Box Turtle Bulletin

First hand report from NOM’s rally in Indianapolis

Reader Lindoro Almaviva has provided this first hand report of the National Organization for Marriage rally and the counter protest.

NOM had a “good day” here in Indy compared to the abysmal attendance that has plagued their tour. Bill Browning and I counted about 37-40 people who came in to Support NOM, in contrast, the count for Marriage equality supporter rose to about 200-225 (someone said 250) .

Maggie was the main speaker and it is my understanding that Bill Browning has a video of the whole thing, he told me once it is up on YouTube he will send you the link.

For the most part, there were no incidents except for the same guy who comes to the side of the protesters to incite them and throw insults. A couple of people engaged him (which I am sure they will use to support their victim status) but that was it. Latter during lunch I head that he shoved some lady, but did it in a way that the police didn’t see him and the lady was asked to move. I guess it is OK for them to shove people around but not Ok for us to protest them, the ironies of the world.

The counter protesters were a rowdy bunch. They consistently drowned the speakers with the usual chants of “We want marriage equality”, No equality no peace” and the such, but also they shouted slogans like “We love you NOM” and “Welcome to Indianapolis.” Interestingly enough, while there were about 7-10 police officers walking around, there were no fences to separate both crowds. For the most part, those os us with Cameras and even some people with signs co-mingled with those attending the rally. Except for the shoving incident (which I didn’t see) there was no incident to speak about, just the usual remark like “even the protesters showed up to our rally” to which the protesters responded to “we want you to see what a real majority looks like.”

After the rally was over, people attending it left the area like someone committed a party foul while the people attending the counter demonstration stayed and held an actual protest demanding marriage equality, we also had a photo op at the bus (seems like the bus is becoming more of a celebrity than the speakers in the tour) and needless to say, the chant of “Move that bus!” was quite popular (Thank you Ty Pennington!).

Later on, I was talking to someone and we were saying how interesting it is that NOM has spent thousands of dollars and spent months preparing, promoting and booking venues for this tour for no one to show up, yet a small page put by someone on FaceBook in Indianapolis grew to over 3000 invitations and over 200 attendees in a matter of days. We were saying that it will be impossible to claim this tour has been anything else than a complete failure. We were also wondering if NOM, in booking these stops on weekdays, were trying to show how powerful their message is because they thought at the sight of a stop in their city, people would sacrifice their lunch hours or schedule a day off from work just to be at the rally; only to be confronted with the fact that people are NOT leaving work, or their homes, or their lunch hour to come and hear their message. I personally wonder what is going on in their staff meetings and how they are spinning the situation to volunteers and staffers who are questioning where the crowds went.

I’m trying to download some pictures and will add them when I succeed.

Nom tours a mostly-empty plaza in Indianapolis

The National Organization for Marriage rolled into Indianapolis on their Summer for Marriage Tour and the welcome was decidedly underwhelming. As has been the case in most of the stops on their Tour of Mostly-Empty City Plazas, the crowd was sparse and the counterprotest had more size, creativity, and energy.

The Courage Campaign’s Tour Tracker posted tentative preliminary attendance at the start of about 29 (though this picture shows more) and the protest at about 95. If we see updates, we’ll let you know.

It seems that equality supporters stayed back in their designated area and chanted. In one of the strangest comments so far, NOM’s Maggie Gallagher said “… not even the noisiest protests could drown out the voice and values of Indiana’s majority.” Because having no one show up means that you speak for the majority, I guess.

Maggie spent much of her time in town speaking to politicians. I hope they glanced out the window and saw how truly ineffective and uninspiring that she and NOM really are.

I believe at some point today we will have first hand comments and pictures from a regular BTB reader.

NOM’s Louis Marinelli denies speaking for NOM

The National Organization for Marriage’s Louis Marinelli is currently driving the bus for NOM’s Tour of Mostly-Empty City Plazas. Marinelli was a natural selection after his organization One Man, One Woman was brought under the NOM umbrella and his Facebook page became the one that NOM touts as their own. Or, as Marinelli said on March 17th, “We are now working directly for the National Organization for Marriage.”

But Marinelli’s own personal blogsite is not NOM’s blogsite – they have their own – and we have been careful to distinguish between NOM’s blogsite, NOM’s Facebook page (which is owned by Marinelli), and Marinelli’s own personal blogsite which shares the same name as NOM’s Facebook page. Nevertheless, Marinelli has now issued this “clarification” on his blogsite.

A statement of clarity
I would like to take this opportunity to state that the opinions and statements made in this blog reflect only the opinions of myself, personally, not the National Organization for Marriage.

I am not an employee of the National Organization for Marriage. I am a third party who is directly involved as a partner with the Summer for Marriage.

Therefore, positions I take and statements I make do not reflect the positions or opinions of any other person, entity or the National Organization for Marriage as a whole.

This statement of clarity has been added due to the heavy attention our opponents give to this blog and the great lack of understanding of who or what I represent. Let this stand as a clarification to all.

This is an effort on the part of the National Organization for Marriage to speak out of both sides of their mouth. They wish to have NOM – which makes statements that are palatable to the secular public – but also be able to have Louis/One Man, One Woman – who can say the fiery things that horrify the public but which are required to motivate the rabble.

I’m not buying it.

Of course Louis may not be an “employee” of NOM – in the sense that he receives a paycheck with their name in the corner. But let us not pretend that Louis is an independent third party, either.

And, of course he doesn’t “speak for” NOM any more than those persons who NOM invites to stand in front of their microphone and address their (tiny) crowds speak for NOM. But let’s not pretend that Louis’ opinions and statements are entirely independent of those of NOM. It’s his website that bears their LOGO. It’s his butt sitting in the bus’ drivers seat.

Perhaps the best way to view Louis is to consider the relationship between a political candidate and his campaign strategist. A strategist is not the candidate and he may not “speak for” the candidate officially, but his public positions are associated with the candidate and – if not retracted or renounced – can safely be assumed to be the same as those of the candidate.

So too are Louis Marinelli’s opinions and statements a reflection on the opinions and statements of the National Organization for Marriage. The “distinctions” between the two are meaningless. And unless and until NOM officially denounces his statements and re-separates their commingled organizations, it is disingenuous to argue otherwise.

NOM’s policy on babies

The National Organization for Marriage has interesting criteria for whether a baby is cute.

Here’s Maggie Gallagher:

I spoke with one young couple who showed up with the most adorable baby in tow.

Okay.. This baby is adorable.

Here’s Louis Marinelli:

Moving on. There was one couple (one of those bolder couples who came into the rally itself) who were particularly disappointing. The two men decided not to just attend the rally but they brought a baby with them. Notice I said ‘a baby” because it isn’t “their baby”. It was clearly adopted. They were white the baby was not.

And this baby is not white.

So… let’s see if we can figure out their policy. Hmmm, first baby: adorable; second baby: not white. Hmmm.

Can you imagine the accusations if we said that?

NOM tours a mostly-empty parking lot

It’s getting harder for the National Organization for Marriage to spin their Summer for Marriage tour into a success. No one is showing up.

Today they went to Lima, Ohio, a metropolitan area of about 100,000. Lima is heavily Republican and Jim Jordan, their Congressman who they sent back to Congress in 2008 by a 65% vote, is one of the most dedicated anti-marriage legislators in Washington. It’s Saturday.

And today’s turnout was pathetic. As NOM’s Maggie Gallagher tweeted

MG: Met 25 or so new friends at Lima rally,thks!! Tiny,well behaved counter protest. See u Monday in Indianapolis!

NOMtastic!

The Courage Campaign’s tour trackers had a different count

In our most rural tour stop to date, the NOM bus tour has taken us to a parking lot, in front of a closed-down grocery store in Lima, Ohio.

A hand-count of 22 NOM supporters (many of whom were staff) gathered into a cavernous parking lot while 19 equality supporters stood quietly to the right of the rally holding handmade signs in silent, but powerful, protest.

I guess 22-25 is, in Maggie’s terms, “successful” but 19 is “tiny”.

Monday they will be heading to Indianapolis and I wonder if anyone will show up to stand in the heat and humidity. If the attendance trend continues, soon they’ll be able to hold their rallies inside the bus.

UPDATE: One of the counter protesters lists his count of the NOMbies at 32, including the organizers.

NOM speaks to another mostly-empty city plaza

Continuing to demonstrate itself to be the NOM Tour of Mostly-Empty City Plazas, the National Organization for Marriage’s tour stop in Columbus, Ohio, was surprisingly poorly attended.

As they moved out of the northeast and into more conservative Ohio, it was assumed that NOM’s rallies would begin to pick up attendance. They even brought out Maggie Gallagher, their big media star, to speak to the crowd at the State House south lawn. But the crowd didn’t show up.

The Tour Tracker reports that the NOMbies at the peak were about 30 and that protesters numbered about 120. Of course, NOM will report 60 supporters because it appears that their counting method is to simply multiply by two (the 19 or so in Annapolis became “about 50 supporters in attendance”).

In Columbus, police set up barricades behind which protesters were required to stand. The protesters chanted and blew whistles. While that is annoying to the speakers, I’m not sure exactly what it accomplished. There’s nothing really wrong with the “hey hey ho ho” chants, but I think it would be more effective to sing We Shall Overcome. Or really annoy NOM and get a few powerful tenors to belt out Ave Maria.

But for the most part they didn’t engage in Shocking! and Outlandish! behavior that would frighten the horses (and yes, there were horses; the police were mounted.) One young lady crossed the line and was reportedly confrontational towards the people attending the NOM rally before being arrested. That was unfortunate and if NOM got any pictures or video of her, she will undoubtedly be the star of their next “I’m a victim” video.

The protest was by far the most interesting part of NOM’s event – even to NOM. Their website has no pictures of their own crowd, deciding instead to post one of the marriage supporters.

One odd thing: Brian Brown was missing from the festivities, and rumor is that he flew to California. No one seems to know why. Maybe he was too bored and depressed from no one showing up to hear him speak.

UPDATE: Here are the two sides of the story about the young lady who was arrested:

NOM’s version:

One woman, before she was escorted out of the rally by police, went through the crowd offering her hand to NOM supporters before ripping it away and cursing in their faces.

Maggie Gallagher’s version:

The protestors seemed a pretty angry lot, but mostly respected the line. (The Ohio cops were going to make sure of that!) One woman tried to incite folks to storm the podium again, but the police made that seem like a pretty bad idea.

I love cops.

Holly Hahn’s version:

This is what happened. I accidentally wandered into the NOM side of the protest. Seeing some opportunity for amusement, I wandered around inside the barricades shaking hands and introducing my self as a homosexual. One older man got upset and grabbed me and tried to wrestle me away, the cops told me to go behind the barricade and i did. Then the cops told me to leave and I refused. They dragged me away, cuffed and charged me with disorderly conduct and obstructing. I cooperated once arrested. I need ANY AND ALL pics and videos, to prove I was shaking hands, not “grabbing arms” please repost!

To clarify” I parked in the parking garage and was unsure which side of the statehouse I need to be. There were NO barricades the way I entered. I didn’t actually realize I was in NOM territory until I noticed the logo on the podium.

p.s absolutely nothing happened to the old man who grappled with me, but i think they recorded me cussing at him to GTFO me, unfortunately. I am truly sorry if my um..unrestrained comments while being assaulted are used in a way that is detrimental to the cause. The fact is I am woman, 5’0 and there was a man grabbing and grappling with me and police yelling at me. I was scared and angry.

p.p.sYes, It wasn’t premeditated. I have done many many protests and actions over the years, but really this time I just wandered into the wrong side and decided to run with it. I can’t let anyone go through their life saying they haven’t met a queer. It’s kind of my policy. So I started shaking hands.
Putting myself in the public eye doesn’t scare me a bit. I am who I am.
I refuse to be afraid and unlike the anonymous donors to Prop 8 and other hate legislation, I am true enough to my beliefs to put my real name on them.
My name is Holly Hahn. I am a lesbian. I am not scared of police, social disapproval or bigots stalking me.
I believe that the time for Mr/s Nice Gay is over. I’m tired of endless attacks against our lives. I don’t want them to feel safe behind the barricade- why should they get the privilege of feeling safe when their words or hate make our brothers and sisters UNsafe?
I will cross barricades again, and I am hoping to organize a courthouse sit in on my court date

UPDATE TWO

I bring you two messages from the National Organization for Marriage. The first is from Maggie Gallagher:

My message to the protestors: Hate is not a family value. The 62 percent of Ohioans who came together across lines of race, creed and color to vote for marriage are not haters, and it’s wrong to portray them, or the American people that way.

The second I bring from NOM’s Facebook page. The site is heavily edited by NOM’s associates and only the messages that the administrators want there remain. What follows is the comments to this post. (I left nothing out so as not to appear to be cherry picking the worst)

Daniel Rowinski: ugh i find out my city of Cleveland will host the gay games of 2014.

Theresa Preece: The Gay Games?

John Ozanich: Gay Olympics

Theresa Preece: Yes, I know. SO many comments….

Danielle Burke: That is extremely disappointing :(

John Ozanich: all about money

Tara J Later: Oh, now that is beyond funny. The thing that comes to mind is the javelin throw on the movie ” Revenge of the Nerds”. Let’s get the aerodinamics right. I’m rotfl, big time.

Minister Dixon: “The Gay Games?” Yeah, now I’ve heard everything. How are Gay Games different from other games?

John Acker: Do the males (they are anything but men) compete in accessorizing and lisping?

John Ozanich: you ever see Jesse Owens do a 500 yard sprint wearing a feathered pink boa ?

Tara J Later: @ Min. Dixon….I think I have the answer to that question. The uniforms are tighter and shorter, to make sure they show every part of the body as much as possible. That’s the difference. And the uniforms will be flaming loud.

Minister Dixon: John do you want my turkey sandwich to come back up? LOL

Minister Dixon: @ Tara, if it’s anything like their parades, you may have a point there :)

Tara J Later: I do have to admit, that everyone of my homosexual friends have great taste in style… Only one is on the loud side, but none of them want marriage. It’s quite interesting that they aren’t on the band wagon.

Nick Jones: Do these games consist of slapping fights, sex in public and who can say ‘hey’ the gayest?

Nick Jones: Do these games consist of slapping fights, sex in public and seeing who can say ‘hay’ the gayest?

John Ozanich: no, that’s Congress, Nick…

Minister Dixon: LOL, hey John, you’re not well, hahaha

And now my message to the Maggie: Hate is not a family value. It is true that not all of the 62 percent of Ohioans who voted to deny equality to their gay neighbors are haters, but many of the people who support the National Organization for Marriage and who participate at your Facebook page are.

A Summer FOR Marriage tour

I’m not sure how this slipped my attention, but Freedom to Marry is doing a Summer for Marriage tour that mirrors the locations selected by NOM. Except, of course, Freedom to Marry’s tour actual is for marriage, not for marriage restriction.

And it seems that Freedom to Marry events actually have people show up. Unlike NOM’s event in the empty plaza in Annapolis (you have to see the video: there was literally no one standing in the plaza in the sun when the event started), there were about a hundred people at 7 different events across the city. More ministers showed up for Equality Maryland’s Pride in Faith program than did total people attending NOM’s plaza event.

For more info, check out their site.

Words of wisdom from NOM’s Facebook followers

Perhaps I’m being too harsh on the National Organization for Marriage. Perhaps they do have something of value to teach me.

So I’ve turned to NOM’s Facebook page to see what TRUTHs NOM’s followers can share with me (remember to always capitalize TRUTH, it makes it truthier). And I have to admit that I’ve found some pretty amazing things:

The NOM Diet:

Susan Long: Those of us who are trying to follow the Bible as Gods word are being forced to throw up everytime something like homosexuailty comes up.

NOM’s solution for jail overcrowding

Susan Long: This is so true. This is act of disobedience is no difference than murder,abortion and we could go on forever. Speaking of aborttion I think all those who are in prison for murder should be let out. Abortion is no different than blowing someones brains out or beat6ing them to death. God will get enough of us as I believe he has and we better look for the ramifications to soon come.

NOM’s approach to creative writing

Kayla Hatcher: Stuipd Gays…

NOM’s civics lesson

Thomas Shank: That’s right Laura! We should gently judge their lives. I mean kindly tell them it’s wrong. Jam 2:3
This is a Christian nation

NOM’s approach to logic

Richard Lutz: It is hard talking with many people because it’s easier for them to justify their sin than it is to change, and they’ll fight anyone who exposes their darkness to the light. As born-again believers… we need to remember that our ultimate goal should not be to win arguments… but to win souls.

Donna Billman: The Bible and God’s word are the only logic necessary, He created us and set the rules in place and His rules for how we should live are to protect us and to honor Him.

NOM on what gay people are like

Nick Jones: Why is it that some homosexuals (like the post that was just deleted) continually want to look like the opposite sex. Homosexual men want to look like women in appearance and mannerisms and the women want to throw on this fake masculinity. Is this an imitation of cheap heterosexuality?

Jeanette Gartman: The reason is because they are lost. They are confused about the gender roles. And society does not do the Truth any favors. neither does the media, nor the school, nor even parents!

Tanya Beckel Redfield: Because as a generalization, many homosexuals tend to work in up scale jobs… less blue collar. So as a business, it would make sense to support a group that has more money to spend..

Jaime Thissen: There’s a lot of gay people who are just plain angry. I guess it’s because they can never as fulfilling of a relationship as a committed straight couple. It would certainly explain all the hate from them on the discussion board….between that and the successful indoctrination of the Class of 2011 (laughs).

Tony Johnson: I personally think that the gay/lesbian community has became what they supposedly hate-a community of intolerant bigots who are totally self-centered !!

Carol Toth: That’s why it’s easier for them to claim the BIBLE IS OUTDATED THAN TO FACE THE HELL THEIR CONDEMING THEMSELVES TOO BY THEIR UNNATURAL ACTS.

NOM on the gay agenda

Bryan Hanny: It has never been about equal rights, which they already have provided as all people under the constitution do. Its about special rights and about legitimizing thier dangerous lifestyle.

Kimberly Schueler: This is Satan @ work, guys!!!

Noah Windscheffel: My brothers and sisters in Christ: I want you all to remember that it is not a battle between gays and those who aren’t. It is a battle between the followers of Christ, and Satan and his demons. The battle isn’t about homosexuality. It is about sin. But we must continue to speak the truth in love. Remember this: They will hate us, because they first hated Christ. But we must continue to love in a Christ-like way and pray for the ones who haven’t come to Jesus yet. It is a spiritual battle, not a physical one. May you always follow Jesus.

Moira Murphy O Mahoney: will there come a day when being “straight” is outlawed….and all reproduction done in labs etc.etc…make a good movie. no…too sad. (too farfetched I hope)

Cindy Dalton: That’s right, Tara. The Gay Man-Boy Love Association, a group of pedophiles, is already lobbying here in Virginia to legalize sex between a consenting man and a male child. What does “consenting” mean exactly? These professional criminals know how to groom children into allowing them to molest them.

NOM on what should be done to gay people

Stephanie Zembery-Darrah: Unless you are evil and have no morals and values you have no rights in this country anymore, it is time we take our country back. This country was founded on Christian beliefs, if they don’t like it THEY can leave, we don’t want the pollution here anymore! ONE MAN AND ONE WOMAN that is the way it is meant to be. Be fruitful and multiply…how can you do that any other way???????? It just isn’t even natural any other way.

Charles Smith: all the carpet rubbers and stool pushers need to be on an island. so in a hundred years they will be extinct. lmao.

Nelson Eaton: Well, Everyone has rights except hard working strait american people so,When they stormed the podium and started threatening children.The best way to handle a pervert is to stomp the crap out of them.

NOM on differing viewpoints:

Well… there just don’t seem to be many people who disagree with NOM’s agenda. It can be quite odd reading the threads because NOMbies often reference comments and people who have magically disappeared. Odd.

And finally, NOM on how anti-gays see themselves:

From dozens of NOMbies: Love the sinner, hate the sin.

Yet again the National Organization for Marriage demonstrates that they have no integrity

There are pictures and video from the National Organization for Marriage’s tour stop in Trenton, New Jersey. I took the broadest photograph, compared it to the others and to the video, and counted 63 people. Including the half-dozen Knights of Columbus that stood behind the speakers, it would be safe to say that at no point at NOM’s rally were there over 80 people present.

Here’s what Brian Brown claimed:

Thanks to all of you who came out for the Summer for Marriage rally at the State House in Trenton. We had about 120 people take time off work and give up their lunch break to come stand for marriage in New Jersey.

At some point, doesn’t he get embarressed?

Oh, but it gets worse. In his Trenton recap video he claims,

Literally, thousands of Americans have stood up in the past few days to say we know what marriage is, marriage is the union of a man and a woman.

Thousands? Literally?

Not even by Brian’s wildly exaggerated, totally false, counts. So far he has claimed inflated numbers of: Augusta 200; Manchester 150-200; Albany 100; Providence 200-250; and Trenton 120; for a complete tour audience of 770 to 890 for their first five stops. Not exactly “thousands”, literally or otherwise.

Not only can the tourists on NOM’s Tour of Mostly-Empty City Plazas not count, they can’t add either. Or they simply have no integrity at all.

Annapolis gets smallest NOM rally of all

What does Annapolis, Maryland, think about the National Organization for Marriage’s big multi-state tour? Well, according to this picture of the rally in progress, not much.

Nineteen.

That’s how many people I counted in this picture standing and listening to Brian Brown speak. Nineteen.

If this keeps up, I predict a family emergency or bus trouble or something may cause this fiasco to come to an early demise.

Smile and wave, NOM’s watching

The National Organization for Marriage’s Summer for Marriage Tour does not exactly yield itself to stimulating discussion. We’ve heard Brian Brown ranting and the, ummm, peculiar theories of Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse of the Ruth Foundation (why do I keep wanting to call her Dr. Ruth?) and there’s just not that much new to say about it all.

But can you imagine having to be actually driving the bus and having to hear daily reruns of those speeches. Or blogging about it? Oh my sweet bippy, I’m dozing off at the thought. There are only so many times you can say “I’m so exited about the crowd of 40 senior citizens who dozed in the sun while Dr. Ruth Jennifer expounded on how same-sex marriage is an attack on farm animals and corporate structure” before your eyes glaze and you start banging your head against the wall. Or speaking in tongues.

So, like the rest of us, NOM’s bus driver extraordinairre, Louis Marinelli, has taken to talking about the protesters instead. And taking pictures. Of their dogs.

But in Trenton the protesters stayed away and instead held their much more interesting and vastly better attended press event, so Louis doesn’t even have them to talk about. And it must be far too discouraging to talk about the mini-rally. I mean, really.

But luckily for Louis, he found us.

Oh yes, Marinelli not only found the commentary to be worthy of focus but many of your comments as well. Smile and wave, kiddies, NOM’s watching. (But don’t let it go to your head; he also told us the contents of his lunch).

Marinelli was oh so happy to see anyone critical of storming the stage. He “applauded our integrity”… though he seems not to have read the commentary very fully or completely (or realize that Jim and I are two different people).

But Marinelli then took an approach that was very revealing: he obsessed about our disagreements over tactics. And in his writing I again recognized two things that separate our community from those who are intent on denying us our equality: we are capable of having multiple perspectives, differing views, and even disagreements while remaining one community; and we are not afraid of dissent.

I think that idea fascinates those who oppose us. It’s foreign to those who are accustomed to believing that there is one true holy and universal way to think, revealed by God and upheld by Pontiffs and Prophets. And while I’m sure they fear disagreement (and regularly remove comments and individuals from their sites that don’t toe the line) I think they also envy our freedom. The freedom to challenge and be challenged, the freedom of not having to be ‘right’ lest you spend eternity in torture, and the freedom to question presumptions and grow.

So smile kids and don’t be afraid to question us or each other. NOM is watching and this is something that they need to see.

Jim Burroway’s comment: Incredible, isn’t it? NOM is about to pee their collective pants in glee to discover that the LGBT community is a very diverse group of people, ranging from Christians to atheists, Republicans to Democrats, from right-wing fascist to merely conservative to moderate to merely liberal to left-wing Marxist. You know, like the rest of America.

But Marinelli is so incapable of understanding that concept that he seems to think Timothy and I are the same people. That confusion is instructive, because like many who fight so hard against LGBT equality, Marinelli is incapable of distinguishing among different people. Where we see people, he sees an agenda, and to him, Timothy and I are all the same. And so what Marinelli is squealing like a schoolgirl over here is his cognitive dissonance that he has encountered now that his stereotype of the monolithic “homosexual agenda,” that bogeyman who lurks in the shadows and always behaves in a predictable way (bogeyman only exists in the imagination of the dreamer, hence the predictability) evaporates when confronted with the reality that, gosh, different people have different opinions! Imagine that! And furthermore, they’re going to express them! Well golly willikers! Maybe we disagree with the whole equality thing altogether!

Don’t count on that.

P.S. I love how all of you ordinary readers are now “homosexual activists.” Welcome aboard.

Crazy Rabbis in New Jersey

A few Orthodox rabbis participated in the National Organization for Marriage’s rally in New Jersey. And they had some rather peculiar points to make.

One sign reads:

G-D’S COMMANDS ARE JUST, FAIR
AND POSSIBLE TO COMPLY WITH:
Sodomy causes others to sin, diseases and misbehavior.
The resulting high costs are crippling the economy.
Every human being is obligated to control his physical desire.
RATHER HEAL YOURSELVES & ENJOY LIFE A LOT BETTER!

Ah, wackadoodlery. The traditional circus song flitted through my head as I tried to figure out how sodomy causes others to sin or how it’s crippling the economy.

The other sign fails the tiny print rule but seems to be making the same argument that we hear from the “America is a Christian Nation” crowd.

p.s. Hey, kid, knock of that misbehavior.

NOM Fails in Trenton

I was joking when I showed the picture of the empty square in Trenton, New Jersey. But, as it turns out, not by much. Here’s the real turnout:

Brian Brown’s latest letter to his supporters ended with “Our movement is growing. We’re in Trenton today, where we’re looking forward to an even bigger crowd.” Perhaps he was overly optimistic. I count 63 folks in this rally (and that includes the camera crew and a few people who I think were just walking by) but there were also a half dozen Knights of Columbus behind the speakers. What do you bet Brian Brown claims “over 200”?

(Don’t you just love the sign that says “Equality is 1 man + 1 woman”. I see it as a cultural shift when they start acknowledging that equality is a concept worth adopting and then desperately try to come up with a way to claim the concept.)

In contrast, 158 marriage supporters showed up for a Townhall at the New Jersey State House. They presented real couples who are impacted by their inability to be legally married in the state.

Counter protesters did not directly confront NOM’s Big Bus of Animus tour. (Courage Campaign)

Under direction from Garden State Equality, marriage supporters walked past the NOM rally into an annex building, passing by the small NOM rally attended by 48 people (that’s a hand-count and it’s probably 28 if you subtract NOM staff).

About 5 Garden State Equality volunteers stood 50 feet from the rally in an effort to defuse any potential confrontations between equality supporters and NOM supporters. As of 12:35 pm EST we have seen no major confrontations or incidents.

NOM’s excellent turn-out in New Jersey

Just kidding. This was before the rally.

I’ll comment on the event once those who were present post their observations and pictures.

NOM’s followers are so full of “love” that it oozes right out of them

On the National Organization for Marriage’s Facebook page, the followers of NOM have a few choice things to say about you. Brian Brown and Maggie Gallagher will never say these things where they can be heard. But what follows clearly reflects the opinions, perspectives and attitudes of those who actively engage in efforts to deny gay people equality under the law.

Brian and Maggie are the face of the anti-gay movement. Here is its heart:

Fahd Omar: I hate homosexuality. I love the true idea behind the love between a man and a woman. Almost All religions agree to this.

Joshua James Elderkin: …These faggots have nothing left to do but die and go to hell & they’re going to take as many people with them as they can.

RalphandLinda Mccarty: so sad, haters, God love the person, HATES the sin,

Some were upset that two lesbians made out.

Deborah Bartlett: Agreed Peggy, I am so thankful that The Lord has told us that this is an abomination and that it will be something we will not have to put up with for eternity!! I refuse to worry about their feelings or worry about making them mad! They don’t worry about my feelings on their public displays of affection and the fact that it makes me sick and I have to explain to my children that it is against nature ! Heck even animals know it is not right!!! When was the last time you seen two female animals make a nest together or two male animals!! You don’t and won’t!!! It is gross and I have taught my children better and they know it is not something you are born with, that is crap!! God creates life , therefore he will not create trash!! It is a choice you make and a choice you choose to expose others to against our will!!

Kendra Glover: Wow!!!!This wel written. The Gay Agenda!!!!It’s proof that it’s more to this lifestyle. Making sexual gestures? What is that? Let’s get to the meat…….What’s the motive of this so called civil rights movement ( not even close to it). The motive is to change your mind, and think SEXUALLY perversed at all times. Just hearing about them … See Moremaking these horrific gestures is proof of their agenda. It has all to do with promoting ALL KINDS OF SEX. Two people that are of the same sex are not together for the sake of love. For the sake of SEX, the way they want to. Homosexuality is not a person. It is one’s lifestyle wanting and having sex with the same sex. I’m a woman married to man ( not conused). We are not married to have sex. What? The problem is we haven’t challenged them in their agenda. When you talk to your children about sex. Do you have to show them sexual gestures? Do you see the ignorance to this filth? IT’S ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT SEX!!!!

Diane E. Fowler: It is the homosexual attitude, “you can’t ignore me, I’ll shove it down your throat” (and your children’s as well). Keep praying America, please keep praying for these lost sodomites.

And some were espousing real hatred

Joshua James Elderkin: Scott, I’m not trying to win any cause. I just say what I think and whoever likes or dislikes it then great. The whole world is run by Satan, there is no justice or truth presented in the media.
Anyone with a lick of sense and sanity already knows another man’s backdoor isn’t legitimate relations and is filthy and anyone who isn’t is probably a brainwashed moron or a pervert already. Exactly who are we trying to win over?
They go to hell, God wins, thats how it ends and in the meantime coddling them by curbing my language isn’t helping anybody and it’s actually exactly what the homos would like.

And while not all of NOM’s supporters agree with the following, some do

James Yeakley: They feel empowered when civilization stops calling them “pederasts,” “faggots,” and “douche bags,” and begins calling them “gay.” They feel empowered when civilization stops calling what they do “perversion” and starts calling it “an alternate lifestyle.” They feel empowered when they can shut down a city’s major arteries because they are as “proud” to be perverts as people of Irish descent are to be of Irish descent, and if people of Irish descent can parade to show their pride, the perverts must also be permitted to prance near-naked down city streets alongside Hollywood celestials, confused clergy, and pandering politicians.

So, why do we empower them? Because we require our citizens to “embrace tolerance and diversity.” Because what may be disgusting to 93% of us does not trump the “freedom” of the 7% to publicly disgust the 93%.

Can anything be done about it? Someone needs to bring a shovel down on the head of one of these perverted freaks and successfully argue before the courts that acts of doing this are protected free expression–like burning an American flag, on American soil, in a public demonstration, or in a museum of American art.

Volunteers?

But most assumed that gay people are the ones hating them and attacking them and that they are loving and righteous and holy. They see themselves as agrieved by our mere existence and deeply wounded by our efforts not to be legally disadvantaged.

These folk actually believe that we are at spiritual war and that gay folks are the aggressors. But Jesus promised them on the cross that they would overcome the homosexuals, so they are assured victory. It’s a mindset that is difficult to fathom if you’ve not experienced it first hand.

And finally, I include this one which just makes me sad:

Jennifer Anderson-Harris: Do you know what’s worse than this?? There is a lady, supported by our gov in office, who is going around the country to schools teaching the alternative ‘sex education.’ She is telling our 4-6th graders that’s it’s OK to be GAY! That improved methods of not getting pregnant are to have sex with YOUR OWN (SAME) SEX! And there isn’t anything that anyone can do to stop it as it’s sanctioned by the White House and his children have already taken her class. With his wife’s ‘blessing’.

Thank you Jesus for allowing me to homeschool my children. That they are learning and teaching Bible scripture. To not tolerate the sin but to love and teach the sinner. To spread the seeds of salvation in your name, JESUS. Thank you!