August 12, 2010

Column #1,511

Fighting Same-Sex Marriage

By Mike McManus

                In the weeks before and after Federal Judge Vaughn Walker overturned California’s Proposition 8 which defines marriage as a union of one man and one woman, The National Organization for Marriage has been conducting a 23-city “Summer for Marriage” bus tour.

                According to NOM Chairman Maggie Gallagher, the tour to many state capitals, such as Raleigh, Charleston, W.V. and Harrisburg, PA this past week, has three purposes:

1.      “Getting over the media blackout on the marriage issue by generating local media.” Though only 75 supporters showed up in Raleigh and were outnumbered 2-1 by rowdy same-sex advocates, every local TV station and major newspapers covered the story, making it the top news item across North Carolina.

2.      “Helping us locate the next generation of activist leaders, which the gay rights people have been doing for 25 years.

3.      “Building an online community of two million activists,” 700,000 of whom have already gotten involved, said Gallagher.

NOM did not exist before 2007 when its budget was zero. In 2009, 40,000 donors gave $9 million That’s a remarkable achievement considering the same-sex marriage bias of mainstream media, which has been charmed by the fact the legal team fighting for gay marriage is Ted Olson and David Boies, who fought on opposite sides of the Bush-Gore election at the Supreme Court.   Oddly, Fox profiled Olson, but not his opponent before Judge Walker.

                Judge Walker, who the “San Francisco Chronicle” reports is gay, should have recused himself in this case, due to his obvious bias.  By his solo decision, the vote of 7 million Californians, 52.3 percent of those voting – was overturned.

                In America’s first federal trial of same-sex marriage, Walker said that Prop 8 “fails to advance any rational basis in singling out gay men and lesbians for denial of a marriage license. Indeed, the evidence shows Proposition 8 does nothing more than enshrine in the California Constitution the notion that opposite sex couples are superior to same sex couples.”

                No rational basis?  How about 5,000 years of recorded history that defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman?

                “The historical record leaves no doubt…that the central purpose of marriage in all societies at virtually all times is to channel procreative relationships into stable relationships to ensure that offspring...are raised in those stable relationships,” argued Charles Cooper before Walker.

                Radio commentator Chuck Colson’s first reaction to the Walker decision was, “Our worst nightmare has come true. A Federal judge declaring that the `ability to marry’ is a fundamental right that cannot be denied to gays and lesbians.  What nonsense,” he declared.

                “Societies throughout history have restricted the ability to marry (which is why, for instance, you’re not allowed to marry your sister).”

                The case will now go to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which is very liberal and is likely to uphold Walker.  Both sides agree it will land at the Supreme Court, where many say that conservatives have no chance. Every case involving sexual freedom, such as abortion or gays’ right to sodomy, has expanded liberties.

                However, Colson notes that in each case, the public was on the side of expanded liberties.  That’s not the case with same-sex marriage, which has been opposed in every public referendum. It has been outlawed by 45 states, 30 of which passed constitutional amendments limiting marriage to unions of a man and woman.

                “That matters because the court is reluctant to go against strong public opinion to the contrary,” he said, noting that the Court voted unanimously against making assisted suicide constitutional because the issue was still being debated.

                “You and I will decide whether gay marriage will become a constitutional right. We can win this in the court of public opinion. If the polls show a year from now when this case makes its way to the Supreme Court, that the public is against gay marriage, we will win,” Colson said.

                That’s why the National Organization for Marriages’ bus tour is important.  NOM’s supporters – even a nursing mother - have been bullied and harassed by gay activists. NOM’s cameras recorded the harassment which you can see on www.marriagetour2010.org.

                NOM is also using its funds to fight pro-gay Republicans, such as N.H. Governor Kevin Lynch who said he opposed gay marriage before the election, but signed a gay marriage bill. NOM ads have knocked down his poll numbers.

                “We want to establish that it is a bad idea to be for gay marriage if you are a Republican,” said Gallagher.

                She’s right.  Gay marriage is a bad idea.