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From the Frontlines of the Fight for Victory, NOM Marriage News

 

NOM National Newsletter

Dear Marriage Supporter,

In just 10 days, you can change history. You could wake up the morning after the election to watch the shocked expression on the faces of all the pundits, the politicians, the out of control judges, and see the headlines: HISTORIC NATIONAL VICTORY FOR MARRIAGE!

Just 10 days until the polls close, when America will choose. The future of our country—and also the future of marriage—could be decided for generations to come.

Nationally, Americans will choose between Mitt Romney, a pro-marriage candidate for President who will defend DOMA and appoint judges that respect our Constitutional values; or the openly pro-gay marriage incumbent, Barack Obama, who has surreptitiously undermined the legal defense of marriage for four years and who, if he gets a second term, will have the power to position a fifth vote on the Supreme Court to invent a right to gay marriage and insert it in our founding document.

In Iowa, Judge David Wiggins—the fourth of seven judges who imposed gay marriage on the people of Iowa—faces the voters.

In Maine, Washington, Maryland, and Minnesota, four blue state ballot initiatives that converge in a national referendum on marriage. Everywhere, pro-marriage forces are outspent, outgunned, and out-manned. The media is licking its chops, working overtime to predict the defeat of marriage.

Following the Anti-Marriage Money

Just this week, billionaire Bill Gates gave $500,000 for gay marriage to the referendum fight in the state of Washington. Manhattan billionaire and Mayor, Mike Bloomberg, chipped in with his $250,000 "match" gift. Proponents of gay marriage in Washington (R-74) have spent more than $9.5 million already—five times more than the whole war chest of the little band of faithful brothers and sisters at Protect Marriage Washington. They are the David in this fight against the Goliath of the gay marriage media-industrial complex—Big Business, Big Hollywood, and Big Media—who have been on the airwaves for literally months with ads.

The money advantage is only part of the story. Big media and big business are joining forces to push gay marriage like nothing I've ever seen before.

Major corporations in Washington have pooled their resources to take out a full-page ad announcing support for gay marriage. The Olympian reports:

Executives from leading Washington businesses—including iconic Northwest brands such as Costco, Nordstrom, Microsoft, REI, Amazon.com and many others—have signed onto a full page ad in this morning's Sunday Seattle Times [sic], endorsing Referendum 74's same-sex marriage law.

Nordstrom sent an email to all 58,000 employees announcing company policy supports gay marriage, and urging them to vote for R-74. (It may backfire: how many ordinary workers want our bosses instructing us how to vote in a moral matter like the definition of marriage?)

And the Seattle Times corporation upped the ante, announcing it would donate at least $90,000 in free full-page newspaper ads supporting gay marriage!

Money Talks, but Voters Talk Back!

If you and I were a conventional political movement, we would be feeling pretty overwhelmed right now, depressed and in a defensive crouch.

They can't figure out why we don't just give up fighting for marriage!

But you and I know that this is not ordinary politics. There is a Thumb on the scale of justice. Some things are more powerful than money, and this week, we are beginning to see it make miracles happen.

Yesterday, the good news started pouring in!

Just a few weeks ago, polls showed marriage down by 14 points in the state of Washington.

But yesterday the respected Elway poll released the latest figures. After just a week or so of pro-marriage TV ads, there's been an incredible swing in public opinion towards marriage!

Opposition to R-74 has leapt ten points in the last week, since opponents went up on the air with new ads crafted by Prop 8 genius Frank Schubert (who is NOM's political consultant).

Here's one of the ads motivating this change:

And then there's this one, even more powerful than the first!

So, with R-74 now at 49 to 45 percent among likely voters—a statistical dead heat and huge change from the 14 point advantage gay marriage held in September (when 53 percent of Washington voters told the pollster they would support R-74)—there is great cause for hope.

That's right: despite spending $9.5 million, and months uncontested on the airwaves, the pro-gay marriage side has not managed to move public support for gay marriage.

All Bill Gates' money and all Starbucks' alleged Seattle cache may not be enough to push gay marriage over the finish line, if—and it's a big if—pro-marriage forces have enough money to get the truth out to the American people!

The stubborn good sense of the American people on marriage has been extraordinary: Yes, live and let live, people are practically shouting from the rooftops; but don't redesign marriage!

Look for a lot of shocked pundits on election night in November....

Trouble for Wiggins in Iowa

In Iowa, a new poll shows trouble ahead for Judge David Wiggins. I was out in Iowa on the "NoWiggins" bus—with Rick Santorum, Bobby Jindal, and other leading conservative voices.

This month, a new ad crafted by Frank Schubert went up and is on the airwaves in Iowa.

And new Public Policy Polling data shows 43 percent of Iowans saying they will vote "no" to retaining Wiggins, compared to only 37 percent who would support keeping the justice on the Iowa bench.

Kudos to Iowans for Freedom for keeping up the good fight—we stand with you!

Nationally, Support for Marriage Grows While Attacks Intensify

This week, USA Today is reporting more shocking good news: The "Tastes Like Hate" boycott against Chick-fil-A has backfired, and business is up in the third quarter, shocking PR gurus across the country:

Consumer use of the chain was up 2.2% in the third quarter compared with the same period in 2011, says the Sandelman survey of more than 30,000 fast-food consumers conducted in markets where Chick-fil-A is located. Market share was up 0.6%, and total ad awareness was up a hefty 6.5%.

"Chick-fil-A did everything wrong in the book, says Chris Goddard, president of CGPR. "Their president shot from the hip, and his PR team was not equipped or prepared (to respond). It was a PR disaster and a clear case of what not to do in a crisis."

Evidently, the PR gurus don't know there's a Hand in this fight that is not bound by the conventional wisdom.

Chick-fil-A, too, seems unstoppable. "There was a lot of talk that [these boycotts] would hurt Chick-fil-A, but it actually helped the brand," says Jeff Davis, president of Sandelman. During the third quarter, Chick-fil-A broadened its regular customer base in 28 of 35 media markets, he says.

When you stand up for what is right—for God's truth about marriage—amazing miracles can happen!

The stakes are so high. Just yesterday, the New Jersey Division of Civil Rights ruled that a same-sex couple had a civil right to hold their wedding on the grounds of the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association, a Bible camp founded in the 19th century to host Christian revivals. Ocean Grove has lost the right to let its property for weddings, unless they are willing to treat gay union vows as equally sacred to marriage.

In New York, Liberty Ridge Farm has similarly been charged with discrimination for politely telling a lesbian couple they don't do gay weddings

Up in Maine, NOM's Marriage Anti-Defamation Alliance reported this week on school counselor Don Mendell, a "Teacher of the Year" award recipient whose job was threatened when he came out against gay marriage:

And as I write, black pastors in Maryland are organizing a protest on the grounds of Gallaudet University, which suspended Dr. Angela McCaskill for doing nothing more than signing a petition to put the question of marriage to voters. [You remember, I reported last week on the outrageous attacks against McCaskill.]

The rights of all those of us who believe in Biblical standards are at risk. But we can fight back!

Out in Minnesota, a new ad running this week warns of the consequences of same-sex marriage and how it alienates parents from the process of their children's education:

How You Can Help Today

Look, I'm not going to kid you: these are tough, close fights all over—the conventional odds are overwhelmingly against us. But I promise you that victory, with God's help, is within our grasp.

Will you help? I know how tough the economy is out there. Your family and your faith community of course come first.

But if God has blessed you with the means, would you take a few minutes today to donate a few dollars to give us the tools we need to make miracles happen? A few stones, a slingshot, and faith—that's all it took for David to topple Goliath.

With your help, and by the grace of God, we can take on Bill Gates, Mayor Bloomberg, and all the other billionaires—take on Big Hollywood and Big Media. And we can win!

Because of state election laws, if you want to give to any of the four state marriage fights, you need to do so directly. To help, we've set up www.StandForMarriageAmerica.com so you can go and direct your donation to any or all of these state battles.

Meanwhile, NOM's Million Dollar Match for Marriage continues to do well. Thanks to each of you digging deep and sacrificing so generously, NOM so far has raised $564,557—or more than $1,693,000 for marriage! We are more than halfway there for our million dollar double-match challenge!

Less than 10 days to a historic victory. Thank you for all you've done to make us the national leader in the fight for marriage.

Pray, unceasingly—and keep up the good fight!

Paid for by National Organization for Marriage, 2029 K Street NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC, Brian Brown, President. Not authorized by any candidate, candidate's committee, or ballot issue committee.

Contributions or gifts to Minnesota for Marriage, Protect Marriage Maine, the Maryland Marriage Alliance, and Preserve Marriage Washington are not tax deductible.

MN — "PAID ADVERTISEMENT: Prepared and paid for by Minnesota for Marriage, 2355 Fairview Ave N, Box 301, Roseville, MN 55113, in support of the marriage protection amendment."

WA — "Paid for by Preserve Marriage Washington, 16212 Bothell-Everett Highway, Ste. F, #276, Mill Creek, Washington, 98012."

Paid for by the "Maryland Marriage Alliance-No on 6" Brian Duggan, Treasurer.

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