STOP SAME-SEX MARRIAGE IN CALIFORNIA

STOP SAME-SEX MARRIAGE IN CALIFORNIA

We've succeeded in the first phase of the most critical battle in the nation over the future of marriage. On Monday, the Secretary of State of California certified that we had the signatures necessary to get the California Marriage Amendment on the ballot. Thanks to the efforts of everyone who prayed, donated, volunteered, circulated or signed the California Marriage Amendment petition, the voters of California will have the chance to overrule our Supreme Court and protect marriage in our state.

But now we face an epic and historic battle over the future of marriage. It will affect us all, whether or not we live in California. If we don't pass the California Marriage Amendment you can be sure that same-sex couples will travel to California from other states, return to their own states and sue to overturn their home states' marriage laws. California is a pathway to same-sex marriage around the country and is the epicenter of the fight over the future of marriage in this country. It's as simple as that.

And the other side knows this all too well. Already our opponents are vowing to raise at least 15 million dollars to bury marriage in California. Already they have received a $500,000.00 lead grant from the Human Rights Campaign. They will use this money to launch a massive air war on television and radio to spread misrepresentations and lies about the amendment.

Will we have the resources to stop them? What happens next is up to you. We don't have Hollywood millionaires or billionaire software moguls to fund our efforts. We depend on hard-working men and woman like you who are willing to give generously to stop the attack on your values. Will you take your stand today? Make your most generous donation of $50, $100, $250, $500 or more to NOM California.

Just a few short weeks ago four California judges with a wave of their arrogant pens overruled common sense, 2000 years of human history, the consensus of every major faith tradition . . . and even democracy itself.

That's right. Four judges in black robes overruled the more than four million Californians who voted for Prop 22 in 2000 to protect marriage as the union of husband and wife.

Four judges announced that the majority of California voters--and all of us Americans who see marriage as the sacred bond between husband and wife--are just like bigots who opposed interracial marriages.

Here's the good news: we don't have to take this outrageous ruling lying down. We now have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to overrule these judges by changing our state constitution and making clear that we will not take their judicial arrogance lying down.

At NOM California, we knew this decision was coming. So we dropped everything this January to work with Protect Marriage to put a marriage amendment on the ballot in time to give ordinary Americans like you the power to fight back against activist judges. The Associated Press, National Review Online, and Human Events have all highlighted how NOM California's efforts were crucial in getting the signatures necessary to get on the ballot in November.

Now we must tirelessly work together toward victory in the next phase of our effort: ensuring that over half of California voters vote yes on protecting marriage. Will you take your stand today for marriage by making your most generous $50, $100, $250, $500 or larger donation today?

How important is overruling California's outrageous judges? Stuart Taylor is one of the most respected legal writers of his generation--and he's a liberal who supports same-sex marriage if passed democratically.

Here's what this honest liberal legal expert called the California court's ruling: "dishonest" "slick sophistry," "exuding impatience bordering on contempt for government by the people," and even "a deeply disingenuous dodge, if not a bald-faced lie, to conceal from gullible voters the fact that the decision was a raw exercise in judicial policy-making with no connection to the words or intent of the state constitution."

Just how helpless and gullible do these high-and-mighty judges think we are? Do they really think they can just rewrite marriage, our constitution, and other cherished values--and there's nothing we can or will do about it?

We must fight back against judicial tyranny with every fiber of our being, in California and across this great country.

We don't have millionaire Hollywood actors or billionaire software moguls backing our efforts. Whether we win or lose depends upon your prayers and generosity. Will you give generously today?

If this decision stands, judges everywhere will be emboldened to rewrite state and federal constitutions to impose their twisted values on the rest of us.

So Taylor warns: "Can court-ordered erasure of 'In God We Trust' from U.S. currency, and perhaps a judicial rewrite of the National Anthem, be far behind?"

If these arrogant judges are not put in their place, judges will be emboldened to "invent federal constitutional rights not only to gay marriage but also to Medicaid abortions, physician-assisted suicide, human cloning," striking down "laws making English the official language," "voucher for poor kids to attend parochial schools," and as he says, even "more."

More?

Yes. There's more. Four judges in California just declared a new culture war on people of faith in this country. They grossly abused their power as judges to order our own government to teach our children and grandchildren--using our own taxpayer dollars--that our deeply cherished values are just bigotry.

Can you imagine what Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. would think about having the civil rights movement he fought and died for twisted in this way? (And not a single African-American judge on that court, by the way.)

Think about that: The Supreme Court of California has just found that the common-sense definition of marriage is itself a form of bigotry, the legal and moral equivalent of racism.

How will this impact you and your children and grandchildren?

We know from the experience of other states that if we don't overturn this decision, there will be attacks on our beliefs, our religious institutions, and our civil rights.

For example, Christian adoption agencies could be ordered by law to treat same-sex unions just the same as marriages; Christian charities and schools could face new attacks on their tax-exempt status, and other government penalties for deeply-held religious views.

Sound far-fetched? Alarmist? No, it's already happening--here in the United States.

In Massachusetts, Catholic Charities was ordered by the government to place children with same-sex couples or go out of business. In New Jersey, a Methodist organization just lost part of its state property tax exemption because it won't let civil union ceremonies take place on a church-owned beachfront pavilion.

How long will it take for the state of California to order a church to employ same-sex "married" teachers in Christian schools? Well, already in England, a Christian bishop was told he could not fire a principal of a Christian elementary school who entered a same-sex union, because that would be "discrimination."

This California ruling is not some academic exercise; it's a direct attack on the religious liberty of Christians as well as every other faith tradition that sees marriage as the union of husband and wife.

The real question is: Will you fight back or will you take it lying down?

We need your help to stand up for marriage, for the rights of people of faith, and for constitutional democracy itself.

This is a fight we can win. The latest LA Times poll shows that Californians are horrified by this court decision. The LA Times poll wording was clear and showed that support for the California Marriage Amendment was at 54 percent. While same-sex "marriage" activists are trying to use a single Field Poll with biased wording to convince the country that Californians support same-sex marriage, we know the truth: our state understands that marriage is the union of one man and one woman.

But we can't rest on our laurels. Already gay millionaires, Hollywood bigwigs and the mainstream media are flooding the airwaves with one-sided propaganda.

We need resources to fight back, to stand up for God's own truth, for common sense, for marriage as the union of husband and wife, and for the next generation's right to know and be known by their own mother and father.

Will you take your stand and donate today?

Together we can overturn this Supreme Court decision and send shockwaves throughout the country. Imagine the national repercussions when we show that even in "liberal" California marriage can win and win big when the people have the chance to vote.

And we're not the only ones who understand how important a victory in November will be to the future of American society. And how, with the right resources, we can and will win. Listen to the leading same-sex marriage advocacy group's own words about the importance of the battle in California.

"The right wing has successfully gathered more than 1.1 million signatures for the anti-LGBT initiative, which makes it likely to qualify for this November's ballot. . . . In just 24 short weeks, our celebration of victory would turn into mourning a terrible loss."
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Action Fund

Our opponents have vowed to spend $15 million to defeat the amendment. Will we have the same resources to combat their lies? You can make sure that we do by donating today!

The only way we can lose is if we refuse to fight back. How else can 2% of the population defeat a 60% majority? They are betting folks like you and me will be too scared, gullible, apathetic, or intimidated to stand up for marriage.

But we won't let that happen, will we?

I have two urgent requests for you today:

1) Can you make a gift of $50, $100, $250, $500 or even more today? The next two months are critical as we map out a media plan and campaign budget for the fall.

2) Can you forward this message to 5 of your friends through our FRIENDS ASKING FRIENDS PROGRAM, asking them to join our cause? We need all the help we can get! You can even set up a Friends Asking Friends page of your own at our website where you can encourage your social networks to give to protect marriage. Get started with our FRIENDS ASKING FRIENDS program today!

Help make sure that arrogant judges who label our faith as bigotry will not have the last word. With your generous help, we will take the fight for marriage to the people of California this November and we will win.

God bless,