National Organization on Marriage

A wonderful, informative article from the National Organization on Marriage: (www.nationformarriage.org)

NOTE: When civil unions, already the law in California (they are
called "domestic partnerships" but offer all the rights and
benefits) are offered as an option, support for same-sex marriage
plummets to less than one-third.

WHAT IS OUR MAIN MESSAGE?

• All Californians have a right to live as they choose; judges don't
have a right to redefine marriage for the rest of us.
• Twenty-seven other states, including Oregon, Wisconsin, and
Michigan have already passed marriage amendments to their state
constitutions
• Marriage is a union of husband and wife. The people of California
do not want the government teaching our children or grandchildren
that our deeply cherished ideas of marriage are just bigotry or like
racism.
• Marriage is about bringing together men and women so children can
have mothers and fathers.

III. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. WHAT DOES THE CALIFORNIA MARRIAGE AMENDMENT DO?

The California Marriage Amendment simply takes the language of Prop
22, passed by 61% of Californians in 2000 ("only marriage between a
man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.") and puts it
in the constitution where activist judges can't overrule the voters.
Same-sex couples already have all the practical rights and benefits
of marriage through civil unions, and this amendment won't change
that. It will protect marriage from activist judges.

2. WHY DO YOU WANT TO TAKE AWAY PEOPLE'S RIGHTS?

All the legal benefits of marriage are already available to same-sex
couples under California's domestic partnership laws, and this
amendment will not change that. This amendment affirms the common
sense wisdom that marriage is the union of husband and wife ; it
will overrule those four activists judges who tried to overrule the
4 million Californians who voted for Proposition 22.

3. ARE YOU A BIGOT? ISN'T IT WRONG TO WRITE DISCRIMINATION INTO THE
CONSTITUTION?

California's marriage amendment is not unusual. Voters in 27 states,
including progressive states such as Wisconsin, Michigan, and Oregon
have supported state constitutional amendments defining marriage as
the union of husband and wife—just as Californians did in 2000.
Marriage is not bigotry; it's common sense.

Do you really believe that people like me who believe mothers and
fathers both matter to kids are like racists? I think that's pretty
offensive don't you? Particularly to the 60% of African-Americans in
California who oppose same-sex marriage. Marriage as the union of
husband and wife isn't new; it's not taking away anyone's rights.
It's common sense."

California's Supreme Court ruling flies in the face of common sense,
and almost every other court in the country. Even courts in blue
states such as New York, Washington, and Maryland recently ruled
that marriage is not bigotry; it's the way we teach young men and
women they need to come together to make and raise the next
generation, so kids have a mom and a dad.

A majority of Americans oppose gay marriage. Marriage isn't a
divisive issue; it unites blacks and whites and Hispanics,
Republicans, Independents and Democrats.

4. ISN'T THE BAN ON GAY MARRIAGE LIKE BANS ON INTERRACIAL MARRIAGE?

Bans on interracial marriage were about keeping two races apart so
that one race could oppress the other. Marriage is about bringing
two sexes together so that children get the love of their own mom
and a dad, and women don't get stuck with the enormous disadvantages
of parenting alone.

Having a parent of two different races is just not the same as being
deprived of your mother—or your father.

5. WHAT'S THE HARM FROM SSM? HOW CAN ADAM AND STEVE HURT YOUR
MARRIAGE?

Who gets harmed? The people of this state who lose our right to
define marriage as the union of husband and wife, that's who. That
is just not right.

If courts rule that orientation is just like race, then people like
you and me who believe children need moms and dads will be treated
like bigots and racists.

Religious groups like Catholic Charities or the Salvation Army may
lose their tax exemptions, or be denied the use of parks and other
public facilities, unless they endorse gay marriage.

Public schools will teach young children that two men being intimate
are just the same as a husband and wife, even when it comes to
raising kids.

One thing is for sure: The people of this state will lose our right
to keep marriage as the union of a husband and wife. That's not right

6. WHY DO YOU WANT TO INTERFERE WITH LOVE?

Love is a great thing. But marriage isn't just any kind of love;
it's the special love of husband and wife for each other and their
children. People have a right to love any way they choose, but
marriage means a union of husband and wife.

7. ISN'T DIVORCE THE REAL THREAT TO MARRIAGE?

High rates of divorce are one more reason we should be strengthening
marriage, not conducting radical social experiments on it.

8. ARE YOU SAYING GAYS CANNOT BE GOOD PARENTS?

Two men might each be a good father, but neither can be a mom. The
ideal for children is the love of their own mom and dad. No same-sex
couple can provide that.

9. WHAT ABOUT OLDER OR INFERTILE COUPLES? IF THEY MARRY WHY NOT SAME-
SEX COUPLES?

Every man and woman who marries is capable of giving any child they
create (or adopt) a mother and a father. No same-sex couple can do
this. It's apples and oranges.