It's been an extraordinary roller-coaster week for marriage!
MARYLAND VOTE FOR SSM - NOT A DONE DEAL!
As I write, the Maryland House Judiciary Committee has still not been able to vote to pass same-sex marriage, despite threats and arm-twisting from leadership.
In Maryland, the House of Delegates was supposed to be an easy vote for gay marriage. Done deal, they all said, like they always do. (Continue reading.)
MARYLAND SSM SPONSORS JUMP SHIP
Meanwhile the press and the pols were shocked this week to find suddenly that black Dems were jumping ship.
Melvin Stukes (a black Democrat from Baltimore), a co-sponsor of the bill, pulled out. (Continue reading.)
MARYLAND LAWYER ERIKA COLE WARNS MD HOUSE AGAINST SSM
Here's another thing you didn't see on the mainstream news coverage: a respected church lawyer, Erika Cole, testifying at the House hearings, in which gay marriage advocates repeatedly urged legislators to exercise "leadership" by voting for gay marriage, whether their constituents want it or not. Click here to see Erika's testimony and get the rest of this story.
Nationally, the biggest issue is Pres. Obama's DOMA "Disaster," as Maggie calls it.
Obama's refusal to defend DOMA is already backfiring on him.
At NOM we try to stay ahead of the curve. (Continue reading)
DEFENDING DOMA – WILL THE HOUSE INTERVENE?
Now the big question is: Will the House intervene to protect DOMA?
Thousands of NOM's supporters have petitioned the House leadership. Thank you—keep it up—we're on the verge of winning a great, great victory!
PROP 8 CASE NEWS: COUNTY CLERK SEEKS STANDING IN CASE
On the Prop 8 case, this week saw another very important and totally underreported development too: Chuck Storey, the newly elected county clerk of Imperial County, is back in court, asking the Ninth Circuit for standing to intervene to uphold Prop 8! (Continue reading.)
ILLINOIS B&B OWNERS SUED FOR REFUSING SSU CEREMONY
Two bed-and-breakfast owners in Illinois are being sued after refusing to host a same-sex civil union ceremony. The harm to the gay couple is simply their emotional distress, not the lack of a nice place to hold a ceremony (because already another bed-and-breakfast has offered to host their ceremony). (Continue reading.)
CHRISTIANS NEED NOT APPLY—FROM GREAT BRITAIN TO ILLINOIS
In our sister democracy in Great Britain, a truly shocking example of how far gay-rights advocates will go to shut down religious people came to light this week: The British courts ruled that Christians can be excluded from fostering children unless they affirm that homosexual sex and marriage is good... (See the video and read the rest of the story.)
ANGRY SSM PROTESTERS TARGET RELIGIOUS SERVICES FOR PROTEST/DISRUPTION
Meanwhile, I wanted to make sure that in the big Obama DOMA news last week you didn't miss the latest installment of our Breaking News videos. This one is on a new tactic launched by the Gay Liberation Network in Chicago: organized protests during religious services.
Watch the video and continue reading this story...
Let me end on a happy note: Check out this video, the winner of the Ruth Institute's Reel Love Challenge contest, which asked college students to answer the question: Is Lifelong Married Love possible?
Gotta get back to work. We have so many good fights to fight! And thanks to you, very soon we'll have so many victories to celebrate!
