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Dear Marriage Supporter,
Marriage rests on a knife's edge in Trenton, and the next few weeks are critical. Please use the links below to take action, and then forward this message to five friends today.
The bill to redefine marriage for everyone will be introduced tomorrow, and SSM activists have already begun the spin game—claiming they already have the votes needed to pass a same-sex marriage bill. It's not true—at least not yet—but SSM activists are making progress in the legislature, and we need a massive outpouring of grassroots opposition to stop them.
We stopped this bill two years ago, but it's going to take even more work this year, as the Democratic leadership in Trenton has made same-sex marriage its primary focus this year.
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Use this link to take action now!
At a news conference yesterday, Senate President Steve Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver announced plans to make same-sex marriage their signature initiative in 2012, with same-sex marriage to be the first bill introduced in both houses when the session opens tomorrow, and fast-tracking the bill through the legislature, setting up a showdown with Governor Christie, who has promised to veto the measure.
The media is, as usual, playing along with this lie of inevitability by treating passage as virtually guaranteed. Mr. Sweeney even claims he already has the 21 votes needed to pass the measure in the 40-member Senate, but our sources in the legislature say that as of today, the votes aren't there to pass a same-sex marriage bill with even a simple majority, much less a veto-proof majority.
I repeat—as of today, the same-sex marriage bill would not pass in the Senate.
Two years ago, SSM activists made the same claims—that passage of the same-sex marriage bill was a done deal—only to see the bill defeated 14-20 when New Jerseyans sent a powerful message to Trenton.
But gay marriage advocates are pulling out all the stops, and are making progress in the legislature. They will likely have at least one Republican sign on to the bill in the Senate, and are getting very close to the majority needed for passage.
Please understand this: 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.
Some of you can make a trip to Trenton to meet with your state senator and representative. Some of you can help organize your church to stand up for marriage.
And each of us can make phone calls and send emails today.
NOM has committed $500,000 to hold New Jersey legislators accountable for their vote on marriage, and we're working closely with grassroots leaders in the state to coordinate efforts in Trenton. But this effort will only succeed if people of New Jersey from all walks of life step up and tell politicians in Trenton: "Don't Mess with Marriage!"
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.
Faithfully,
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Brian S. Brown
President
National Organization for Marriage
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