NOM BLOG

Victory: Even 9th Circuit Decides Lawless Judge Walker Can't Violate His Promise and Release Trial Tapes

The Los Angeles Times on the breaking news:

A federal appeals court refused Thursday to make public the video of the Proposition 8 same-sex marriage trial, a victory for opponents of gay marriage.

A three-judge panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals said the video from the 2010 federal trial in San Francisco should remain sealed because the trial judge promised the defenders of the proposition that it would be used for internal court purposes only.

“The trial judge on several occasions unequivocally promised that the recording of the trial would be used only in chambers and not publicly broadcast,” the panel said.

The 9th Circuit ruling overturned a lower court decision in favor of making the video public, a position favored by the news media and gay rights groups.

... The court also decided that retired Chief Judge U.S. District Judge Vaughn R. Walker, who presided over the Proposition 8 trial and ruled the measure unconstitutional, is not entitled to keep a copy of the recordings. After his retirement, Walker used a snippet from the testimony in a lecture about cameras in the court.

Read the 9th Circuit's decision here (PDF).

EMERGENCY ALERT! NJ SSM Bill Fast-Tracked--Keep the Pressure On!

NJ SSM Bill Fast-Tracked--Keep the Pressure On!

Dear Marriage Supporter,

We can't let up now!

Despite Governor Christie's promised veto, Democratic leaders in both the Senate and Assembly are working overtime to rush the same-sex marriage bill through in New Jersey. Last week the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 8-4 (on party lines) to send the bill to the full Senate. Meanwhile, the Assembly Judiciary Committee is holding a hearing on the bill this morning.

Votes in both houses could come as early as next week.

We need to keep up the pressure on your state senators and representatives with phone calls and emails!

Take Action Now

Use this link to take action now!

Gay marriage advocates are pulling out all the stops. The only way to stop them is for you—and all your friends and family—to let your legislators know exactly where you stand on marriage.

Governor Christie has called for a statewide referendum to decide the future of marriage—but Democrats in the legislature are stonewalling. Tell your representatives in Trenton that marriage is too important—with far-reaching implications for all New Jerseyans—to be decided by 121 politicians in the Statehouse.

Please, take five minutes to contact your legislators right now. Then forward this email to five friends, post it on Facebook, or print a copy and take it with you to church.

Together we can stop this effort, but it's going to take all of us.

ALL HANDS ON DECK!! Time to Stop Gay Marriage in Washington!

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Dear Marriage Supporter,

Last night, the Washington Senate voted 28-21 to pass the same-sex marriage bill, with 4 Republicans voting for the bill and 3 Democrats voting against. The bill now heads to the House of Representatives, where a vote is expected as soon as next week.

The media is reporting that the bill will pass easily in the House—but we've heard that line before.

We've seen it happen time and time again: gay marriage activists believe that victory is in their grasp, and then a last minute surge of you and our pro-marriage heroes pull off a last-minute victory to protect marriage.

We need you to be part of that surge today.

Please, stop what you are doing and immediately contact your representatives in Olympia and tell them to vote NO on same-sex marriage:

Take Action Now

Use this link to take action now!

Please use the links in this message to take action, then forward this message to five friends and family today.

The Editors of the Washington Olympian recently made an excellent point:

"Our fear at this point is that the contentious marriage debate will distract lawmakers who have only 60-days to balance a state operating budget that's $1.5 billion out of alignment. That must be the top priority."

We couldn't agree more that legislators in Olympia have their priorities backward. We need you to help us demand they stop attacking marriage and focus on getting their fiscal house in order instead:

Take Action Now

Use this link to take action now!

Whatever you can do, please do it and ask others to join you.

  1. Click here to look up phone numbers for your state representatives.
  2. Click here to send your representatives an email today.
  3. Forward this email to as many friends as you can—we must create a grassroots groundswell to stop this from happening.
  4. Consider other creative ways to support marriage, including writing to your local paper.

Please know that you are not alone. There is a huge amount of activity happening across various grassroots organizations to ensure that marriage is protected in Washington no matter what.

And we know these efforts have the absolute best chance of succeeding when all of us step up and tell politicians in Olympia: "Don't Mess with Marriage!" and let them know we're not going anywhere. We will always fight to protect marriage.

And if the politicians won't listen, NOM will work side-by-side with a coalition of state pro-family organizations in Washington to collect the roughly 120,000 signatures needed to put the bill up for statewide referendum, ensuring that every Washingtonian gets to vote on marriage this November.

This time, the politicians won't have the final say—if they don't listen to the people now, they'll have to listen in November.

In the time you've read this email you could have already contacted your legislator. Please do it right now!

Take Action Now

Use this link to take action now!

Thank you so very much! We will continue to keep you up to date on the latest news and developments.

SPLCenter Comes Out for Gay Marriage, Asks Courts to Overturn DOMA

From their website:

The Southern Poverty Law Center filed a lawsuit on behalf of Cooper-Harris and her partner, charging that the Department of Veterans Affairs discriminated against them by denying these benefits but granting them to spouses in heterosexual marriages. It also charges the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is unconstitutional because it bans federal agencies from recognizing such same-sex marriages, denying these couples benefits available to couples in heterosexual marriages.

Video: Maryland Rallies for Marriage At the Statehouse!

TFP filmed this video of a massive gathering of pro-marriage supporters in Annapolis earlier this week.

One pastor says: "Never in human history has marriage been defined as two men. Never in human history has marriage been defined as two women. Who has the right to redefine it? [Crowd shouts: "No One!"] This is reckless social experimentation. Marriage is the fundamental cell of society. If you mess with marriage, you threaten the very future of humanity. We ask our government to do their job. Fix the problems we already have. Don't make new ones! Do your job!"

Washington Senate Approves SSM Bill 28-21

The Associated Press:

The Washington state Senate passed a bill Wednesday night that would legalize same-sex marriage, setting the stage for the state to become the seventh to allow gay and lesbian couples to wed.

The measure now heads to the House, which is expected to approve it and could take action on it as early as next week. Gov. Chris Gregoire supports the measure and has said she will sign it into law, though opponents have promised to challenge it at the ballot with a referendum.

The packed public galleries burst into applause as the Senate passed the measure on a 28-21 vote after nearly an hour and a half of debate. Four Republicans crossed party lines and voted with majority Democrats for the measure. Three Democrats voted against it.

... Nearly a dozen amendments were introduced, including several that passed that strengthen legal protections for religious groups and organizations. A handful were rejected, including one that would exempt photographers, cake decorators and other business owners who object to gay marriage from the law, and another that called for a referendum clause to be added to the bill.

Sen. Dan Swecker, R-Rochester, argued that the proposed law alters the definition of marriage and "will lead to the silencing of those who believe in traditional marriage."

"It's ironic how a bill which purports to be about ending discrimination leaves the door open so far for discrimination going in the other direction," he said. "I'm extremely concerned that without additional protections, this legislation will create a hostile environment for those of us who believe in traditional marriage."

Even though the referendum clause amendment was rejected, opponents have already promised to file a challenge to the legislation. But that can't be done until after it is passed by the full Legislature and signed into law by Gregoire. Opponents then must turn in 120,577 signatures by June 6.

Chaplains on Trial? Tell Congress to Protect the Liberty of our Servicemen and Women!

Tell Congress to Protect the Liberty of our Servicemen and Women!

Dear Marriage Supporter,

Did you see this day coming?

Who would have thought we needed a federal statute to protect military chaplains—and other servicemen and women—who believe that marriage is between one man and one woman?

But just months after the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell, there is a full-on battle for marriage raging within our nation's armed forces.

Urge your congressman to co-sponsor the Military Religious Freedom Protection Act today!

Take Action Now

Last April, the Navy issued new "sensitivity training" guidelines that required Navy chaplains to perform same-sex marriages. Thanks to leadership from Congressmen Tim Huelskamp and Todd Akin, the Navy backed down and rescinded the guidelines.

In September, the Department of Defense issued two more memos, requiring all military facilities to be available for same-sex weddings and allowing chaplains to participate in same-sex ceremonies.

Recognizing this growing threat to the religious liberty of our armed forces, Rep. Tim Huelskamp of Kansas last week introduced the Military Religious Freedom Protection Act (H.R. 3828). The bill does three things:

  1. Protects military chaplains from being forced to participate in any ceremony or function that is against their conscience or religious beliefs.
  2. Protects our men and women in uniform from being discriminated against because of religious beliefs opposed to same-sex marriage or homosexuality.
  3. Prohibits the use of military facilities for same-sex marriage ceremonies.

But President Obama is refusing to do his job as President—picking and choosing which laws are worth enforcing. He refuses to defend DOMA in court and is actively undermining it at every turn. And same-sex marriage activists have been working to leverage the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell to harass and intimidate chaplains and other service members who are standing up for marriage.

Tell your Congressman we need to protect the religious liberty of our armed forces—just like they put their lives on the line to protect ours. Tell your Congressman to co-sponsor the Military Religious Freedom Protection Act (H.R.3828) today.

Click here to send your message now!

Thank you.

Maggie's Latest Column: The High Cost of Being a Tiger Mom

NOM co-founder Maggie Gallagher's syndicated column in Human Events:

American women are both incredibly dogmatic and anxious about our mothering.

When Amy Chua described her intense efforts to push her two daughters into high achievement in school, in music and, hence, in life, she caused an uproar among many Americans who consider her methods bordering on child abuse. (What? No playdates!?)

Two new studies do point out that there are costs to tiger mothering.

A study by professor Desiree Qin and colleagues was published this month in the Journal of Adolescence and is titled, "Parent-Child Relations and Psychological Adjustment Among High-Achieving Chinese- and European-American Adolescents."

Qin looked at survey data on 295 Chinese-American and 192 European-American ninth-graders at Stuyvesant High School, a well-regarded public magnet school in Manhattan.

Chinese-American teens reported lower levels of psychological well-being, less family cohesion and more conflict with their parents, on average.

NY Conservative Party: No Support for Senators Who Flipped on Marriage

In an interview with Capital Tonight NY:

Conservative Party Chairman Michael Long says denying legislative candidates endorsements because of their vote for same-sex marriage hasn’t changed.

“Anybody who votes to destroy traditional marriage would not receive our endorsement. That is in cement and there is no change,” he said.

... “My hope there is that the Erie County executive committee does what is correct in dealing with [Sen. Mark] Grisanti and that’s denying him the endorsement,” he said.

Ken Mehlman's Libertarian Case for Gay Marriage

Ken Mehlman, former chairman of the GOP, is trying to sway independent-minded Republicans in New Hampshire to support gay marriage:

I will be in New Hampshire this week — to urge legislative members of my party to reject House Bill 437. It’s time to stand up for individual freedom and liberty, to live by the Golden Rule and to oppose any effort to diminish or strip away individual rights, and to return to the real business of building business, keeping taxes down and growing our economy. “Live Free or Die” should be more than just a slogan. -- The Union-Leader

NOM co-founder Maggie Gallagher has just published a research brief on this very topic: "Why Libertarians Should Oppose Same-Sex Marriage".

Ruth Institute President Jennifer Roback Morse has also published on the subject: "The Libertarian Case for Man Woman Marriage".

NOM Congratulates Mitt Romney on Florida Win

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 31, 2012
Contact: Anath Hartmann or Elizabeth Ray at 703-683-5004


NOM Logo

Former Governor of Massachusetts has signed NOM's Marriage Pledge

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Brian Brown, the president of the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) today congratulated GOP presidential contender Mitt Romney on his victory in the Florida primary.

“NOM congratulates Mitt Romney on his extremely impressive win in Florida." said Brown. "As a major winner-take-all state, this is a significant win for Governor Romney. This also marks the fourth straight state where the winner is a signatory to NOM’s Marriage Pledge. The only candidate who hasn’t signed, Ron Paul, hasn’t won a thing and finished in last place in Florida."

This is Romney’s second state win, having previously won in New Hampshire. Rick Santorum won the Iowa caucuses and Newt Gingrich won in South Carolina. All three of the leading candidates for the GOP nomination have signed NOM's Marriage Pledge, which commits signatories, if elected, to taking specific steps toward preserving the institution of marriage as the union between one man and one woman. Rep. Ron Paul is the only remaining Republican presidential candidate not to have signed the pledge, and he is not considered to have any realistic chance of becoming the Republican nominee.

“Ron Paul and his radical views on marriage were thoroughly repudiated in Florida, where he is barely receiving 7% of the vote,” Brown said.

“Preserving marriage has become an important issue in the race, and Ron Paul is simply wrong on marriage. We will continue to let voters know where the candidates stand on marriage. “

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To schedule an interview with Brian Brown, President of the National Organization for Marriage, please contact Elizabeth Ray (x130) or Anath Hartmann at 703-683-5004.

Tell Christie to Withdraw Nomination of Pro-SSM Judge For Extremist Views Equating Christianity and Slavery

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Dear Marriage Supporter,

I need your help right now to stop Gov. Christie from making a horrible mistake—appointing a radically pro-gay marriage anti-Christian judge to the state supreme court.

Click here to send Gov. Christie a message.

Gov. Chris Christie has been the hope of millions of Americans across the country looking for honest conservative leadership.

Last week we asked you to thank Gov. Christie for saying he will follow through on his campaign promise to veto same-sex marriage.

This week, we have urgent and terrible news to report—Gov. Chris Christie's nominee to the New Jersey Supreme Court is not only an outspoken advocate for gay marriage, he has extreme and hateful views equating traditional Christian views on sex and marriage with slavery.

This kind of intemperate and extreme view should be totally unacceptable in a GOP judicial nominee.

Yet Gov. Christie's proposed supreme court nominee Bruce Harris sent this email in 2009 to State Senator Joe Pennacchio urging him to vote for gay marriage:

"When I hear someone say that they believe marriage is only between a man and a woman because that's the way it's always been, I think of the many "traditions" that deprived people of their civil rights for centuries: prohibitions on interracial marriage, slavery, (which is even provided for in the Bible), segregation, the subservience of women, to name just a few of these "traditions."

I hope that you consider my request that you re-evaluate your position and, if after viewing the videos, reading Governor Whitman's letter and thinking again about this issue of civil rights you still oppose same-sex marriage on grounds other than religion I would appreciate it if you you'd explain your position to me. And, if the basis of your opposition is religious, then I suggest that you do what the US Constitution mandates—and that is to maintain a separation between the state and religion."

Governor Christie says that Harris has promised to recuse himself when the same-sex marriage comes before the court, but even this unenforceable promise misses the bigger issue: a man who cannot tell the difference between supporting our traditional understanding of marriage and wanting to enslave a people lacks common sense and judicial temperament.

And to suggest that legislators should ignore the views of religious constituents, that moral views grounded in the Bible are somehow illegitimate in the public square, seriously compounds the offense.

These are not the words of a judicial conservative, a man who believes in common sense, strict construction of the state constitution—the kind of judge Gov. Christie promised to appoint to the court.

How did this happen?

When Assemblyman Mike Carroll was sent a copy of that email by a reporter, he had one word in response: "Yikes."

Gov. Christie's nomination of Bruce Harris appears to be a result of a failure in the vetting process, not a deliberate backhanded backroom betrayal by New Jersey's governor. If so, the Governor can and must honorably withdraw the nomination.

The next generation of GOP leadership on the national level have to understand: knowingly appointing radical anti-religious justices is unacceptable.

Please, right now, send Gov. Christie a message keep him from making a terrible mistake marring his record. Tell Christie: Withdraw the Bruce Harris nomination today. Protect our judiciary from radically unconservative judges with extremist views pushing gay marriage and equating Christianity with slavery.

Take Action Now

Gay Marriage...In Florida!?

Gay Marriage...In Florida!?

Dear Marriage Supporter,

The same-sex marriage movement is not about "live-and-let-live."

It is about radically redefining marriage for everyone, whether you like it or not—yes, even in the Sunshine state.

As you read this, there is a bill in the United States Senate, advanced by Senator Diane Feinstein of California, to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). DOMA is the only federal law protecting Florida's 2008 state constitutional amendment from outside legal challenges.

This is the same-sex marriage lobby's preferred strategy. They don't want to let the people vote. They're reluctant to trust legislators, who can be influenced by their constituents.

They want a single person, or a small panel of people, to decide for you what is "equitable" and what you are allowed to believe without repercussion.

We cannot allow this to happen.

That is why defending DOMA at the federal level and assisting with the various federal lawsuits that will make their way up to the Supreme Court in 2012 is a prominent part of NOM's strategic battle plan to protect marriage—and why it is critical for you, as a resident of Florida, to get engaged in the fight.

Will you make one urgent gift to NOM right now to ensure we have the funds necessary to protect marriage in Florida and in all 50 states?

Donate Now

Anything you can afford to donate is important, because with so many fights all over America, our resources will be stretched thin all year.

Today is the primary in Florida, a key stage in the race for the White House. Congress is up for grabs, we're waging a legislative battle in Washington, D.C. to stop DOMA from being repealed, and we have legal cases going all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

And on top of all that, we're also fighting in a dozen other states:

  • Working to repeal same-sex marriage laws in Iowa, New Hampshire, and New York (in fact, there will be a vote very soon in the New Hampshire legislature to restore traditional marriage!);
  • Protecting marriage in states where it is under fire (Rhode Island, Washington, New Jersey, Maryland);
  • Passing marriage protection amendments in key states (including Minnesota, among others).

In the past few weeks, threats to marriage and religious liberty have also popped up in Virginia and Illinois, and we may need additional funds to fight in those large states as well.

The bottom line: 2012 will either be the year when traditional marriage makes a comeback...

...or it will be the year when the same-sex marriage lobbyists knock the doors down and begin their assault on marriage in all 50 states.

As always, the success of our campaign depends on you, marriage supporter.

So please, to protect marriage in Florida and all across America throughout 2012, make one urgent financial gift today.

Donate Now

Thank you in advance, and God bless you.

Don't Let Same-Sex Marriage Special Interests Control New Jersey Politics!

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Dear Marriage Supporter,

My sincere thanks to each of you who have risen to the challenge over the past two weeks—taking action to defend marriage in the Garden State. Marriage, as you know, hangs in the balance, and your action is helping to make the difference. Thank you!

And that's I'm writing to you today. As you know, the National Organization for Marriage fights to protect marriage in all 50 states.

But New Jersey is on the front lines and of critical importance in the fight to defend marriage.

When the New Jersey state Senate tried to force through a same-sex marriage bill in a lame-duck session at the end of 2009, NOM spent $500,000 organizing grassroots opposition to the bill and, to the utter shock of the mainstream media, defeated it in a 14-20 vote.

This year, same-sex radicals are back to their same old tricks, pushing harder than ever. Last Wednesday, on an 8-4 party line vote, Senate Democrats passed a new same-sex marriage bill out of committee. And just last night, the Assembly Judiciary Committee did the same, passing the measure on a 5-2 party line vote and setting the stage for a showdown with Governor Christie later this month.

We MUST stop this bill in its tracks!

New Jersey is a prominent part of NOM's 2012 strategic battle plan to protect marriage, and I need your help today.

Will you make one urgent gift to NOM right now to ensure we have the funds necessary to protect marriage in New Jersey and across the country?

Donate Now

And the dirty little secret? Same-sex marriage advocates will do anything possible to prevent the people of New Jersey from ever having the chance to vote on marriage.

As pro-SSM Democratic Assemblyman Reed Gusciora from Trenton admits, "It's a hard dynamic to win at the polls." Why? Because they know they lose every time. Or in Gusciora's own ad hominem attack, same-sex marriage advocates, "can't match the crazies who are out there..." And yes—he's talking about you and me.

You and I are NOT crazy for believing that marriage is the union of a man and a woman because children need a mother and a father. But the same-sex marriage lobby has been pouring millions of dollars into New Jersey to convince you precisely that gay marriage in inevitable and you are insane for opposing it.

Do NOT believe their lies!

Same-sex marriage is NOT inevitable—we can stop same-sex marriage from coming to New Jersey. We did it before, and we can do it again!

The race for the White House is well underway, Congress is up for grabs, we're waging a legislative battle in Washington to stop DOMA from being repealed, and we have legal cases going all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

And beyond working to defend marriage in New Jersey (and in Rhode Island, Washington and Maryland where it is similarly under fire), NOM is working to repeal same-sex marriage in New York, Iowa and New Hampshire and pro-actively pushing pro-marriage legislation in various states like Minnesota.

Anything you can afford to donate is important, because with so many fights all over America, our resources will be stretched thin all year.

In the past few weeks, threats to marriage and religious liberty have also popped up in Virginia and Illinois, and we may need additional funds to fight in those large states as well.

Donate Now

The bottom line: 2012 will either be the year when traditional marriage makes a comeback...

...or it will be the year when the same-sex marriage lobbyists knock the doors down and begin their assault on marriage in all 50 states.

As always, the success of our campaign depends on you, marriage supporter.

So please, to protect marriage in New Jersey and all across America throughout 2012, make one urgent financial gift today.

Thank you in advance and God bless you.

ACTION ALERT - Battle to Preserve Marriage in Maryland is Heating Up!

Battle to Preserve Marriage in Maryland is Heating Up!

Dear Marriage Supporter,

The battle to preserve one man-one woman marriage is Maryland is heating up this week!

New legislation, backed by Governor O'Malley, to undo the time-honored and common sense definition of marriage will be heard in the State Senate this week.

We need you to take ACTION immediately to have your voice be heard if we are to stop gay marriage in Maryland again this year, just as we did last year.

  • FIRST—We need you to call your State Senators and let them know that we will not stand for this. Please visit our local coalition website at www.MarylandMarriageAlliance.com and click on the TAKE ACTION button. There, you can input your address and it will tell you who your State Senator is. Then you can send them an email, call them, and make sure your voice is heard.

    Please act now as we need every Senator in Maryland to hear the loud, clear voice from their constituents that we will not stand for this!

Take Action Now

  • SECOND—Don't be intimidated! Did you see the comments the other day from the First Lady of Maryland, the Governor's wife, calling opponents of the radical attempt to redefine marriage "cowards"? This is so typical of our opponents, always attempting to bully and cower the good people who support marriage into silence. How is it cowardly to speak your mind? How is it cowardly to stand up for the right of children to be raised by a mom and dad? Yet the Governor's own wife called you, and the pastors and legislators who supported the position of the majority of Marylanders, cowards. This is another desperate attempt by the other side to win by intimidation. Don't let it keep you on the sidelines!
  • THIRD—We need your continued active involvement. After you call your Senator, stay involved. Sign up for email alerts. Click through the Action Center on the website and help in other ways. And if you can afford any funds in these tough times, it will help us contact your neighbors who also support our position and ensure they join our team as well. Please click here—www.marylandmarriagealliance.com/donate—and share your generous support today.
  • FINALLY—Continue to be confident. Momentum is on our side. Last night at Lawyers' Mall next to the State Capitol, thousands of marriage supporters joined in a rally and prayer vigil to protect marriage and send a clear message to the General Assembly that we will not stand for their efforts to redefine marriage. Perhaps you were there. But even if you were not, we know you were there in spirit. By continuing to be involved, we can and will win this fight.

Please, now is the time to wake up again and fight to defend marriage in Maryland. Take action now, before it's too late.