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Anti-gay marriage group recommends creating tension between gays and blacks
This is despicable. As a friend of mine so succinctly put it, I don't want to live on this planet anymore. 
Anti-Gay Marriage Group Recommends Creating Tension Between Gays and Blacks
By NICHOLAS CONFESSORE9:05 p.m. | Updated An internal memorandum from one of the country?s leading organizations against same-sex marriage outlined a plan to help its cause by exploiting unease among blacks over the issue.
The undated memo was one of several documents unsealed by a federal judge on Monday in a case in Maine, where the group, the National Organization for Marriage, helped finance a successful ballot initiative in 2009 overturning the state?s legalization of same-sex marriage.
?The strategic goal of the project is to drive a wedge between gays and blacks ? two key Democratic constituencies,? the memo says, describing an initiative called the ?Not a Civil Right Project.?
The project?s goal, according to the memo, was to recruit blacks who opposed same-sex marriage to represent the group, and then ?provoke the gay marriage base into responding by denouncing these spokesmen and women as bigots.?
The group is battling in court to overturn Maine ethics laws that could require it to reveal some donors. The documents, which also discussed the group?s finances, were obtained and circulated by the Human Rights Campaign. The news Web site BuzzFeed reported on the memos on Monday night.
The
memos ? providing an unusual inside glimpse of the strategic thinking
of the country?s most prominent group opposing same-sex marriage ?
quickly drew attacks from gay rights and civil rights organizations.
?Nothing beats hearing from the horse?s mouth exactly how callous and
extremist this group really is,? Joe Solmonese, president of the Human
Rights Campaign, said in a statement.
The group?s strategy, the memo suggested, was inspired by Proposition 8, the successful effort in 2008 to outlaw same-sex marriage in California. The referendum passed with strong support from black voters, who had turned out heavily to vote for Barack Obama for president.
Legislation to legalize same-sex marriage in Maryland failed in 2011, in part because of opposition from some black religious leaders, who objected to advocates? labeling of same-sex marriage as a civil rights issue and persuaded some Democratic lawmakers to withhold support. But a few months later, in New York, same-sex marriage passed with strong support from black lawmakers, and the Maryland legislature narrowly approved the measure there last month.
In a New York Times/CBS News Poll in February, 29 percent of black respondents said gay couples should be allowed to legally marry, while 23 percent said they should be allowed to form civil unions. But 35 percent said there should be no legal recognition of a gay couple?s relationship, and 12 percent had no opinion. Among all respondents, 40 percent said they should be allowed to legally marry, while just 5 percent had no opinion.
Gay rights groups have recruited black leaders to advocate on behalf of same-sex marriage. The Human Rights Campaign created a series of videos last year including prominent African-Americans, like Julian Bond, the former N.A.A.C.P. chairman.
Brian S. Brown, executive director of the National Organization for Marriage, defended the group?s approach, saying, ?African-Americans overwhelmingly oppose same-sex marriage.?
Though the group had fought in court to keep the documents sealed, Mr. Brown said on Tuesday that he was ?actually thankful that they gave us a platform to let us make clear that it is the Democratic Party that is creating the division.?
He added that President Obama has not added same-sex marriage to the Democratic platform.
The memo also discussed other groups? efforts to organize boycotts of businesses that opposed same-sex marriage in California and elsewhere. ?One key advantage we now have is the capacity to protect the identity of our donors,? the memo reads.
The National Organization for Marriage is organized as a nonprofit social welfare organization, so unlike purely political groups, it is not required to disclose its donors? identities. But Maine law requires any individual or group that raises or spends more than $5,000 to influence a ballot question to disclose the names of donors who gave more than $100 for that purpose.
During the 2009 ballot fight, the state?s ethics commission began an investigation into the group for failing to make those disclosures. In response, the group sued, arguing that the state?s law is unconstitutional.
Re: Anti-gay marriage group recommends creating tension between gays and blacks
They are gross. Their behavior in Maine was astonishing, and I am certain they'll pull more of the same now that same sex marriage is back on the ballot this year.
This: "The group is battling in court to overturn Maine ethics laws that could require it to reveal some donors."
Angers me greatly. They flooded millions of dollars from outside Maine into Maine to fight same sex marriage, and are fighting to overturn the Maine ethics laws that require disclosing donors above a certain monetary amount. Don't come into our state if you don't want to play by our rules, MFers.
Same thing happened in Iowa when our state court justices were ousted two years ago. These big power groups brought a ton of money into the state to fight this issue since the same justices had voted to allow same sex marriage. It was disgusting. Never has a state justice been voted out but all five of them were JUST because they found the law against same sex marriage unconstitutional. But same sex marriage still is legal and we all go on living a normal life. Such a dumb use of resources really.
PS - Don't even get me started about the fact that the rights of a minority are on the ballot to be decided by the majority. This should not be up for popular vote.
(Back story - Maine Governor signed same sex marriage into law, "People's Veto" was enacted, and voters voted to repeal the law, then it went back on the ballot to make same sex marriage legal, and lost by a very narrow margin (the year in which NOM was heavily involved) and enough signatures have been collected to put it BACK on the ballot this year. Preliminary polling is showing a softer view toward SS marriage this time around, and in-state religious groups are saying they won't partner with NOM. The former Catholic Diocese spokesperson resigned following the last round, stating he was ashamed of the way the campaign was run against SS marriage. This year could be *very* interesting.)
This doesn't work for this black woman. It IS a CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUE!!!!!!!!!
You can't deny rights to one group of people because they are doing something you don't like. Black folks who are against it need to get a grip. The Loving case is your case of why this is a civil rights issue.