A Church of Christ minister who has been responsible for civic marriage ceremonies at Cambridge city hall for the past 15 years is facing the axe if she doesn’t agree to perform same-sex “marriages.”
Rev. Jay Brown told LifeSiteNews that city council voted 8 to 1 Monday night on a motion, brought forward by Councillor Donna Reid, that Brown be forced to officiate at homosexual “marriages” or they would issue a “request for proposal” to find a replacement.
Rev. Brown explained that as a minister of the Church of Christ she must follow the precepts of her church, which does not allow homosexual “marriage,” but that she was always ready to accommodate same-sex couples by recommending a designated minister who would be happy to perform the ceremony.
“I have nothing against gay people, in fact a member of my family is gay,” Brown said in an interview with LifeSiteNews, “but I represent my church, which does not allow same-sex marriage.”
“My church won’t allow me to. I haven’t had to make that decision,” she said, adding that in the years since homosexual “marriage” was legalized in Canada she has been asked only a few times to perform same-sex “marriages.”
Ontario Christian Minister Forced to Conduct Same-Sex Ceremonies or Be Fired
Heritage Foundation Report: "Nearly 75% of Poor Families in the United States are Headed by Single Parents."
Children living in single-parent households face a greater risk of living in poverty, according to a report released Wednesday by The Heritage Foundation.
A child’s probability of living in poverty is reduced by 82 percent when his parents are married to each other, according to “Marriage: America’s Greatest Weapon Against Child Poverty.”
Author Robert Rector said the government should work harder to educate the American public about the value of marriage.
... Heritage Foundation Research Associate Rachel Sheffield told CtizenLink that young people benefit greatly by learning more about marriage.
“The government should provide information to youth about the value of marriage, and help connect them with community resources that will help them relearn the skills needed to sustain those healthy marriages,” she said.
Almost 40 percent of all single-parent families with children were poor in 2009; less than 7 percent of married couples with children were poor.
According to the report, nearly 75 percent of poor families in the United States are headed by single parents.
Today is Primary Day
Dear Marriage Supporter,
We promised that we would hold accountable all the politicians in Albany who betrayed us on marriage. We have delivered on our promise to not let the actions of those who flip-flopped and voted against the will of the people be forgotten.
We have fought the good fight, in the name of honor and integrity across New York State—but today we need your help to finish the job!
Today is Primary Day in New York.
All the political forecasts say that turnout will be historically low today.
We must ensure that all supporters of traditional marriage come out to vote and provide the final rally cry against those who silenced the voices of New Yorkers and sold out for money and their own personal gain.
Here is a list of candidates running in today’s primary who have pledged to stand with us on the issue of marriage. All of these candidates are in close fights against incumbents who have wronged us and must be held accountable.
Please review the list, and if you live in one of these districts, please make it a priority to vote today. If you know someone who lives in one of these districts, please forward this message to them immediately! Together, we can get this done!
JAMES SANDERS
SENATE DISTRICT 10 (Jamaica and southern Queens)
www.Sanders4Senate.com
MANNY TAVAREZ
SENATE DISTRICT 33 (Northwest Bronx including Kingsbridge Heights, East Tremont, Crotona Park, Fordham, Bedford Park and parts of Riverdale)
https://www.mannytavarez.com/
NEIL DiCARLO
SENATE DISTRICT 41 (parts of Dutchess and Putnam Counties)
http://neildicarlo.com/home.php
KATHY MARCHIONE
SENATE DISTRICT 43 (Rensselaer and Columbia Counties and parts of Saratoga and Washington Counties)
http://www.marchione2012.com/
KEVIN STOCKER
SENATE DISTRICT 60 (Parts of Western Erie County including parts of the City of Buffalo, Grand Island and Tonawanda)
http://www.stockerforchange.com/
If you need help finding which district you live in, you can look it up and find out your polling place by clicking on the following link: https://voterlookup.elections.state.ny.us/
Thank you again for your continued support. As promised, NOM is continuing the fight in New York after already standing down Jim Alesi from his plans to run for reelection. Please help us today to defeat the rest of the senators who betrayed us and all New Yorkers, and together we will restore integrity in Albany!
Debating Same-Sex Marriage at Wayne State University
This event is being held by The Center for the Study of Citizenship at Wayne Universities. All inquiries about this event may be made by contacting them directly via their website.
NY Conservative Party Sends Anti-Grisanti Mailer in Advance of Primary
The Conservative Party in Erie County appears to be responsible for this anti-Mark Grisanti mailer that questions whether he’s a true Republican.
Grisanti, a former Democrat running in the most Democratic Senate district, was one of the GOP lawmakers last June to vote yes for same-sex marriage and had co-sponsored a measure that would reduce penalties for marijuana possession.
... The mailer features Grisanti in a 70s-era leisure suit and features images of a marijuana leaf and a same-sex wedding cake couple.
“We need a return to Republican values,” the mailer says, “Give him a piece of your mind.”
Grisanti faces Kevin Stocker in a GOP primary on Thursday.
KTSP/Survey USA Poll: Minnesota Marriage Protection Amendment Headed For Victory!
Keep fighting in Minnesota! This new poll shows its working. Note especially that the Marriage Protection Amendment is also winning among the youngest voters polled, according to this KTSP/SurveyUSA survey:
If the election were held today, two new amendments would be added to the Minnesota Constitution.
According to our exclusive new KSTP/SurveyUSA poll, 50 percent of Minnesotans favor an amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman. Meanwhile, 43 percent oppose the amendment and 8 percent are undecided.
The amendment is favored in all regions of the state, with the closest margin in the Twin Cities metro area where the "yes" vote is ahead just 46 percent to 44 percent. The amendment is also supported by voters in the 18 to 49 age group by a margin of 48 percent to 42 percent. "Likely voters" over the age of 50 support the amendment 51 percent to 44 percent.
Pro-Marriage Gubernatorial Contendor Ovide Lamontagne Wins New Hampshire GOP Primary
Our congratulations to the new pro-marriage GOP contender for the New Hampshire governor's race:
Former Senate candidate Ovide Lamontagne (R) will face former state senator Maggie Hassen (D) in the open New Hampshire governor’s race after both sailed to primary wins Tuesday.
Lamontagne, an attorney who lost a 2010 Senate primary to now-Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) and was also the state GOP’s gubernatorial nominee in 1996, easily dispatched former state representative Kevin Smith, taking 69 percent of the vote with 53 percent of precincts reporting.
... The general election between Lamontagne and Hassan is expected to be tight, with polling in the swing state showing the race within the margin of error. The Fix recently ranked New Hampshire as the second most likely state to flip control this year (out of 13 states holding contests). -- WaPo
Video: Minnesota for Marriage Pastors Video
Minnesota for Marriage has released a nearly ten minute video of pastors explaining why they support the Marriage Protection Amendment:
Media Attempts Cover Up of New Evidence: Being Pro-SSM Hurts Brands Across Political Lines
The real story here is that if a company endorses SSM its reputation will suffer. Forbes, for instance, is trying to bury that finding with the headline "Higher Democrat Perception for LGBT brands" when in actuality brand support for companies perceiving to be pro-SSM has dropped among BOTH Republicans and Democrats:
"While overall Buzz scores for the index of brands have decreased among both groups, the decline is more significant among consumers who identify themselves as Republican."
Take a look at this chart for "brands which have publicly supported LGBT" filtered by Democrat and Republican consumers from January 1st to September 5th of this year. The brands measured are "Amazon.com, American Apparel, Apple, General Mills Brands, Google, Home Depot, J.C. Penney, Levi’s, Macy’s, Microsoft, Nabisco, Nike and Starbucks."
No matter how media outlets try to spin it the chart could not be more clear -- coming out for gay marriage hurts a corporation's brand:
Graph from BrandIndex.
NYTimes: "Gay Marriage Vote Rises as Test in Upstate GOP Race"
The New York Times on pro-SSM flip-flopper Sen. Roy McDonald's race (the primary is tomorrow) -- they give our own President Brian Brown the last word:
Before State Senator Roy J. McDonald, a Republican, voted last year to legalize same-sex marriage, he told reporters that anyone unhappy with his position could “take the job and shove it.”
Now comes the test.
... his campaign has become a referendum on a single decision: his choice last year to cast one of the decisive votes that made same-sex marriage legal in New York State.
... “The more that the advocates for this are able to tell Republicans that you can do this and live, then the greater success they’re going to have,” said Robert J. Bellafiore, a communications consultant and former press secretary for Gov. George E. Pataki, a Republican. “But it’s hard to convince somebody to take their first bungee jump if all they see at the bottom of the jump is a bunch of splattered bodies.”
... Mr. McDonald, who was also once a state assemblyman, said he would not regret his marriage vote even if it ended his political career.
... At a debate on Tuesday night at Russell Sage College in Troy, Ms. Marchione attacked Mr. McDonald for his vote on same-sex marriage, and the audience was at its most boisterous when the subject was discussed.
Ms. Marchione painted the senator as desperate to keep his office, saying, “I guess he’s changed his mind about taking the job and shoving it.” She repeatedly suggested that Mr. McDonald’s vote had been motivated by the promise of campaign donations.
... “Regardless of what happens, it is an utter lie to say, ‘Vote for gay marriage; it won’t have any effect,’ ” Brian S. Brown, the organization’s president, said. “I don’t think any observer on the left or the right can say that’s the case.”
NOM Makes $500,000 Matching Gift to Win a Victory for Marriage in Maine!
In Maine the fight is heating up!
... Gay marriage opponents are also stepping up their efforts. The Roman Catholic Church has kicked off a series of meetings to promote its view of marriage being between a man and a woman. And the National Organization for Marriage has made a $500,000 matching contribution to fight same-sex marriage.
... National Organization for Marriage plans to spend $385,000 on advertising in the three weeks leading up to Election Day. -- The Associated Press
Australian Parliament Debate Indicates Not Enough Votes for SSM
A two-hour debate over a same-sex marriage bill in the Australian parliament today indicated that there is not enough support to change the law.
MPs from across the political spectrum expressed doubt over the passing of the bill, despite many saying that they support it.
... Labor MPs are allowed to vote freely on the issue but several are not supporting it, including chief whip Joel Fitzgibbon and the prime minister Julia Gillard, who was not in parliament following the death of her father this week.
Challenger Marchione Says Pro-SSM Senator McDonald Turned His Back on the Voters
Thursday is the GOP primary in New York and the Albany Times Union reports on one of the embattled pro-SSM flip-floppers:
"...[Roy McDonald] was one of four Republicans to break GOP ranks and do so, raising hackles among conservatives and winning praise — and money — from gay rights supporters.
"I did what I thought was right," said McDonald. "I've gotten money from all over my district, names you know, names you've never heard of, and all over the state. I'm a local guy, and I feel I've done a good job working on many issues, and my record is more than just minutiae."
Marchione opposes same-sex marriage. She doesn't contest her underdog status in the race, and sees the money that has fueled McDonald's campaign as coming from mostly out-of-district donors who enticed him to break campaign pledges that he would vote against gay marriage, as he did in 2009.
"It's an important vote for a lot of reasons, one that I hear about quite often," said Marchione. "When you turn your back on the voters, it's expensive to get their trust back."
Video #8: Minnesotans Voting Yes on Marriage in November!
In the eighth installment of this series, even more Minnesotans explain in their own words why they are voting yes in November!
Prof. Morse on Why California's Three-Parent Law Was Inevitable
Prof. Jennifer Morse writes in The Public Discourse that "The supposed need for California’s SB 1476 flowed directly from the drive to normalize same sex parenting and recognize same sex unions.":
Can a child have three parents? If California State Senator Mark Leno has his way, children in California will be able to have three legal parents. Before we dismiss SB 1476 as another example of California Weird, we had best look into it more closely. After all, the bill has passed both houses of the California Assembly and is awaiting Governor Brown’s signature or veto.
I believe this development was inevitable, more inevitable in fact than the much-vaunted inevitability of gay marriage. Once we started trying to normalize parenting by same-sex couples and redefine marriage to remove the dual-gender requirement, we had to end up with triple-parenting.
A deeper look at the whole picture surrounding SB 1476 reveals that not only should the three-parent law fail, same-sex “marriage” should fail as well. As we will see, embedded in this bill is an appalling power-grab by the state, and a grotesque misrepresentation of the facts by the bill’s authors.