious liberty.” — Brian Brown, NOM president —

National Organization for Marriage

Washington, D.C. — Today, the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) announced that it is launching an independent expenditure campaign in New Jersey to boost the candidacy of Steve Lonegan in the special election for US Senate set for October 16th.

“Steve Lonegan is a champion for marriage, life and religious liberty and would be a leader in the US Senate for New Jersey families,” said Brian Brown, NOM’s president. “He’s a tenacious campaigner and an even more effective public official. He will get immediately to work to begin to restore the direction of the country.”

NOM has in excess of 120,000 supporters in New Jersey and will organize them to turn out to vote for Lonegan next Wednesday. Lonegan began the campaign 35 points behind, but has worked to make the race close in these final days. With turnout expected to be low, the race should be considered up for grabs.

“Corey Booker expected a coronation, not a close contest,” said Brown. “He’s been busy raising money in Hollywood and among the gay lobby, who’ve lavished money on his campaign because he shares their values. Meanwhile, Steve Lonegan has worked hard to talk about the real issues impacting New Jersey families, and voters are responding. We hope our independent expenditure effort can help propel him over the top.”

###

To schedule an interview with Brian Brown, President of the National Organization for Marriage, please contact Elizabeth Ray (x130), [email protected], or Matille Thebolt (x143), [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 Featured, New Jersey, Press Releases | Comments Off

Breaking News - Values Voter Summit Schedule Change

October 11, 2013 – 10:40 am

For those of you looking for Brian Brown's panel discussion on the future of marriage at the Values Voter Summit, we've just learned that the panel has been moved to the evening session at 7:30 PM eastern.

We're sorry for the inconvenience. Please look for him then.

By Christopher Plante | Posted in Same Sex Marriage | Comments Off

Watch What We've Been Up To

October 11, 2013 – 8:00 am

Dear Marriage Supporter,

Good morning from the Values Voter Summit in Washington, DC! I just wanted to give you an update on what NOM has been up to recently before taking the stage in a few hours.

This morning at 10:45 am Eastern Time, I'll appear on a panel with Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council and Ryan Anderson and Jennifer Marshall of the Heritage Foundation talking about "The Future of Marriage."

If you are able, I invite you to watch the live, streaming video feed of the panel on the Values Voter Summit home page. If you can't watch this morning, you can visit FRC Action's YouTube page in the coming days and watch the video once they have posted it.

Partnering with the African American Church

I also had the pleasure of attending a banquet supporting the Coalition of African American Pastors (CAAP) last night. CAAP — especially honoree, Rev. William Owens — has done an incredible job of rallying the African American community in the defense of marriage all over the country.

I'd like to introduce you to this wonderful organization by letting you watch the video presentation they played at the dinner:

I make a couple of brief appearances in the video toward the end after they begin talking about the importance of defending the family around the 6:40 minute mark of the video.

NOM v. IRS

Our Chairman, Dr. John Eastman, was also speaking out and making news this past week, as NOM launched our lawsuit against the IRS for its illegal action of leaking our confidential tax documents. If you haven't seen it yet, you can watch what Dr. Eastman had to say at a conference hosted by the Heritage Foundation:

The Continued Assault on Religious Freedom

Also in the news this week is an interesting story out of Iowa. The Odgaard family is having to sue the Iowa Civil Rights Commission asking the Commission to declare that the couple was not in violation of the law when they declined to participate in a same-sex marriage ceremony by renting out their private property.

Fortunately, our good friends at the Becket Fund are on the case — literally! — defending the Odgaards in court. You can watch this brief video they compiled to learn more about it:

Action Items You Can Take Today

As ever, we remain vigilant on the state and federal level, stoking up grassroots activism wherever marriage is threatened. Please take a moment to look over our current, pressing Action Alerts to see if there is some action you can take to defend marriage in America! It will only take a few minutes of your time!

Marriage Amendment	The Marriage and Religious Freedom Act	New Jersey

Illinois	Hawaii

Finally, in Monday's email we misattributed statements from Laurie Higgins' wonderful article on the Illinois Family Institute blog to the Chicago Tribune. These errors have been corrected on our blog and online properties. Our apologies to all parties for the mistake.

Faithfully,

Brian S. Brown

PS: I just wanted to remind you that our matching gift challenge is still active — and will be throughout the rest of the year — so there's no better time to make a donation to NOM to support our work of defending marriage and the faith communities that sustain it. Won't you please consider making a donation of $25, $50, $100 or even $500 or more in support of our work today?

What's more, if you sign up to be a monthly donor, I'll send you a free copy of NOM co-founder and Princeton Professor Robert P. George's book, What Is Marriage? — an essential educational tool for every marriage defender, as well as the best argument ever assembled as to why marriage must be between one man and one woman and why the government has a compelling interest in defending that definition.

By Brian Brown | Posted in Alerts, NOM Marriage News, Same Sex Marriage | Comments Off

Heading to A Dead Heat in New Jersey

October 10, 2013 – 12:35 pm

Dear Marriage Supporter,

No, I'm not talking about Governor Christie's reelection race next month. I'm talking about the US Senate special election in New Jersey next week. Marriage, life, and family values are on the ballot in New Jersey one week from yesterday on October 16th — and every marriage champion across the country can play a part to make sure those values come out on top.

Next Wednesday voters in New Jersey need to make a special effort to get out and vote for the only US Senate candidate who will protect and promote marriage, life, and family on the national stage — Steve Lonegan.

In the beginning, no one gave Steve any chance against Newark mayor Corey Booker. The big city mayor with over a million Twitter followers and a 35 point lead in the polls was supposed to waltz through this special election — but Steve Lonegan and his conservative supporters didn't get the message...they have fought and scraped and dramatically closed the gap. An internal poll by the Lonegan campaign has the race at six points, while other polls have Booker up by 11-12 points. All the polls show that momentum is with Lonegan, meaning by this time next week it could well be a dead heat.

What will push Steve — and marriage, life, and family — over the top?

First and foremost — getting out the vote. In this special election, where voter turn-out is expected to be low, every vote is particularly important. Please make every effort to get out to vote on next Wednesday, October 16th, and to urge your family and friends to do so. You can forward this email to them by using one of the social media buttons below.

The "Non-Scandal" Keeps Getting More Scandalous

October 10, 2013 – 12:30 pm

You may remember that the mainstream media and liberal politicians began saying several weeks ago that early reports of the IRS targeting organizations and individuals based on political ideology had turned out to be a "non-scandal" - but yesterday's developments as much as anything show that this very real scandal simply cannot be so easily dismissed.

From hearings yesterday before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee comes this shocking news, via a headline in the Daily Caller: "White House, IRS exchanged confidential taxpayer info." The Daily Caller reports:

[IRS Official Sarah] Ingram appeared before Rep. Darrell Issa’s House Oversight Committee Wednesday and claimed she could not recall a document that contained confidential taxpayer information.

“Well one of the areas of interest is there’s a significant redaction that quotes the statute 6103. Do you know who is underneath that blackout?” Issa asked Ingram.

“I don’t recall the document so I can’t help you with what’s underneath that redaction,” Ingram said.

“Her response has not put concerns to rest,” Oversight staffer Frederick Hill said.

You can read the rest here.

Understandably so, if the following exchange is any indication of her response:

Meanwhile, NOM is grateful to Representative Issa for his strong leadership on House Oversight and Government Reform to hold the IRS accountable for misconduct and felonious actions, and particularly for his pledge to investigate the leak which resulted in our own confidential tax information getting into the hands of the Human Rights Campaign.

We are also continually grateful to Chairman Camp of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee for his own commitment to securing justice for all those targeted by the IRS and making sure the American people get the answers they deserve about how deep this scandal runs.

By NOM Staff | Posted in Congress, IRS, Same Sex Marriage | Comments Off

Suing to Prove Your Innocence

October 10, 2013 – 9:08 am

Turning the tables on the national narrative, Mennonite art gallery owners Betty and Richard Odgaard have filed suit against the Iowa Civil Rights Commission asking the Commission to rule that their refusal to participate in a religious ceremony by allowing their gallery to be used for a same-sex wedding ceremony is not a violation of the Iowa Civil Rights Act. From the Quad City Times…

Religion and Law DES MOINES — A nationally known religious rights group is suing the Iowa Civil Rights Commission on behalf of a Grimes couple who refused to host a same-sex couple’s wedding…

“Just as the Odgaards cannot be forced to display art that violates their religious convictions, they should not be forced to host religious ceremonies that violate their religious convictions,” Hardman wrote. “To our knowledge, no Iowa or Federal court has ever forced anyone to participate in a religious activity against their will. Doing so now would abandon Iowa’s history of being the vanguard of protecting individual freedom, and out of line with state and federal law.” (Read More)

It is a sad day in America when people of faith have to sue to prove their innocence.

By Christopher Plante | Posted in Iowa, Law, Religious Liberty, Same Sex Marriage | Comments Off

Get Active

October 9, 2013 – 4:00 pm

Dear Marriage Supporter,

The next month is vital for the future of marriage in Illinois. Same-sex 'marriage' advocates have been working around the clock to gather votes — but now it's our turn.

G.K. Chesterton wrote: "...an ordinary man and an ordinary woman and their ordinary children literally alter the destiny of nations."

While gay 'marriage' activists have thrown millions of dollars and high-profile names at your legislators, it is now up to ordinary men, women, and children to secure the destiny of marriage in Illinois.

The special legislative session is just about upon us — October 22, 23, 24 & November 5, 6, 7 — and we need all marriage champions in Illinois to stand strong and make every effort to tell their legislators to not redefine marriage.

There are three ways in particular you can make a difference for marriage today:

Email your legislators today. They need to hear from you. Use this simple link to send them the important message today that marriage in Illinois deserves to be defended and strengthened, not redefined. Every voice and vote counts — make yours heard.
Join the Illinois Family Institute (IFI) on October 23rd for their Marriage Lobby Day. This crucial event will bring marriage champions like you from all across the state to rally and meet with legislators face to face. IFI has worked hard to organize this day and even arranged buses to help gather as many people as possible. Information about the buses with contact persons and other logistical information is below. And more information about the day itself can be found here.
Tell your family and friends to make a stand for marriage by joining you in emailing, calling, and visiting your legislators. Use these buttons to forward this email to as many family and friends as possible:

Bus Locations for Marriage Lobby Day

Buffalo Grove area
St. Mary School
10 N. Buffalo Grove Rd (intersection of Lake-Cook & Buffalo Grove) in Buffalo Grove
Contact Fred Sturgeon — 847-344-8791 or Ted Valenti — 847-910-2009
Leaving at 7:15 am (school bus) and returning from Capitol at 2:30 PM
Cost per person: $20

Chicago area
Israel Methodist Community Church
7616 Cottage Grove, Chicago
Departing at 6 am
Returning from Capitol at 2:30 pm
Contact Dr. Crawford, Pro-Life Pro-Family Coalition, (773) 960-5656 or (773) 483-1131
Cost per person: $10 (includes lunch)

Queen of All Saints Basilica
6280 N. Sauganash Ave. in Chicago
The bus leaves at 5:30 AM
Contact the Archdiocese of Chicago's Respect Life Office, 312-534-5355
Cost per person: $25 (includes lunch)

Crystal Lake area
St. Thomas The Apostle Church (176th & Oak St.) in Crystal Lake
Departing @ 6: AM and returning from Capitol @ 2:00 PM
Contact Phil Weyna, McHenry County Right to Life, 815-861-5847
Cost per person: $30

Hobby Lobby in the parking lot
6250 Northwest Hwy Crystal Lake, IL 60014
Departing at 6:00 AM and return to Crystal Lake at 6:00 PM
Register at www.truthexchange.net
Questions: Email [email protected]

Lansing area
Faith Church at 100 — 81st Ave. Dyer, IN 46311
Departing at 6:30 AM (church van(s)) and returning from Capitol at 12:30 PM
Contact Bob Hofstra, 708-257-7772
Cost per person: TBA

Libertyville area
Marytown - 1600 W Park Ave. (Butterfield Rd & Rt 176) in Libertyville
Departs from Marytown at 6:00 AM and returning from Capitol at 2:00 PM
Contact Bonnie Quirke, Lake County Right to Life, 847-644-8456
Cost per person: $35

O'Fallon area
WalMart at 1530 W US Hwy 50 in O'Fallon
Departing at 8:30 AM (school bus) and returning at 4:00 PM
Contact Ken Brosh, 618-540-5960
Cost per person: $13

Western Springs Area
St. John of the Cross Catholic Church
5005 S. Wolf Road in Western Springs
Contact the Archdiocese of Chicago's Respect Life Office, 312-534-5355
Cost per person: $25 (includes lunch)

Wheaton area
Wheaton Wesleyan Church at 1300 S President St, Wheaton
Departing at 5:30 AM and returning from Capitol at 3:00 PM
Contact Dick Norton, 630-260-1135
Cost per person: $34

Freeport area
East Gate Christian Center
1650 S. Armstrong Ave. in Freeport
Contact Pastor Steve Barr at 815-541-5898
Cost per person: $5

By Brian Brown | Posted in Alerts, Illinois, Same Sex Marriage | Comments Off

Standing for Marriage on the College Campus

October 9, 2013 – 3:57 pm

To hear mainstream media tell it, every 20-something in the United States agrees with same-sex ‘marriage.’ Evidently Christine Guttery did not get the memo. The 20-year old English major from Louisiana State University recently penned a post for the school’s paper thoughtfully and winsomely defending the traditional definition of marriage. She writes:

College Students I am against same-sex marriage, not because I hate the LGBT community — I don’t. Everyone deserves to be treated with equal respect and kindness, regardless of their sexual orientation. I am against same-sex marriage because same-sex relationships do not adhere to the definition of marriage, and there is no logical reason to redefine it.

…

The most common argument I hear is that everyone deserves to be happy with the one they love, and government should not deny anyone that right. But opponents of same-sex marriage are not proposing that same-sex couples be banned by law from choosing to have a relationship, but rather that such a union cannot be defined as marriage, because the nature of the union contradicts that of marriage.

…

College Campus As the definition of marriage broadens to mean different things and accepts different kinds of relationships, it loses its distinct identity and meaning. In this case, there is no point in recognizing marriage at all.

I am not against homosexuals having rights, but granting same-sex couples the right to marry is erroneous. Redefining marriage will deconstruct its original value. Louisiana should continue to defend the institution of marriage as outlined in the state constitution. (Read More)

It’s great to hear young people, especially on the college campus, carrying the banner for true marriage.

By Christopher Plante | Posted in Education, Marriage, Same Sex Marriage, Youth | Comments Off

Chairman Camp Speaks Up for NOM and All Victims of IRS Abuse

October 8, 2013 – 4:30 pm

Representative Dave Camp (R-Mi.), the Chairman of the House of Representatives powerful Committee on Ways and Means, issued the following statement in response to the filing of NOM's lawsuit against the IRS:

The unauthorized release of confidential information is a crime and those affected deserve answers, not the runaround. What makes the situation even worse is that the law, intended to protect taxpayers, is being used as a shield for those that perpetrate this wrongdoing. Just last year, the IRS released the confidential taxpayer information of the National Organization of Marriage. These organizations and the American people deserve the truth and the IRS must take serious action to stop the illegal leaking of confidential information.

Chairman Camp and all of our allies in the Congress understand that, no matter our differences, no one should be the target of harassment and abuse of power by government agencies. That is simply not how we do things in America.

NOM thanks Representative Camp for his courageous and steadfast leadership in holding the IRS accountable for abuses of power and identifying those responsible for leaking NOM's confidential donor information.

By NOM Staff | Posted in Congress, Federal, IRS | Comments Off

Marriage as a Social Justice Issue

October 8, 2013 – 10:45 am

If you live in or around Washington, DC you may want to plan to visit Georgetown University this evening for what is sure to be a fantastic lecture by NOM friend and What is Marriage? co-author Ryan T. Anderson. The title of the lecture is "Marriage as a Social Justice Issue."

Here is the description from the event page:

What is marriage? Why does marriage matter? What would be the consequences of redefining marriage? These are just some of the questions Ryan T. Anderson will address in his lecture on Marriage as a Social Justice Issue. Anderson is the William E. Simon Fellow at the Heritage Foundation and co-author of the book What Is Marriage? Man and Woman: A Defense, cited by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito twice in his dissenting opinion on the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) case. Anderson makes a secular case for marriage without appeals to theology, revelation or morality.

The lecture will be in McCarthy Hall in the McShain Large Conference Room (37th and O St. N.W.) from 7:00 - 9:00 PM. It is free and open to the public.

RSVP on Facebook event page here.

By NOM Staff | Posted in Economics, Events, Research/Study, Same Sex Marriage | Comments Off

"As Close to an Ideal Test as We've Seen"

October 8, 2013 – 10:30 am

Over at Public Discourse, Professor Mark Regnerus reports on the important new study from Canada which we told you about yesterday.

Regnerus shares his opinions on the research by Douglas Allen published in the Review of the Economics of the Household last week:

Every study has its limitations, and this one does too.... [but] its limitations are modest in comparison to its remarkable and unique strengths—a rigorous and thorough analysis of a massive, nationally-representative dataset from a country whose government has long affirmed same-sex couples and parenting. It is as close to an ideal test as we’ve seen yet.

The study’s publication continues the emergence of new, population-based research in this domain, much of which has undermined scholarly and popular claims about equivalence between same-sex and opposite-sex households echoed by activists and reflected in recent legal proceedings about same-sex marriage.