Knights of Columbus tip the balance with big anti-gay marriage donation * UPDATED

It's official -- opponents of gay marriage  have raised more cash in support of Proposition 8, the anti-gay marriage initiative, than gay marriage supporters, who have vowed to defeat the Nov. 4 ballot measure.

A contribution by the Connecticut-based Knights of Columbus of $1 million on Aug. 14 put Proposition 8 supporters within striking distance of opponents. Yesterday, another infusion of cash from groups and individuals who oppose same-sex marriage put them ahead in the money race.  A previous donation of $250,000 to the National Organization for Marriage in January brings the group's total donations to $1.25 million.

Our own Maloy Moore is following the money in a pair of data bases she helped create,  which she updates daily. On Aug. 14, when the Knights of Columbus made their contribution, the totals were $7,599,137 for opponents and $7,165,565 for supporters,  Maloy said. (Through Aug. 13 it was $7.574,637 to $5,944,790.) As of 4 p.m. yesterday, supporters passed opponents, she said.

You can look at total contributions within the state, broken down by county, or you can search the nationwide data base (use abbreviations for the states) for an illuminating look at money flowing to both sides of the issue.

We'll keep you apprised of major changes in the flow of cash. As for the photo, that's George Bush, a fierce gay marriage opponent, speaking to the 122nd annual Knights of Columbus convention in Dallas in August 2004.

--Veronique de Turenne

Photo: Tim Sloan / AFP

UPDATED at 11:50 a.m. on Aug. 21: A previous version of this post stated that the Knights of Columbus donated $1.25 million to support Prop 8 on Aug. 14. In fact, the amount of the Aug. 14 donation was $1 million. The other $250,000 had been donated to the National Organization for Marriage in January 2008.

Comments

[Mike]

You should review 501(C)3 rules, the KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS violated no laws. Remember the Knights are not an official organ of the Catholic Church. I APPLAUD the Knights of Columbus for being part of this. The intolerance of those of you calling for tolerance is revealing.

[Don]

I would like to take the time to publicly congratulate the Knights of Columbus for taking one million dollars of their organization's money that could have been spent on feeding the poor, healing the sick and helping the needy of their church, and spending it on taking away the rights of gay people instead. Especially in a time of desperate economic distress when their organization's members and their families could have really used that money. They are truly doing God's work.

I left the Catholic church years ago when I was made to feel like less than a person by their religious doctrine which chose to focus on a few words of the Bible to discriminate against me while at the same time ignoring much worse "sin" both in name and in action. And the fact that they love to point a pious finger at the gay community while ignoring the words of Jesus himself who said, "whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me".

If they didn't want me, that was fine. I walked away and decided to live and let live. I never thought they would come after me. My father has been a member of the KofC since before I was born nearly 40 years ago and while I no longer attend church, I can honestly say I had a great deal of respect for the KofC. I remember my father standing outside of grocery stores in the freezing cold with a tin can collecting change so that the KofC families who had been hit with hard times could have food on the table. I remember him collecting turkeys so these people who had nothing could at least enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner. And if the KofC had issued a statement saying they did not approve of gay marriage, I would have even respected that because I do not believe everyone needs to agree on everything. But the fact that this organization I once looked up to spent so much money, money that I see my 80 year old father standing outside in the freezing cold to collect, not just on ads to promote their point of view, but on ads that told bold faced lies in order to get people who may have been in favor of gay marriage to react out of fear and vote against it. Fear of seeing harm come to their children and fear of having their churches get sued. All fears that were completely unfounded. We don't want to hurt children, and we don't want to hurt your churches. We simply want to love the way we believe we were meant to love and to enjoy the civil rights that we, as American tax paying citizens, believe that we have the right to enjoy.

So, to the Knights of Columbus, as this recession is going through it's healing and your members are having trouble feeding their families and providing their children with clothing and medicine, I hope you can sleep well at night knowing that you spent all that money to take away the civil rights of people who only wanted the legal right to love each other.

[Lourdes Rivas]

In anything other than a democracy, the LDS church would be considered a cult. It would also be considered criminal. Until the very recent past, racism flourished. Marriage with multiple under-aged girls prevailed. This church along with others has forced thousands of wonderful, kind, God loving people to fight and fund a battle against bigots. 60 MILLION DOLLARS down the drain. How about asking ourselves this question. What would God do with 60 million dollars?
I have a funny feeling it would have something to do with the poor, homeless and sick.
NOT A CAMPAIGN OF HATE.
We, as a whole should be ashamed of ourselves.

[Jessi]

YES ON 8!

I believe marriage is between one man and one woman.

YES ON 8!

[Vijai]

Lourdes Rivas:

Let me make you an alternate proposition. You can cry hoarse from the rooftops till the cows come home about Jim Bakker, Tammy Fay, etc, or about the pedophilic priests in the Catholic church. I think all those things being outed and aired are good for the church because the church is cleansed and humbled by them.

I read somewhere that the charge of hypocrisy is the cimplement that vice pays to virtue. The more you expose any hypocrisy in the church, the better it is for the church. In any case patronizing nonsense that all Christians/Catholics/evangelicals are one way or another comes from prejudiced minds much more than the belief that homosexual behavior is sinful.

In return you can have all those things you wished for. I will neither approve them nor try to prevent any ban on them. You read my previous comments- you know where I stand. Immorality or morality isn't legislated. Sin lies in our hearts, and denying sin (yours or mine) isn't the way to get rid of it.

[Vijai]

Hey Dan,

What a mature, levelheaded response- I was happy to see it. It is easy to see who is the educated, reasoning commenter in this cesspool of mudslings. Thanks for this admirable position.

[Vijai]

As a Christian I think the future of gay marriage in this country is both assured as well as something less than progress. It is not surprising to hear arrogant remarks that gay marriage opponents are uneducated, bigoted, illogical, etc. It is clear that they have not taken the time to listen and understand the reasons behind these arguments.

But that is neither here nor there. If there is something we can learn from this, it is that we need to redefine marriage ourselves- not in the way they are seeking, but in being radically faithful, moral and cutting edge in attitudes to sexuality, respect (to people of sexual lifestyles we do not approve) and clarity of our stance in the light of reason.

Legislation cannot change hearts or minds. It is a lost battle. Christanity has always thrived in environments seeking to negate it.

[matt_panda]

>>> Why must u soil the name marriage. Find your own thing your pretty good at doing that. <<<

Silly uneducated fool. The breeders are already soiling the marriage name with their 50% divorce rate....not to even mention the quickie Vegas marriages of people like Britney Spears.

The educated people of society (from legal scholars to social scientists - a.k.a. those with BRAINS who can think logically) support gay marriage. Survey after survey has shown the higher the educational level, the more supportive they are of gay marriage. Clearly, the dumber you are, the more anti-gay you'll likely be.

If you can't even make the distinction between the words "your" and "you're," then don't even bother giving an opinion. Let the EDUCATED adults do the talking.

[bob]

Just maybe if you looked up knights of columbus on the web. you might just find that these folks contribute over 150 million dollars in charity cotributions
and 65 million hours of charitable work hours in 2007. No matter what name you have for them I dont hear of any gay group doing the same. Why must u soil the name marriage. Find your own thing your pretty good at doing that.

[just me]

Even if prop 8 is passed the activist courts will over turn it, so as I
See the problem should the state give out marriage licenses.
Sure why not the state can hand out any license they want to whom ever
For what ever reason they want.
Now should anyone want or demand to get married in a church than no
That would be up to the religious organization not up to the state or courts.
The real issue should be the separation of church and state.
People should not have to go to the state in order to get married by the
Church or have some sort of legal sanction by the state.
If you really want to file a law suite file for separation of church and state.

[Dan]

I am proud of being a member of the Knights of Columbus. I'm happy to see them stand up in support of Proposition 8.

Throw out all the Catholic-bashing comments you want. For all the hurtful things I've read on this page; it's hard for me to say it's the Catholics who are the ones full of hate.

We believe that marriage is sacred. We believe marriage isn't just two people living together and being faithful but that it's a refelction of God's very relationship with us. Human marriage is merely a reflection of God's marriage to his bride, the church. We, as humans, don't have the authority to change the rules our creator laid down. We just can't.

I know you don't agree. I know it's very frustrating and hurtful for you to be subject to the beliefs of another person. I understand how you feel. But I will not turn away for the sake of being "nice" and watch our society self-destruct through weakening of its very foundation.

I hope you can come to understand that Catholics don't hate homosexuals. We love you. And because of that, we want whats best for you. We want you to turn away from a disordered sexuality, which many have done.

Do I expect you to accept that? No. Do I expect to be mocked, called a bigot, and linked to the sex-abuse scandal? Yes.

That's ok, because at least I've stood up for the truth.

[Brent M.]

Which god are you referring to, Robert?

[Robert]

I am not a bigot, how do I know this because I grew up in a bigoted neighborhood and this not about civil rights it is about the way we live, if you are gay and you want to live together fine but don't inforce your lifestyle on me or anyone else.A marriage is between a man and a women, if God blesses this marriage the two souls will join and become as one, not all marriges are blessed by God because they don't put God first in there lives when they turn there life over to God ther marriage will be fruitfull, weather or not you have children is up to God. We are in a time of salvation we need to pray for everyone to return to God if we don't we are no better. There are many verses in the bible that condem homosexuality (old and new testament) but it also sayes that we are to love as Jesus has loved us.
Dr Alveta King grandaughter of DR. Martin Luther King speakes out against abortion and same sex marriage and many other culture of death issues, they are linked to one another, if you don't see this than you are blind.
You only have to try to talk to God and he will lead you, ask for help and He will help you.
As for priests entering the catholic church, they entered the priesthood for the wrong reasons. As you are more spirtually aware of your soul, your soul is in a battle for good and evil and you may fall into temtation.
God Bless All

[Lourdes Rivas]

To all my Catholic, Mormon and Evangelical Christian friends,

In the spirit of negotiation and out of the kindness of my heart, I am prepared to make an offer to all of you who so fervently and passionately, in the name of religion, are supporting proposition 8.

This is MY proposition to you:

I would like you to allow me to have a civil union, (presently called marriage license, but you can change the name if you wish), with my partner of nine years.
I would like you to allow me to be by her bedside, in the event that she is ever in intensive care.
I would like you to allow me to decide, where we shall be buried.
I would like you to allow me to have a safe home, free from pillaging, in the event that one of us should die before the other.
I would like you to allow us to take for granted, as many of you do, all the rights that are granted to “ALL PEOPLE” in the constitution of my wonderful state of California and hopefully someday of this great nation.

Now at this point of my offer, you are all probably wondering what’s in it for you, so here goes my end of the deal.

To the Catholics: I promise I will never make fun of your over priced churches. I will not assume that all priests are pedophiles. I also promise that I will continue to buy those candies that your kids sell me, for some fund raising event or another. I will go to all your festivals, eat and drink excessively, and give you plenty of my hard-earned homo money.

To the Mormons: I promise that I will never make fun of you holy underwear “garments”. I also promise that I will never bring up those little racist secrets from your past, or the fact that DNA has disproved your book’s theories. I promise I’ll try really hard not to think that all of you have fifty wives. I also assure you that when you send your missionaries to my door, on their cute little bikes, I will continue to offer them something to drink, and I will never slam the door in their face.

To the Evangelical Christians: I promise I will never speak an unkind word again, about Tammy Faye Baker’s makeup, or her hubbies little visit to our prison system. I also promise not to laugh at the TV shows where you slap someone on the head; they fall, and are miraculously cured of what ails them. I also give you my word that if any of your leaders have encounters with prostitutes. Get busted. And cry a river of tears on TV while they ask for forgiveness. I will forgive them.

And to all of you, I would like to give you my word of honor that I will never step foot in your religious houses of worship, even though you are constantly inviting me to come in and join your gangs.

I am also willing to wear some form of identification, so you can cross the street if you see me on the sidewalk, or your children want talk to me, or I spend my money in your businesses. I don’t know just yet what I should wear? Perhaps a little black triangle will do.

As you can see, I am giving you much more in my offer than I am asking for in return.

So what do you say? Deal or no Deal?

With much love,

Lourdes Rivas
Los Angeles, California

[James Jackson]

Prop 8 is not about Gay and Lesbian Marriage, that battle was won in 2000 when the MAJORITY of the California's voted for Prop 22. This battle is about 4 State Supreme Court Judges who believe that they are Better and Smarter that the Majority of the California Voters. Basically they are saying that the Majority of California Voter are Stupid and we don't really know what we want. I believe that really reflects a Communist Government, or the same type of Government that Hitler tried to set up. Since when does 4 INDIVIDUALS have a right to run the government over the Majority of the people. What I can not believe is many Gays and Lesbians accept this as Okay. If the tables were switched and the majority of the population wanted Gay and Lesbian marriages and 4 judges decided that you were stupid and your vote did not count, I am sure you would be upset too. What good is government, “BY THE PEOPLE,” if the people have no say in government? If the Majority of the people can not have what they want in government, then the government fails and it is time to change the government. I think that the 4 judges should be impeached, because of their belief that the Majority of Californians are Stupid, they allowed Gay and Lesbian marriages to take place against the will of the people, now if prop 8 passes it will cost the tax payers millions of dollars to cover the lawsuits associated with this decision. Personally I think that these 4 judges should be impeached and sued for causing this mess. They sit on their High Thrones in their Ivory towers and mock us everyday. Remember in their minds we are inferior and STUPID.

[Jeff]

Instead of donating to a worthy charity (Katrina, the current FLA hurricane, or the fund for victims of childhood rape at the hands of their Catholic priests), K of C had to do the truly Christian thing: spread hate. I'm sure their Lord Jesus Christ is very proud.

If your marriage is threatened by mine, then instead of running to the polls, run to an MFCC. And then, probably, to a couple of good divorce attorneys, because you have problems way larger than me. Don't scapegoat me for your divorce.

Straight people suck at marriage. Fifty percent is the best you can do?

Vermont civil union dissolution rate: 4 percent.

[JohnBisceglia]

The Spiritual Arrogance of those opposed to Marriage Equality is beyond insulting & degrading. Do Americans really think that the Exhalted Hetero-Sexual Marriage's TWO SOULS are somehow MORE human and deserving of the legal rights & protections than the TWO SOULS found in a Homo-Loving Marriage?

Our souls are equal. Our children's souls are equal. More and more of us cannot financially-sanction this immoral discrimination through tax compliance. GAY TAX PROTEST.

[Randy Cunningham]

It does continue to amaze me that such ignorance and intolerance exists in 2008. But, thank you to everyone who posted your positive comments towards gays and lesbians.

As someone else stated, we are just like everyone else...living our lives, paying our taxes, raising our children, etc. The only difference is that we are forbidden to be protected legally, which means we are second-class citizens in a country that is suppose to be the last Super Power on the planet. So, I am not sure how one is "militant" just because they want to be treated equally under the laws of our country because this is not an argument about religion or what the church can or can't do.

But, our country has a long history of discriminating against its citizens. It took a while for our country to allow blacks to marry whites. In fact, had it been left to the American public, the laws banning interracial marriages would have existed much longer.

Gays and lesbians are now the last minority in our country that people can legally discriminate against, which is a shame. Most gays can actually be fired from their jobs in most U.S. States just because they are gay. It is a reminder of how much progress we still need to make as a society and human species. This is also why it is important for our judicial system to interject itself to ensure equal rights are provided to all Americans.

But, baby steps. We'll get there. It just takes time. I applaud the judges in California that allowed my partner and I to get married. And, guess what? My husband and I are no different the day after we got married then we were the day before. We just no longer feel like second-class citizens, even though we also recognize that our country has a long way to go before all gays and lesbians are not treated like second-class citizens. And, for those against gay marriage, how has your life changed since I got married? The answer is, it hasn't.

In the meantime, you can make a difference, so please vote no on Proposition 8.

[John]

They don't mention this in the article, but Knights of Columbus is a CATHOLIC organization. Rather than helping out with any of their charitable organizations, or schools or hospitals - they choose to spend over $1,000,000 to ensure that gay people are kept "in their place."

Just keep that in mind the next time some kid from a Catholic school or some other Catholic organization is trying to sell you a candy bar as a fundraiser. That money you donate will go to supporting bigotry and intolerance. At the moment, the Knights of Columbus are right up there with the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan on my "likely charitable donations" scale.

[Mike]

If having equal rights means militant,I guess I am.Prop 8 must be defeated and we must elect a president who will get rid of DOMA.Until federal rights are achieved marriage equality for same gender couples isn't complete.

[busytimmy]

Sabrina: Militant gays?! So wanting equal rights is militant? Wow, how do you feel about "femi-nazis" and "uppity n**gers"? Again, when formerly denied citizens start to receive equal rights the status quo
(white men, christians, bigots) really get threatened. Therapy will not make gay folks go away, maybe you need to think about some therapy yourself.

[Steve]

Well, here's praying that this important amendment passes. Thank you, Knights of Columbus!

[Sabrina]

Militant gays are some of the saddest people I can think of. They push their homosexist agenda on other people under the banner of "equality" and "human rights". I didn't know that it's a "human right" to promote a disordered attaction to the same sex. Sad sad people. The only thing they can do is try to silence the opposition to their lifestyles by throwing around labels, such as "hateful" or "bigot". Gay people should hang up their sad 'victim's mentality" and get themselves into therapy.

[Robguy]

We can also thank the KoC for the appearance of "in god we trust" on all American currency back in the fifties. They blended well with McCarthyism.. Theocracy feels warm and fuzzy, until the fire is under *your* feet.

[matt_panda]

I'm not worried. This proposition is a failure, regardless of how much money they raise. Silly uneducated bigots are only good for a laugh every now and then.

Seeing how 50% of heterosexual marriages end in divorce (usually within the first 2 years), I’m not so sure the man/woman model is necessarily the best arrangement for children. If heteros can’t even save their own marriage, they clearly are in no position to say gay marriage is bad for children.

You want to “protect” marriage? Get rid of divorce, infidelity, domestic violence, and those quickie Vegas marriages people like Britney Spears are having….instead of trying to prevent those who WANT to get married from marrying. Silly, silly bigots…when will you learn?

Truth is: the vast majority of the EDUCATED people of society (from legal scholars to social scientists–AKA people who can think LOGICALLY) SUPPORT gay marriage/adoption. Survey after survey has shown that the higher the education level, the more supportive they are of gay rights (in other words, the dumber you are, the more anti-gay you’ll likely be).

If conservative/religious/homophobic nuts would spend a little more time in school (and learn some SCIENCE and LOGIC) and less time sticking their noses into other people’s personal lives (which don’t affect them one bit), then they might earn some respect from those of us who are educated and civilized.

Stopping gay marriage isn’t going to make gays go extinct, and it certainly isn’t going to stop them from having gay relationships and adopting/raising children. Get over it and start worrying about more important things in life (such as getting a college education). Yikes!

NEXT!

[busytimmy]

the KofC should be ashamed of themselves! What a waste of money! Those who oppose marriage equality will find themselves on the same side of history as those who fought against women's suffrage, school desegregation, the civil rights bill and
anti-miscegenation laws. Has Canada collapsed since passing marriage equality? Spain? The Netherlands? Denmark & Belgium? No! The opposition to marriage equality comes down to faith based bigotry and oppression. I'm tired of tax exempt, Christian churches and their minions trying to deny gay Americans equal protection under the law. Vote no on prop. 8 and say no to faith based hate!!!!!!!!

[S G]

Militant gays? Since when was standing up for one's rights being militant? Sad rubbish from the usual bigots... the fact is, there is no legitimate legal reason for denying gays the right to marry, as the CA Supreme Court so eloquently pointed out. And the KoC should be ashamed for wasting so much money on this divisive and hateful Proposition, which is doomed to failure.

There is no such thing as a "homosexual agenda" beyond gays wanting to be treated just like every one else and to have the same rights as every one else. What scares me is the bigot agenda, which hides its homophobia behind appeals to "tradition" and "family values" in an attempt to obscure the fact that it is trying to deprive others of happiness and equal treatment under the law. How despicable!

I look forward to helping vote down the hateful and divisive Prop. 8 this fall, and to cementing California's beautiful victory for gay rights and human rights.

[David Beach]

No one cares about gay marriage, we care about the never ending gay agenda. Look at what is happening in Boston. Gay indoctrination K thou 12. Straight parents being sent to jail for speaking up against gay studies in elementary school. Militant gays are awful people.

[PonyHorton]

Amazing how a group that loves to parade their "American values" is so opposed to the freedoms guaranteed in our Declaration of Independence.
Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness are not just for SOME Americans - they're for ALL Americans.

What we're seeing here are perfect examples of what Jefferson meant when he spoke of opposing any forms of "tyranny over the minds of men," and what DeToqueville meant when he spoke of "the tyranny of the masses."

These people have no business waving the flag in one hand while using the other hand to shove Gay Americans down into the gutter. You might not like Gays, but that doesn't give ANYONE the right to pass laws against them! Doing so makes them nothing more or less than ENEMIES OF THE STATE!!! They are acting in direct violation of the Constitutional Rights of ALL Americans when they spout bigotry as policy.

www.respectgaymarriage.com

[John]

Humm I would think that Knights of Columbus would have better things to spend their money on like helping starving children. or paying backing some of the kids that the catholic priests were busy raping all these years..

what a joke.

[Jeff]

The article describes Bush as a "fierce" gay marriage opponent. Can I get two snaps in a circle......well, amen!

[Jeff]

Good! The more we clamp down on homosexuals and their deviant behavior, the better off our nation is.

[Virginia, Culver City CA]

The state should pass a law banning out-of-state contributions.
This act of theirs only makes them look more foolish than they are. They should actually spend it help some of the charities that they supposedly support.

[Warren]

The issue of gay marriage is really about the rights that goes with marriage. If the Feds repel its ban on gay rights and benefits and states all recognize civil unions with the same rights that those who marry obtain, the issue would be resolved. Equal Rights For All!!!!!

[Greg]

Those guys with the feathery hats? I assumed THEY were gay. More self loathing gays seeking repressive legislation to hide their own feelings for other men. See Craig, Lawrence (R-ID).

[Eric Rife]

Let's see, an all male organization that likes to march in parades dressed in feathery hats and gaudy uniforms wants to ban gay marriage?

If that isn't denial, I don't know what is.

[mitch]

So the whitest men in the world, and the war-criminal bush, oppose any body's privileges but their own, big surprise. They collect a million dollars and use it to dump on someone else's happiness, instead of oh, I don't know, feeding a starving child or something.

By the way, I know why the Catholic Church opposes gay marriage. Because gay marriages are bound to produce children one way or another, and no gay man would ever leave his child alone with a priest.