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Subscribe to RSSThe blogosphere is abuzz with the story that broke last night, when the Human Rights Campaign released internal memos from the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), the nation's largest and most visible anti-same sex-marriage group, calling for the use of a racial wedge strategy to fight campaigns for marriage equality.
“The strategic goal of this project is to drive a wedge between gays and blacks -- two key Democratic constituencies,” one of the NOM memos says.
“The documents, marked “confidential,” were unsealed yesterday afternoon in Maine by court order, as part of that state’s ongoing ethics investigation into NOM’s campaign finances.
The memo spells out specific steps to enact, including:
Find, equip, energize and connect African American spokespeople for marriage, develop a media campaign around their objections to gay marriage as a civil right; provoke the gay marriage base into responding by denouncing these spokesmen and women as bigots…”
Here is an excerpt on NOM’s Hispanic strategy:
"The Latino vote in America is a key swing vote, and will be so even more so in the future, both because of demographic growth and inherent uncertainty: Will the process of assimilation to the dominant Anglo culture lead Hispanics to abandon traditional family values? We must interrupt this process of assimilation by making support for marriage a key badge of Latino identity - a symbol of resistance to inappropriate assimilation."
NOM also spells out its plans for the 2012 presidential election:
"From a political angle," the NOM document says, "this strategy will require electing a pro-marriage President in 2012." Strategies for defeating, ("sideswiping," as the document calls it) President Obama include "expose Obama as a social radical," and "raise such issues as pornography, protection of children, and the need to oppose all efforts to weaken religious liberty at the federal level."
NOM is a 501(c)3 and cannot endorse presidential candidates, but the former chairwoman of NOM’s board, Maggie Gallagher, endorsed Santorum in January.
Public opinion has moved considerably in the three years since the memos were drafted. The most recent NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll (conducted Feb. 29 through March 3) shows a plurality favors same-sex marriage -- 49 percent say so versus 40 percent who oppose. That's a reversal from 41-49 percent in October 2009.
Among African Americans, a majority (50 percent) said they were in favor (41 were opposed). That's a big change from October 2009, when just a third (32 percent) were in favor and a majority (53 percent) were opposed. Among Hispanics, in the most recent poll, 55 percent said they were in favor, 30 percent said they were against. That's also a change from October 2009, when the margin was tighter (45-40 favor to oppose).
Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign -- which supports efforts to legalize same-sex marriage -- criticized NOM. “Nothing beats hearing from the horse’s mouth exactly how callous and extremist this group really is,” Solmonese said in a statement.
NOM posted a statement on its website today, saying it is "proud of [its] strong record on minority partnerships."
It added: “Gay marriage advocates have attempted to portray same-sex marriage as a civil right, but the voices of these and many other leaders have provided powerful witness that this claim is patently false. Gay marriage is not a civil right, and we will continue to point this out in written materials such as those released in Maine. We proudly bring together people of different races, creeds and colors to fight for our most fundamental institution: marriage.”
NBC's Domenico Montanaro contributed to this report.
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@Jody Iowa....Civil Marriage certificates are called on such certificates...Marriage License, or Marriage Certificate and are issued EXCLUSIVELY by a State, a political, secular, civil Authority...a church Wedding is not legal in a CIVIL society, it is a ceremony involving religious meaning and if it is recognized by any government it is done so as a courtesy ONLY, while a Marriage Certificate is a CIVIL recognition of a CIVIL Marriage granting LEGAL recognition of the rights and duties that accompany Marriage in a CIVIL setting, with no religious overtones at all since our Constitution REQUIRES separation of State and church, for numerous good reasons. Marriage Equality is a fundamental CIVIL RIGHT, a Human Right in all truth, while a 'religious' marriage is a ceremony sometimes recognized by a State as as courtesy only...one still has to have a marriage license issued by a government in order to be Legally married under Civil Laws. So those fighting against CIVIL Equal Marriage are obviously unaware of the meaning of CIVIL Marriage, or even the word Civil itself...odd, since all of us in North America live in Civil, or Secular societies, not theocracies (like Iran). Religion has no place in Civil Marriage and NEVER has...that is not going to change now, or at any time in the future. And marriage has ALWAYS changed through the ages and in different societies...contrary to what 'religious' people claim...history is filled with different sorts of marriage...in fact the church used to bless Same sex Holy Unions all the time and there are millions of those certificates on file in the Vatican Archives...thus blowing the idea that Christians have as they claim "marriage has always been between a man and a woman" completely out of the water. The proof of this can be found easily. So full equal Civil Marriage is what will come to this country as it has come to many others, like it or not. It is the culmination of a Civil Rights struggle that began with the Underground Railroad in New England 200 years ago. You can keep religious marriage all to yourselves...no one is really interested in that any more anyway. It no longer has any meaning now that religious people can get divorced, and do in startling numbers....it is now irrelevant in most cultures except Muslim ones. And they can marry 4 wives...so much for the one man one woman claim.....Mormons too, regardless of what they claim.....
Does anyone else here the "NOMNOMNOM" in the background? Seems like someone fed the trolls some cookies.
NOM can go **** themselves, no one but the most mentally deranged people are still fighting against equal rights for Gays, Lesbians, Trannies, Bisexuals, and the whole host of other sexual, religious, or race-based denominations. 'Life and let live' should be the motto of ANY Christian organization who actually follows their Bible and not some dumb-ass named Leviticus.
more like live and let die- we Christians would rather that these sexual perverts turn from their sins and live rather than going to hell.
Oh, Larry, you always make me chuckle. Glad you have given me the opportunity to trot out this little bit of scientific knowledge: http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/sexual-orientation.aspx. In addition, this article may help you start dealing with your personal problems with homosexuality: https://my.psychologytoday.com/files/u47/Henry_et_al.pdf.
By the way, what do you mean by "we Christians?" I hope you do not pretend to speak for all Christians, because you most assuredly do not. Candidly, some Christians would suggest that a properly humble Christian would not be so arrogant as to claim certainty regarding God's view of this particular issue. And don't even try to say "it's in the Bible." So is a prohibition against eating pork or certain seafoods and working on the Sabbath, among a hundred other things Christians regularly do.
Larry, unless they are strapping you to a chair and taping your eyes open two guys have butt sex does not affect nor involve you. Why do you actively seek out people and tell them they are going against the will of God. Did they ask for your opinion? No. Do they care about your opinion? Probably not unless you have the power to change laws that can affect them. So why do some groups seem hell bent on running others lives?
Also what if they do not believe in your Hell? Most Christians operate under the assumption that Heaven, Hell, and God all exist and because of these assumptions you create a real living hell for those that do not fit with in your circle of what you consider "normal".
Regardless of what you have been taught and what the pastors say America is not a Christian nation, we are a secular one where any religion can be practice, from Christianity to Islam. This is why it is unconstitutional to create laws based on religious grounds because unless each religion has equal representation then that law unbalances the equality of power (that would be if religion could be grounds for laws at all, which it cannot).
It is time for those Christians who do as you do to accept that they have to stop trying to forcibly "save" people because all they are really doing is making life tens of times more difficult for everyone that does not buy into their book nor religion or their morals.
Larry must be a Southern Baptist. Few other Christian sects would tolerate his bigotry.
1. Jesus condemned homosexual acts along with all other sexual activity outside the marriage of a man and a woman. (Matthew 15) As God Jesus is unchanging and that which He condemned to Moses, He condemns still.
2. Christians are not under the Law of Moses so your statments are meaningless.
3. As a Pastor, I have an obligation before Christ to speak out on moral issues. I have to answer to Him, not you or anyone else.
Wrong, I'm not a Southern Baptist and most Evangelical denominations condemn homosexuality as do Orthodox Jews.
Aren't Orthodox Jews the ones known for segregated buses and stoning schoolgirls? Sounds like you're in good company, Larry.
Religious extremists like Larry seem to be the same everywhere - they're always trying to use the government to impose their sharia laws on everyone else.
In other words, you're a "cafeteria Christian", picking and choosing which parts of the Bible to follow and which to conveniently ignore. We understand, it's kinda hard to keep track of 613 different commandments, especially when most of them make no sense whatsoever. Also, the authorities take a real dim view of stoning sinners, whether that sin is being disobedient, working on the Sabbath, or eating clam chowder.
But for the rest of us, it's a moot point anyway, we're not bound by your particular set of religious rules because this is a religiously free nation. We can pick and choose our own bible verses or ignore it altogether. In case you haven't noticed, private consensual gay sex is legal everywhere in the USA.
Larry, you have every right to speak out about your religion. But because, as you note, it is a religious argument, it does not apply to the legal debate over civil marriage.
Larry, I'm curious, I was never quite clear on how Christians view the Old Testament, and I think most Christians aren't quite sure about it themselves. But many Christians are Creationists because that's what the Bibles says, so how does that square with rejecting the Law of Moses?
jock, Genesis and creation having nothing to do with the Law of Moses. the Law of Moses is found primarily in the book of Leviticus.
In Luke 16:16 Jesus declared “The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it"
We follow closely to the Noahidic Law which had 7 commandments for righteousness which is close to the Council of Jerusalem. The Council did not need to establish the 7th commandment for courts because our kingdom is not of this world and Christians are not called to establish nations. There was no need to remind the Gentile believers to no engage in idolatry or blasphemy as these were not issues in contention. Nor was there a concern that any would consider stealing to be righteous. So James and the Council noted from the Noahide Laws those essentials that would be similar to the Laws of Moses as the extent of Gentile requirements.
“Therefore I conclude that we should not cause extra difficulty for those among the Gentiles who are turning to God, but that we should write them a letter telling them to (1) abstain from things defiled by idols and (2) from sexual immorality and (3) from what has been strangled and (4) from blood. For Moses has had those who (5) proclaim him in every town from ancient times, because he is read aloud in the synagogues every Sabbath.” (Acts 15:28,29)
http://www.wikinoah.org/index.php/Noahide_Law_in_the_New_Testament
Christians are under Grace, not Law (even Noahidic Law), but we look to what the Lord gave us apart from Israel (the Jews) as our moral guidelines).
What Larry is trying to say is that since his Jesus never said one thing about gays, he'll pick & choose from other homophobic passages to justify his hatred of gays.
Larry--As a Christian, I must tell you that I, too, have an obligation to speak out on moral issues and, like you, will ultimately have to answer to a loving God, a God that loves homosexuals as much as He loves you. I never said you have to answer to me and I'm not asking you to. And I don't answer to you. I do feel sorry for you and for any parishioners you might have. Incidentally, being a pastor gives you no more authority than anyone else. Ted Haggard was (and may still be) a pastor. Finally Larry, Matthew 15 makes no reference to homosexuality. Matt 15:19 states, "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander." You are the one, not Jesus, who interprets "sexual immorality" to include homosexual acts. I will pray for you and hope that you find a way to deal with your personal homophobic issues.
shrekk-you never fail to demonstrate how ignorant you are of the things of God.
which God? Everyone's view of God is a little (or a lot) different, and their beliefs are all just as legitimate as yours. That is why the separation of church and state is so essential to a free society.
separation of church and state (a nonexistent law) has NOTHING to do with who is the true God. None of the founders had any question in that regard with the exception of Thomas Paine.
Every religion practiced in this nation does have quality of the law to worship freely. That is a red herring argument on your part.
Larry--They may not have had any questions regarding the existence of a supreme being, but we're not going to pretend they were Christians, are we? We historians are certain that Franklin and Jefferson were Deists, for example.
FYI, I am pro gay marriage. But I'm reading this article and wonder why this is news. These people seem to have taken a page out of the Democratic/liberal playbook; attempting to pit one group of Americans against another has been done by the libs for years, and that is certainly not news.
Dave--Do you really think it's only in the Democratic/Liberal playbook? Just as an example, which group has been protraying Obama as "the other" who is not quite like us "real Americans?"
It has nothing to do with Republican or Democrat. It is a universal political strategy that has been used for thousands of years. But it is usually less effective after being exposed.
NOM should have followed the basic advice any lawyer would give. Never put anything in writing that could hurt your cause if it became public. Through these memos, we learn that NOM is just as cynical and amoral as any other lobbying group. This is news how?
From NOM...."I'll tell you why we are against gay marriage - you let them marry and it ruins it for
us straight married people. Last night my wife was getting frisky. All I could see was Rosie O'Donnell. I had to shake it off and think of Ellen and that hot Portia Rossi. I wonder if there are tapes? She lost the urge when I started to look like Elton John. It got better when I started to look like Adam Lambert. Then we both lost interest when we started to think about trans-sexuals getting married. That's why we are against gay marriage!"
Art--Quite clearly these people think too much! But, as someone wrote some time ago, if you think thoughts of gay sex are a turnoff, imagine Newt and Callista Gingrich getting it on. What does she do with her hair? What does he do with his belly? Now that can make one celibate.
To all NOM followers and supporters I have two words: BITE ME!
CNN and Fox havent touched this story all day long. It's pitiful.
What's wrong with this strategy?
Right now the Democrats are using the death of a 17 year old black man to divide America.
As far as I can see, this anti-same-sex marriage organization isn't dancing on a coffin and profiting from someone's death.
I'm not sure how demanding justice is "profiting," but perhaps it is in your world.
Same old tactics used by the Democrats so whats the problem!!
Ya picked the wrong side there, soldier.
Religious dominance over freedom is just a portent of what is to come if the Repubs take over the government. For the past 30 years the religious right has been trying to brand this country in it's image making it a Christian Iran of the west hemisphere. A secular nation of our fore fathers will cease to exist. I always held the notion that religion was a private matter outside of the government; now the religious right are trying to tell you how to conduct your life in the bedroom.
Most gays in this country are taxpaying American citizens, and they deserve the same dignity and respect afforded to most other taxpaying American citizens-including the right to marry the person of their choice. I dont know if it is a civil liberty-evidently it isnt; however, there is no doubt whatsoever that it is a human rights issue. No one has the right to tell someone else who they can and can't marry. That is a mockery of freedom.
such fine christians.
How is it that those claiming to be Christians totally disregard the New Testament
when it comes to the actual teachings of Jesus, and His words....instead they
quote the Old Testament which is the Jewish religious book, not the Christian
book....Jesus made it QUITE clear that the Old Testament was for the Jewish
people, not his new way of being, which is 'saved'......and if one is to take
any part of the old testament as Gospel, that is totally inappropriate since
you are not Jews....and in fact Jesus' coming changed and even nullified those
old testament books. If you 'obey' one rule in the Jewish book, why don't you
obey the thousands of other rules? How can you focus on one or two passages and
ignore the rest? That makes no sense at all and in fact only proves that you do
not believe in ANY of the books. Otherwise you would never eat pork, get a
round haircut, wear fabric made of two materials, sell your daughters into
sexual slavery, own slaves, not work on the Sabbath, rape women and make them
your wives, have many more than 1 wife, need I go on with listing the other
thousands of RULES and LAWS in the Old Testament....I know it better than any
of you...I also know that God commanded you to never judge others because that
is a job He reserved EXCLUSIVELY for himself as no human was GOOD enough to do
so...and "Judge not lest ye be judged by the same measure" certainly
makes that CLEAR. And Jesus said to love everyone and never harm
others....prejudice and bigotry harms others...treat everyone the way you wish
to be treated doesn't seem like what any modern Christians ever do...Jesus made
it clear the OLD Rules no longer applied to those WHO FOLLOW HIM, and yet you
continuously refer to several passages in a book that is not really any part of
your New Religion, Christianity....funny how you never ever follow all the
other rules in the Old Testament, or even the New Testament....I thought Christians
were those who FOLLOWED the teachings of Jesus, not disregarded them
entirely.....He said "let he who is without sin cast the first stone"
so I must assume that none of you are sinners and can therefore JUDGE others.
Incidentally, no one else's sex life is any business of yours and it never will
be....unless your sex life is somehow my business....is it? And the Marriage
Equality that is coming whether any of you like it or not is CIVIL
Marriage...look it up...it is NOT religious marriage....all marriages are Civil
Marriages since one must have a Marriage License issued by a State, not a
church...Civil Marriage in a Civil Society (not a theocracy like Iran) and we
do not live in a Christian country, we live in a Secular Nation as designed and
built by our Forefathers, Our Founding Fathers....many of whom HATED religion,
and would have no part of it at all....now we see why, and they were brilliant
for making it this way.....freedom of religion also means freedom FROM religion
if we so choose and the vast majority of Americans wish for freedom FROM
religion in our Civil Society.....look up Civil and learn why religion will
NEVER overtake our Civil society, our Secular Society.....want a Theocracy,
move to Iran....they have one there waiting for you…you are very much like the
Taliban in fact, trying to force your beliefs upon everyone else in our Civil
Society….it will not work and you will lose, and your so-called ‘religion’ is already
losing any sort of respect from the entire World due to this issue and your
disregard of Jesus’ words.....and He never said one word about Gays, not even
one…prove otherwise….we are waiting….prove Jesus did not like Gay people or
spoke against them in ANY way…..
Marriage is for 2 people of opposite sex.
Right -wing wacko, hate-mongers!
Gays do not belong in our military.
Nom nom nom
Gays are only entitled to basic human rights.
Dean thanks for speaking up and removing any doubts as to your bigotry.
... or trollotry
Marriage is a "basic civil right," Dean, according to the Supreme Court -- and gays are entitled to basic civil rights as taxpaying, law-abiding citizens, just like you (maybe you are).
who spends their days thinking of gays getting married?
i'll never understand how two homosexuals getting married devalues my marriage with my wife. it has absolutely no bearing on our lives at all.
NOM's public relations strategy must be putting a smile on Joseph Goebbels face, as they are running their own little version of the Reichs Ministry of Propaganda.
Right out of the Obama play book. Facts, the truth, intent, or evidence; not required. Just put it out there and make an accusation; the fools will eat it up with a spoon.
Is President Obama gay?
Being gay is a learned behavior.
You have no idea what you are talking about dean, so please educate yourself or shut up.
Don't feed the trolls.
Gays are sick people.
There is no gay gene.
when you 'like' your own comments, that makes them appear more impressive.
Dean, that is neither known nor relevant.