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Knights of Columbus Recommit to Protecting Marriage and Family

August 10, 2011 at 8:00 am

The Knights of Columbus, the largest association of lay Catholics in the United States (now with a record 1.8 million members) approved a resolution (see the full text here) at their annual convention last week to strongly support the institution of marriage.

Carl Anderson, head of the Knights, writes in his annual report:

Today, the very nature of the family is being threatened in many places and in many ways. And during the past four decades, even our most fundamental right – the right to life – has been undermined.

I don’t have to tell you that in many ways, society has lost track of the things that are most important: the sacredness of human life, and the right of every child, not only to be born, but to be raised by a mother and a father.

As faithful Catholics and Knights of Columbus, we know that among the most important tasks ahead of us is the need to shape our culture according to Gospel values, and to bring the Christian message of hope to all.

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in Catholic Church, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (3)

Netherlands Refuses to Re-Hire 3 Registers Who Oppose SSM

August 9, 2011 at 2:30 pm

In Dutch News:

Groningen city council said on Thursday it would not renew the contracts of three civil servants who have refused to officiate at same sex weddings.

The contracts are due to expire in 2014. The three cannot be sacked because their action is not against the law.

Gay rights lobby group COC is using this weekend's Gay Pride celebrations to urge the government to get tough on registrars who refuse to perform gay weddings.

According to COC research, 58 local councils employ a total 0f 102 registrars who refuse to marry same sex couples. Nearly all are orthodox Christians.

Emancipation minister Marja van Bijsterveld said in June that civil servants could refuse to perform gay weddings on religious grounds.

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in Europe, Religious Liberty, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (13)

Cuomo Admits: I Can't Help the Republican Senators

August 9, 2011 at 1:45 pm

He calls it "gutsy" to betray your constituents' views.  Well, that's one way of looking at it:

“There are many times when you have legislators who stand up and take gutsy positions that they’re penalized for,” said Cuomo, drawing a parallel to Congress members ousted over their vote for the assault weapons ban in 1994. “That’s why it’s gutsy.”

Although popular with Republican voters, Cuomo can’t, or won’t, say whether he would endorse those four Republican senators. He did, however, commit to vouch for their character.

“To the extent they have political trouble, it’s from the conservatives in their district,” he said. “I’m a Democrat. I’m not much help politically with conservatives. But to the extent my saying what they did, and explaining what they did can be helpful, I’ll do that.” -- The Advocate

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in New York, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (6)

LA Times Editors: Polygamy a Gay-Wedding Crasher

August 9, 2011 at 1:15 pm

And it all goes back to Lawrence v. Texas:

Jonathan Turley is probably not the most popular man right now with supporters of same-sex marriage. The George Washington University law professor has filed a suit challenging the constitutionality of Utah's anti-polygamy laws — and his argument is based on a landmark 2003 Supreme Court gay rights decision. That's not good news in the view of most gay rights supporters, who don't want their cause linked to that of polygamists any more than they want to see parallels drawn with people who engage in incest, bestiality and other taboo sexual practices.

... The 2003 gay rights case, Lawrence vs. Texas, was also a criminal matter unrelated to same-sex marriage. The court overturned the conviction of two men found to have violated a state law against same-sex sodomy. But in reaching that conclusion, Justice Anthony M. Kennedy offered a paean to intimate relationships defined by sexuality that easily can be transferred to the context of same-sex marriage, and potentially to polygamous marriages as well.

... like Lawrence, a ruling sympathetic to unconventional sexual behavior could plant the seeds of a future campaign for full marriage equality. In that case, governments would have to prove that it's rational to limit marriage to two individuals, homosexual or heterosexual. That might seem obvious, but so, at one time, did the argument that marriage should be confined to opposite-sex couples. --Los Angeles Times

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

Letters Reveal Maryland's Governor Martin O'Malley Ignored His Archbishop to Support SSM

August 9, 2011 at 12:45 pm

Governor O'Malley's office reportedly released his private correspondence with Archbishop Edwin O'Brien of Baltimore at the media's request:

Two days before Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) announced plans to sponsor a same-sex marriage bill, a Catholic archbishop strongly urged that he reconsider the move, suggesting the governor was acting out of “mere political expediency.”

Edwin F. O’Brien, the archbishop of Baltimore, said in a letter late last month that sponsoring the bill would “deeply conflict” with O’Malley’s Catholic faith and that he should resist pressure to do so after New York’s recent legalization of same-sex marriage.

... O’Brien’s letter also signals that the Catholic Church is gearing up for another fight on the issue in a state where the governor and both presiding officers of the legislature are Catholics.

O’Malley, who often attends weekday Masses and has sent his four children to Catholic schools, until recently advocated civil unions as an alternative to same-sex marriages. --Washington Post

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in Catholic Church, Maryland, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (19)

NY Daily News: SSM Bill's Passage Proof of Dysfunctional Albany Legislature

August 9, 2011 at 12:19 pm

Along the way, they agree with many points raised by those suing to overturn the law:

By the standards of good government [...] the case [against NY's SSM law] is a dead-on indictment of Albany dysfunction. Lawmakers negotiated crucial changes in last-minute secrecy, disclosing the exact wording only moments before passage.

The public was also shut out of the only debate that really mattered - among the Senate's majority Republicans - which dragged on for hours behind closed doors.

Final deliberations on the Senate floor, meanwhile, were shamefully cut off after a few minutes.

Cuomo abetted the sped-up process by granting an emergency waiver that let pols pass the bill without the usual three-day waiting period.

Meanwhile, deep-pocketed supporters of gay marriage poured cash into the campaign accounts of friendly lawmakers.

The four GOP senators who decisively voted yes, for example, reaped $10,000 each from Mayor Bloomberg.

Unseemly? Yes. Unusual or against the law? Not in Albany, 2011. --New York Daily News

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in New York, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (2)

Talk of Primary Opponents for Pro-SSM Sen. Roy McDonald (NY-43)

August 9, 2011 at 11:54 am

Consequences:

While earlier this month freshman GOP 198th District Assemblyman Steve McLaughlin suggested he wouldn’t primary Sen. Roy McDonald over the senator’s vote for same sex marriage, McLaughlin seems to be easing off that stance a bit, noting that he’s heard from several conservative Republicans who would like to see him run.

He stressed that his priority remains his Assembly work but added “I wouldn’t say it hasn’t crossed my mind,” as he’s gotten calls from members of the both the Republican and Conservative parties in Rensselaer and Saratoga counties where the bulk of McDonald’s 43rd Senate District lies.

“I’ve heard there is some unrest. And that’s probably why I’m getting the amount of phone calls and e mails I’ve been getting.” -- Albany Times-Union Capitol Confidential blog

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in New York, Same Sex Marriage | Comments Off on Talk of Primary Opponents for Pro-SSM Sen. Roy McDonald (NY-43)

ElectionWatch '12: Rick Perry and Rudy Giuliani?

August 9, 2011 at 11:11 am

A Texas columnist proposes an odd combination, which is plausible because Rick Perry endorsed Rudy Guiliani in 2008:

Bloggers and other chatterers are already writing and talking about a Perry-Giuliani ticket, one of those balanced-ballot concoctions that asks the political diners if they’d like some octopus on the plate to offset the sweetness of the strawberries. Sometimes a strange pairing works — try praline bacon at Elizabeth’s next time you’re in New Orleans — while sometimes it merely alarms the diners.

Everybody in the presidential race is trying to pick off voters, and every contestant has some appeal. Michele Bachmann is after the Tea Party folk and social conservatives. Ron Paul wrote the handbook for small-government conservatives. Rick Santorum is after the social conservatives. Each can be expected to shoot at Mr. Perry or anyone who comes poaching for votes. Their ammunition will be anything that attaches to the opposition that is offensive to those voters.

It’s a two-step. First, attach Mr. Perry to Mr. Giuliani. Second, use Mr. Giuliani’s positions to raise doubts about Mr. Perry’s.

They can couple it with Mr. Perry’s own goofs, starting with his states’ rights flip-flop.

But it could work the other way, too. Rick-Rudy bumper stickers, anyone?

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in Election Watch 2012, Marriage Election Watch, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (1)

Values Voters Bus Tour - Your chance to meet presidential candidates in person!

August 8, 2011 at 6:05 pm

$100,000 Challenge

I hope you've made plans to join us at one of the Values Voters Bus Tour stops this week as we tour Iowa on our way to the Ames Straw Poll next Saturday. With 22 stops over 4 days, you'll have plenty of opportunities to find a tour stop near you, bring out your friends and neighbors, and ask GOP presidential candidates about their support for marriage.

The tour kicks off at the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines tomorrow morning, and continues through Oskaloosa, Washington, Muscatine, and Davenport before ending the day in Iowa City. And that's just the first day! Visit ValuesBus.com for all the updated information regarding the tour locations.

We're privileged to be teaming up with the Family Research Council and the Susan B. Anthony List on this important project, giving Iowans the chance to meet presidential candidates, raising the profile of the marriage issue, and encouraging pro-family voters to come the Ames Straw Poll next Saturday. I had my first chance to tour the great state of Iowa during the Judges Bus Tour last fall, and was thrilled to see how committed Iowans are to protecting marriage and family.

Iowa Values Voter Bus Tour

Joining the Values Voters Bus Tour will be presidential candidates Tim Pawlenty and Rick Santorum, as well as stalwart pro-family Congressmen Steve King (R-IA) and Louie Gohmert (R-TX). FRC Action President Tony Perkins and former Congresswoman Marilyn Musgrave, now project director for the SBA List's "Votes Have Consequences" Project will be on board also, accompanied by various pro-family and pro-life leaders from across the state.

Here's the full list of tour stops, but be sure to check back at ValuesBus.com for all the latest updates. If you live in Iowa, I hope you'll be able to come out and join us! And don't forget to tell family and friends!

  • Tuesday, August 9th
    • 9:45 AM – 10:30 AM: Des Moines
      Iowa State Capitol, West Capitol Terrace, 400 Finkbine Drive
    • 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM: Oskaloosa
      City Square Park, 150 High Avenue East
    • 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM: Washington
      Central Park, 190 North Marion Avenue
    • 3:45 PM – 4:15 PM: Muscatine
      Riverside Park, Harbor Drive
    • 5:15 PM – 5:45 PM: Davenport
      Lafayette Park, 700 West 4th Street
    • 7:00 PM – 7:30 PM: Iowa City
      Culver's of Coralville, 2591 Heartland Place, Coralville
  • Wednesday, August 10th
    • 8:30 – 9:00 AM: Cedar Rapids
      Cedar Rapids Marriott, 1200 Collins Road NE
    • 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM: Dubuque
      Washington Park, 351 W 6th Street
    • 12:45 PM – 1:15 PM: Waterloo
      Lincoln Park, 451 E 4th Street
    • 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM: Mason City
      Central Park, 75 1st Street NW
    • 5:45 PM – 6:15 PM: Dickinson County
      TBA
  • Thursday, August 11th
    • 8:30 – 9:00 AM: Sioux City
      Holiday Inn Express Sioux Center, 100 Saint Andrews Way
    • 9:30 AM – 10:00 AM: Le Mars
      Bob's Drive Inn, Highway 75 South
    • 10:45 AM – 11:15 AM: Sioux City
      Sergeant Floyd Monument, 2701 S Lewis Blvd/Old US Highway 75
    • 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM: Council Bluffs
      Bayliss Park, 159 South 6th Street
    • 3:15 PM – 3:45 PM: Atlantic
      Atlantic City Park, 51 W 6th Street
  • Friday, August 12th
    • 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM: Webster City
      Wilson Brewer Park, 280 Ohio Street
    • 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM: Fort Dodge
      City Square Park, 120 N 5th Street
    • 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM: Carroll
      Carroll County Courthouse, 595 Court Street
    • 3:15 PM – 3:45 PM: Boone
      Pizza Ranch, 1703 South Story Street
    • 5:00 PM – 5:30 PM: Marshalltown
      Susie Sower Park, 60 N 2nd Avenue

I hope you'll come on out at and join us in standing for marriage at this critical time!

Brian Brown
By Brian Brown | Posted in Iowa, Same Sex Marriage | Comments Off on Values Voters Bus Tour - Your chance to meet presidential candidates in person!

CNN Video: Huntsman, Who Refused to Sign Marriage Pledge, Says He's Fine with SSM in NY, Iowa

August 8, 2011 at 12:00 pm

In a recent interview with Wolf Blitzer on CNN:

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in Election Watch 2012, Iowa, Marriage Election Watch, New York, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (42)

Marriage Takes Center Stage as Straw Poll Nears

August 8, 2011 at 11:44 am

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 8, 2011
CONTACT: Mary Beth Hutchins at 703-683-5004

Presidential Candidates Travel State with NOM on Values Bus Tour

WASHINGTON– The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) is ensuring that marriage will be a primary factor in voters’ decision on which presidential candidate to support in the upcoming Straw Poll, highlighting on the “Values Voter Bus Tour” the support of four top candidates who have signed NOM’s Marriage Pledge.

“Restoring marriage as the union of one man and one woman will be a major issue in both the upcoming Ames Straw Poll, as well as in selecting Iowa’s GOP nominee in the caucuses next year,” said Brian Brown, president of NOM. “When the Iowa Supreme Court did the unthinkable in 2009 and invented a right to gay marriage in Iowa’s state constitution, they set off a powerful voter reaction that is still unfolding. First, voters threw out all three Supreme Court justices who faced voters in the retention election, including the Chief Justice. Next, Iowa voters will elect a presidential candidate who has pledged to take concrete steps to preserve marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Finally, Iowa voters will elect a pro-marriage majority that will put forward a proposed constitutional amendment reversing the activist decision by the Supreme Court.”

NOM is sponsoring the “Values Bus Tour” along with FRC Action and Susan B. Anthony List. The bus tour will come to 22 cities throughout the state during the week leading up to the important Ames Straw Poll on August 13th.

“We encourage our tens of thousands of supporters to come visit us on the bus tour and mingle with some of the presidential candidates who will be joining this,” Brown said. “The top four presidential candidates have all signed NOM’s Marriage Pledge, including Mitt Romney, Michelle Bachmann, Tim Pawlenty and Rick Santorum. Several of them have expressed a desire to participate in the bus tour.”

NOM's supporters and all citizens of Iowa are encouraged to visit www.valuesbus.com to see the tour schedule and get updated information about which candidates will be joining portions of the tour.

“The valuesbus.com website is an invaluable resource for people to use to get information and participate in promoting marriage as a defining issue in the 2012 presidential campaign. We encourage everyone to go to the website for updated tour scheduling and other information,” Brown concluded.

To schedule an interview with Brian Brown, President of the National Organization for Marriage, or Maggie Gallagher, Chairman of the Board, please contact Mary Beth Hutchins (x105), [email protected], or Elizabeth Ray (x130), [email protected], at 703-683-5004.

###

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in Press Releases | Comments (5)

UK Council: "Mum's the Word when it Comes to to Children's Happiness"

August 8, 2011 at 11:00 am

Children are affected when their parents are unhappily married or "partnered" but amazingly not that much, in this study by the UK's Economic and Social Research Council. The majority of kids whose mothers say they are unhappy with their husband or partner, say they are "completely satisfied" with their family life.

As part of the study, which will follow 40,000 UK households over a number of years, young people aged between 10 to 15 years have been asked how satisfied they are with their lives. The findings indicate that a mother's happiness in her partnership is more important to the child than the father's. The findings are based on a sample of 6,441 women, 5,384 men and 1,268 young people.

Overall, 60 per cent of young people say they are 'completely satisfied' with their family situation but in families where the child's mother is unhappy in her partnership, only 55 per cent of young people say they are 'completely happy' with their family situation – compared with 73 per cent of young people whose mothers are 'perfectly happy' in their relationships.

The Understanding Society research examined the relationships between married or cohabiting partners, and relationships between parents and their children. Professor John Ermisch, Dr Maria Iacovou, and Dr Alexandra Skew from the Institute for Social and Economic Research found that the happiest children are those living with two parents – either biological or step – with no younger siblings, who do not quarrel with their parents regularly, who eat at least three evening meals per week with their family and whose mother is happy in her own relationship.

Commenting on the findings, Dr Maria Iacovou said: "At a time when there is widespread political concern about 'Broken Britain', these findings show that family relationships and the happiness of parents are key to the happiness of young people. Contrary to the popular belief that children only want to spend time playing videogames or watching TV we found that they were most happy when interacting with their parents or siblings."

The research also finds that having older siblings is not related to children's happiness with their family, but having younger siblings in the household is associated with lower levels of satisfaction, and this effect is greater the more younger siblings there are in the household. But relationships with parents are even more important than relationships with siblings. Only 28 per cent of children who quarrel more than once a week with their parents, and don't discuss important matters with their parents are completely happy with their families.

 

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in Children, Parenting, Research/Study, United Kingdom | Comments (2)

Katherine Kersten: Wisconsin, Colorado & Minnesota Have Most Advanced Progressive Infrastructure

August 8, 2011 at 10:00 am

Katherine Kersten, a senior fellow at the Center of the American Experiment, looks at the way progressives carefully organize human and financial resources to push their political goals in states:

... today, a phalanx of left-wing influence groups -- heavily dependent on government union power and money -- is transforming Wisconsin politics. With lavish funding, hardball tactics and national connections, they are ratcheting up statehouse politics to a level of intensity seen before only in high-profile, targeted congressional races.

In the process, these organizations are drowning out authentic grass-roots issues and voices, and are increasingly assuming functions traditionally performed by political parties.

... One Wisconsin Now serves as a 24/7 communications hub for left-wing issues and organizations in Wisconsin. It coordinates messaging and strategy so the state's hundreds of progressive groups are on the same page.

But the network doesn't confine its efforts to election years, the traditional focus of outside influence groups. It uses the same aggressive, campaign-style strategy to pressure public officials on issues on a daily basis.

... We Are Wisconsin acts, in essence, like a parallel political party. It has field operations in every recall district, runs TV and radio ads, and oversees direct mail and phone banks. Kelly Steele, its spokesman, is a longtime national Democratic operative who is widely credited with turning around Sen. Harry Reid's campaign in Nevada in 2010, using tactics that allies have described as "cutthroat."

... In 2008, Rob Stein of the George Soros-funded Democracy Alliance declared that "progressive infrastructure" is most advanced in three states: Wisconsin, Minnesota and Colorado. By 2012, the left plans to have similar operations in 25 states. --Star Tribune

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in Colorado, Culture, Election Watch 2012, Minnesota, Wisconsin | Comments (7)

Citzen Link: APA Does Not Represent All Psychologists

August 8, 2011 at 9:30 am

A good piece by Catherine Snow at Citizen Link to which we would add: unlike the definition of homosexuality as a mental illness, which is clearly within the APA's alleged expertise, there's also no particular reason to think psychologists are the experts on what the definition of marriage should be:

...Rogers H. Wright and Nicholas A. Cummings, past presidents of divisions within the APA and self-identified “lifelong liberal activists,” would not be surprised with the APA’s decision.

“Political diversity is so absent in mental health circles that most psychologists and social workers live in a bubble,” Cummings once wrote. “So seldom does anyone express ideological disagreement with colleagues that they believe all intelligent people think as they do.

“They are aware that conservatives exist, but regard the term ‘intelligent conservative’ as an oxymoron.”

In their book, “Destructive Trends in Mental Health,” Wright and Cummings concluded that the APA is now run by “agenda-driven ideologues” and that “psychology, psychiatry and social work have been captured by an ultra-liberal agenda.”

Political correctness is ingrained in the institutions of social science, academia and government agencies that they say it has a chilling effect on objective research — and free speech.

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in Culture, Polling, Research/Study, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (6)

Ethics Expert Asks: "Whose Rights Do We Value Most: Those of Children or of Homosexual Adults?"

August 8, 2011 at 9:00 am

That question forms the core of Margaret Somerville's case against same-sex marriage. She's the director of the McGill Centre for Medicine, Ethics and Law in Montreal:

Same-sex marriage creates a clash between upholding the human rights of children with respect to their coming-into being and the family structure in which they will be reared, and the claims of homosexual adults who wish to marry a same-sex partner. It forces us, as a society, to choose whether to give priority to children’s rights or to homosexual adults’ claims. This problem does not arise with opposite-sex marriage, because children’s rights and adults claims with respect to marriage are consistent with each other.

Many people who oppose extending the definition of marriage to include same-sex couples do so on religious grounds or because of moral objections to homosexuality. In contrast, my arguments are secularly based and, to the extent that they involve morals and values, they are grounded in ethics, not religion.

NOM
By NOM Staff | Posted in Canada, Children, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (3)
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