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NOM Launches Independent Expenditure Campaign in the 18th Senate District Race in Iowa

October 20, 2011 at 10:15 am

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 20, 2011
CONTACT: Mary Beth Hutchins or Elizabeth Ray (703-683-5004)

National Organization for Marriage Continues What It Started In 2010

Des Moines, IA – The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) today announced it is launching an Independent Expenditure campaign along with The Family Leader in the 18th Senate District race to support Cindy Golding. Golding, a strong traditional marriage advocate, is running against Democrat Liz Mathis, a vocal supporter of same-sex marriage. NOM was a major player last year in the successful effort to remove three Supreme Court justices from office after they redefined marriage in Iowa.

“This is a pivotal election contest in our battle to allowing the people of Iowa the opportunity to vote to restore marriage,” said Brian Brown, president of NOM. “A proposed constitutional amendment on defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman enjoys broad-based, bi-partisan legislative and voter support, but is being prevented from coming to the floor of the Senate by Majority Leader Mike Gronstal. If Ms. Golding is successful in her election, we are hopeful that Senators will finally have the opportunity to vote on the marriage amendment, and we expect it to pass handily.”

NOM will be supporting Golding with a series of mailers and other activities in in the 18th District. The first dropped today.

The mail piece can be seen here:

Paid for by the National Organization for Marriage, www.nationformarriage.org.

To schedule an interview with Brian Brown, President of the National Organization for Marriage, please contact Mary Beth Hutchins, [email protected], x.105 or Elizabeth Ray, [email protected], x.130 at 703-683-5004.

###

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in Same Sex Marriage | Comments (30)

Gay Activists/ACLU Applaud "Peoria Solution" Ending Catholic Foster Care

October 20, 2011 at 10:00 am

Gay activists are crowing because one Catholic diocese in Illinois has ended its legal battle to preserve the freedom to place kids with a mom and dad, choosing instead to transfer the 300+ children in their care to a new outfit that will do adoptions to same-sex couples (the three remaining Catholic dioceses continue to pursue legal recourse):

New Civil Rights Movement: "...if a diocese can make the serious and sober decision that it needs to reconfigure itself out from under Catholic orthodoxy in order to best serve children in need, then at least some well-​meaning Catholics understand the competing demands of doctrine and reality..."

The ACLU: "The new organization will not be bound by the religious tenets asserted by Catholic Charities, and instead will follow the law and DCFS' mandate requiring that the state's wards have the opportunity to be cared for by all potential caring and qualified foster and adoptive parents, including gays and lesbians."

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in Adoption, Civil Unions, Illinois, Law, Religious Liberty | Comments (13)

EWTN: NY Senators Seen As Vulnerable for Turning Against Marriage

October 20, 2011 at 9:30 am

EWTN:

A group of New York state senators who switched positions to support redefining marriage may be vulnerable in primary elections, despite financial backing from Mayor Michael Bloomberg and others.

"These senators campaigned with the promise that they would not vote to redefine marriage. Mark Grisanti, in fact, went as far as to promise churches that he would never vote to redefine marriage," said Christopher Plante, northeast regional coordinator for the National Organization for Marriage.

"But when they were shown the money, and they began to do the money dance, they betrayed their people's vote - for the money. Therein lies the problem."

On NOM's Let the People Vote billboard campaign:

"The 'You're Next' message points directly back to the Ninth Congressional District, and Bob Turner," explained Plante. "Mr. Turner upset David Weprin in a seat that had been held by Democrats for something like nine decades. And marriage was one of the key issues in that race."

"David Weprin had been in the assembly and voted to redefine marriage. The Orthodox Jewish community, and many other marriage protectors, stood up and voted him out."

Plante believes the four senators whose votes achieved the legal redefinition of marriage will pay for switching sides after their election.

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in New York, Same Sex Marriage | Comments Off on EWTN: NY Senators Seen As Vulnerable for Turning Against Marriage

Alesi: In 2009, I Voted "NO" When I Meant "YES"

October 20, 2011 at 9:00 am

Chelsea Now reports on Sen. Jim Alesi's hypocrisy in 2009.

He voted NO at the time and now claims he actually wanted to vote YES:

As the State Senate Republican minority prepared to enter the chamber for the December 2, 2009 vote on marriage equality, James Alesi, a GOP member from the Rochester area, told his colleagues, “I’m voting no. If anyone votes yes, I’m going to quit the Senate.”

That was not because Alesi was a diehard gay marriage opponent. Far from it.

Instead, he explained at an October 18 panel hosted by the New York Times, senators knew ahead of time that the votes for passage were not there.

He says now, in 2011:

“This was the best vote [for SSM] I’ve ever taken in 20 years, and I’ll go to my grave with that,” he said.

More importantly, he has to go to the voters with that in 2012.

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in New York, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (1)

Principal Refuses to Alert Parents to School Play Featuring Gay Kiss

October 20, 2011 at 8:00 am

LifeSiteNews:

Several students at a Hartford high school expressed horror and left the auditorium when two male members of a city-funded school play shared a passionate kiss onstage on Friday. School officials said they opted against informing parents about the event ahead of time, saying that the students needed exposure to homosexuality, and hailed the “chaotic” reaction as a victory for raising the gay issue.

... School officials had told students that homosexual displays of affection would be featured in the play, and many asked to be excused. One school official cited by The Courant, nursing academy principal David Chambers, said that he had considered sending an opt-out letter to parents before changing his mind. The school reportedly received a number of phone calls from parents following the incident.

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in Connecticut, Education, Parenting, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (27)

Gov. Cuomo: Disagree With Gay Marriage and You Are An Irrational Bigot

October 19, 2011 at 11:00 am

He didn't quite say that, but he came pretty close:

“Ultimately, there was no answer by the opposition. There isn’t! There really isn’t. And as soon as you ask the question, and you probe the answer, the only answer [by those opposed to the gay marriage bill] is ‘I want to discriminate against gay people.’"

Really? For thousands of years human beings have recognized marriage as the union of male and female--for no reason but to hurt gay people?

Who is being irrational and intolerant now?

Source: New Civil Rights Movement

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in New York, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (23)

Dem-Leaning Polling Firm: Clear Majority of Iowans Support Marriage Amendment

October 19, 2011 at 10:30 am

Public Policy Polling:

A constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage in Iowa would start out with the lead, 50-43.

41% of Iowans think gay marriage should be legal to 48% who believe it should be illegal, a spread that matches the one for the constitutional amendment.

The balance of power in the Iowa Senate currently hinges on the outcome of the special election in Senate District 18. The Democrat, Liz Mathis, opposes allowing Iowans to vote on marriage. The Republican, Cindy Golding, supports the right of Iowans to vote on marriage.

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in Iowa, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (9)

137,000+ Washingtonians Exposed to Potential Harassment

October 19, 2011 at 10:00 am

Hopefully gay marriage advocates have learned the tactics used in California and elsewhere backfire with the electorate:

...the Secretary of State's Office on Monday began making public the names of 137,500 people who signed Referendum 71 petitions two years ago to bring a domestic-partnership law to a public vote.

... Stephen Pidgeon, an attorney representing Protect Marriage, called the decision a "dramatic setback to the right of privacy in the state of Washington."

"There were death threats, serious death threats; there were acts of violence, harassment and published declarations that there would be harassment," he said. -- The Seattle Times

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in Same Sex Marriage, Washington | Comments (11)

VA Board of Social Services to Reconsider Adoption Policy

October 19, 2011 at 9:30 am

An update from the HuffingtonPost:

The Virginia Board of Social Services will be briefed this week on public comments submitted in response to the proposed regulatory change.

... The board faced pressure from religious groups and Virginia officials. Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli told the board it lacked the legal authority to enact the regulations, and Gov. Bob McDonnell also came out against the regulations, saying faith-based adoption groups should not have to place children with households led by same-sex couples.

... There are no per se restrictions on gay individuals adopting or fostering children in Virginia. Child-placement agencies are under current law allowed to reject gay single individuals' applications to adopt or provide foster care. The proposed regulations would prohibit that type of discrimination.

Eileen Guertler, director of public affairs and citizen services for Virginia's Department of Social Services, told The Huffington Post in an interview that there are some adoptions to gay individuals every year in Virginia, though she could not provide any figures.

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in Adoption, Law, Religious Liberty, Virginia | Comments Off on VA Board of Social Services to Reconsider Adoption Policy

Pastor Comes to Viki Knox' Defense

October 19, 2011 at 9:00 am

Religion News Service:

The pastor of a high school teacher who has been vilified for an anti-gay tirade on Facebook came to the woman’s defense, calling her a “very loving person” who should not be fired for expressing her religious beliefs.

The Rev. Milton B. Hobbs, pastor of New Covenant Fellowship in Clark, N.J., said special education teacher Viki Knox is not homophobic and that her comments, when taken in the context of the Bible, were not false.

...Hobbs said his greater concern is the possibility Knox will be disciplined for expressing an opinion on a personal Web page, noting she did not incite violence or advocate harm.

“Any Christian who makes a stand that’s unpopular can expect to be persecuted. That’s in the Bible, too,” Hobbs said. “But no American should expect to be prosecuted for exercising free speech. At what point does that stop?”

We've written about the Viki Knox story on the NOM blog here.

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in Education, Free Speech, New Jersey, Religious Liberty | Comments (2)

Peoria Diocese Drops Adoption, Foster-Care Services to Resolve Conflict With Civil Unions Bill

October 19, 2011 at 8:00 am

Catholic Culture World News:

The Diocese of Peoria, Illinois, has dropped a legal challenge to a state law requiring equal treatment for same-sex couples in adoption and foster-care services.

The Peoria office of Catholic Charities, which faced the loss of government contracts because it would not comply with the new state law, has chosen to set up a new organization, without formal ties to the Catholic Church, to handle adoption and foster-care cases. The staff of Catholic Charities will join the new organization, which will abide by the new regulations.

“I have a responsibility to assure that Catholic Charities operates consistently with the teachings and values of the Church,” said Peoria’s Bishop Daniel Jenky in explaining the decision to drop the legal case. The newly established office will not follow the precepts of the Church, but it will not operate under the “Catholic” label.

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in Adoption, Illinois, Religious Liberty | Comments (2)

Tune-In Tomorrow to Hear Marriage Debate Featuring Maggie Gallagher on Minnesota Public Radio

October 18, 2011 at 8:46 pm

Exciting news!

Last week NOM co-founder Maggie Gallagher debated Dale Carpenter of the University of Minnesota. The debate was sponsored by the Murphy Institute for Catholic Thought, Law and Public Policy at the University of St. Thomas Law School. You will be able to hear a shortened version of the debate (their two opening statements and two rebuttals) from 11AM to 1PM tomorrow on Minnesota Public Radio News.

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in Minnesota | Comments (12)

Four New York State Senators and Their Same-Sex Marriage Money Dance

October 18, 2011 at 4:40 pm

LetThePeopleVote.com

Dear Marriage Supporter,

Money dance.

Perhaps you’ve heard about the practice of some brides and grooms dancing for money with supporters at their wedding. Well, last Thursday the four Republican senators who pushed same-sex marriage through in New York this summer were doing a money dance of their own – dancing with wealthy contributors like Michael Bloomberg and Tim Gill, who purchased their allegiance during the recent legislative session.

These four senators reportedly raised well over a million dollars in a single night – in their quest for wedding cash purchased at the expense of their values and promises made to New York voters.

Help fight back!

With your help, NOM has been running billboards throughout the state to hold legislators accountable.

LetthePeopleVote.com has just released a new online ad showing these four senators dancing for money.

Now I need you to help NOM PAC New York take this fight to the next level. A handful of multimillionaires are trying to buy the Republican Party and force same-sex marriage on the nation. The only way to fight back is for every one of us to stand up and make our voices heard – by talking to our friends, by getting personally involved, and by putting whatever funds we have to work in the fight to protect marriage.

We may not have multi-millionaires to bankroll an entire campaign in one night, but we have something better – hundreds of thousands of Americans who agree that marriage is important and deserves to be protected.

I am challenging you to make a generous donation to NOM PAC New York today. Over the next seven days, our goal for NOM PAC NY is to gain 1000 new donors and raise $100,000 to protect marriage in New York.

Help meet our goal and send a message to the multimillionaires who think they can force same-sex marriage on the nation. Please make your most generous gift of $1,000, $500, $100, or even $50 or $20 today.

Brian Brown

Brian Brown

Brian S. Brown
Treasurer
NOM PAC New York

Contribute

Brian Brown
By Brian Brown | Posted in New York, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (7)

Grisanti Ignores Hundreds of Voters Who Showed Up in Buffalo To Protest His SSM Vote

October 18, 2011 at 12:45 pm

Under media scrutiny for selling his vote and betraying his constituents, Sen. Grisanti said a very strange thing to the press:

State Senator Mark Grisanti: "To say 'you're next,' first of all I don't know what that means, second of all it was done by an organization that's based out of Utah, that pays no taxes in New York state, that doesn't care about Western New York whatsoever.

Huh? NOM has supporters in all fifty states, including New York. Just look at the hundreds of Western New Yorkers who showed up for out Let The People Vote Rally in Buffalo:

Sen. Grisanti -- these are New York taxpayers. These are your constituents.

These are the folks you betrayed in cashing in on your vote for gay marriage.

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in New York, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (14)

Media Coverage of NOM's "Money Dance" Ad

October 18, 2011 at 12:15 pm

NOM's "Money Dance" ad lampooning the pro-SSM New York Senators who betrayed the voters is already being noticed by New York media:

Times-Union Capital Confidential: "The National Organization for Marriage is out with a JibJab-ish web ad attacking the four GOP Senators who voted for same-sex marriage last June. This is a response to the recent fund-raiser held for the lawmakers in New York City."

New York Daily News Daily Politics: "The senators, as you can see, are Roy McDonald, Mark Grisanti, Steve Saland and James Alesi [...] As we noted here on The Daily Politics two weeks ago, NOM is also waging a billboard campaign against the Republican quartet."

WIVB Buffalo: "The organization behind the billboard that's up along Interstate 190 also has released a new web ad called, "Money Dance." The ad features the four senators dancing with wealthy contributors. It's in response to a fundraiser Grisanti attended Thursday in New York City hosted by Mayor Michael Bloomberg."

Buffalo News: "The event was used as new attack material by the conservative National Organization for Marriage, which has vowed to spend $2 million to defeat Grisanti and the other Republican senators in next year's elections. The group already has taken out billboards in the senators' districts and on Friday launched an online advertisement labeled "Money Dance" against the four lawmakers."

Politics on the Hudson: The National Organization for Marriage is up with an online ad today against the four Republicans senators who voted in June to legalize same-sex marriage. [...] NOM has a “Let the People Vote” campaign that is seeking to overturn the same-sex marriage law, which took effect in July, through a constitutional amendment."

WNED Buffalo: State Senator Mark Grisanti continues to be dogged by his vote in June on the Marriage Equality bill. Grisanti was one of four Republicans who sided with Democrats to get the legislation passed. Now, critics are claiming that New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg hosted a lavish fundraiser recently to pay the Senators back.

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in New York, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (1)
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