Group that backed Prop. 8 focuses on reinstating Iowa's gay-marriage ban

Opponents of same-sex marriage launched a campaign today to re-ban gay marriage in Iowa.

The National Organization for Marriage, which was active in getting Proposition 8 approved by voters in California, sent out an appeal for donations to run advertisements on behalf of political candidates who oppose same-sex marriage.

It said the first ad would support Republican Stephen Burgmeier, who supports putting the issue of same-sex marriage to a vote in the Hawkeye State. He is up for election in less than two weeks.

In April, Iowa became the third state in the nation to allow same-sex marriage after the state Supreme Court ruled that a law defining marriage as only between men and women was unconstitutional.

Brian Brown -- who spearheaded the National Organization for Marriage's efforts in California, and is now the group's executive director -- also wrote supporters that donations could be used nationwide, to “allow us to rapidly intervene … in key races across the country where a handful of House or Senate seats could make the difference between whether a same-sex marriage bill or state marriage amendment passes or fails.”

-- Jessica Garrison

Related: Interactive: Gay marriage chronology

Comments

[Dale]

Considering NOM is more of an anti-gay than pro-marriage group, they've moved up in status to "hate group."

[busytimmy]

Discrimination in Jesus' name! That's awesome. Thank you Christians for showing us the love of Christ.

[Danny]

Sad, sad, and simply just sad. When will people just leave us alone!? Seriously, what harm am I doing by marrying a man? What harm am I causing!? I can't believe I have to voice my right in a court, my right, my AMERICAN RIGHT! I pay taxes, I go to school, I work, what more proof do you need for me to marry the man I love?

Grow up!

[susan]

Oh great. Now the out-of-state (primarily Utah-funded) anti-gay organizations will try to take over Iowa.

I hope Iowans are smarter than that, but the problem with the anti-gay movement is that that they are very clever liars, and pro-gay-rights movements in this country have been run by people who aren't willing to fight back directly with clear and concises responses.

[Joe Mustich, JP]

Kudos to New England, Iowa, and the Episcopal Church for supporting marriage equality.

And to the marriage foes and sexually phobic, please find something else to do with your time, because life's too short. Find love..

Find another issue.....

And remember, marriage is firstly a civil matter in America, as marriage licenses are issued by and recorded in town halls not church halls or mosques or temples....in America.

Joe Mustich, Justice of the Peace,
Washington, Connecticut, USA

Couples are coming to CT to wed from all around the country this summer, and they are bringing their families and friends along to celebrate.

Congrats to all!!

[OC CPA Dude]

It is sad that groups like these will fight so hard to remove Constitutional rights from citizens. Groups like this use fear and hatred to move their agenda forward. All citizens, gay or straight, need to be weary of their actions to restrict the liberty of citizens.

[A Concerned American]

You have my vote.

[Jackie]

Let's hope the good people of Iowa demonstrate the same common sense as the people of California who have now twice voted to ban absurd homosexual marriage.

[Red]

Translation: Honestly, we couldn't give a rats behind about marriage, but we can USE this issue to get all of those religious fanatic Republican *values* voters to the polls to get the Democrats out of office and get Republicans back in.

[mike]

gays pay the same taxes, and deserve the same access to public services and civil protections as anyone else. it really is that simple.

once every supporter of this ban lives his/her life according to every single obscure rule in the old testament, in the name of morality, then that group may be able to speak without looking absurd. at that point, while we may still disagree, it would be a more interesting and more honest debate-- otherwise, it is just old-fashioned bigotry. it's hard to claim a moral high ground based on a text that is largely ignored. codified bigotry is what they seek.... would make it easier for everyone if they just admitted it.

actually, the debate would be less absurd if they could find even one (just one, not necessarily everyone!) person who lives his/her life strictly by the old testament. a good place to start looking, of course, would be the prisons since that very same person would be in jail for animal cruelty or slavery or child abuse or bigamy or something else that good ol' moral compass ok'd back in the day.

[Ray]

This Brian Brown and his hateful band of brothers needs to go far far away. How does gay marriage possibly affect their lives negatively? Stand up people of America. This is a civil rights issue. Not a biblical one. This is just as bad as not allowing African Americans the chance to vote or drink from a particular water fountain.

Being gay is not a choice. It's just like being born asian, white, black, diabetic, hermaphroditic, or any other way you may be born.

[DPA]

All the time and energy wasted to keep a few percent of the population from the joys of marriage all while 50%-plus of all 'regular' marriages, 10s of MILLIONS, end long before "death do us part".

Wouldn't your efforts be better suited to end divorce if you are, indeed, the national organization FOR marriage?

Seems like your are merely bigots, as your actions are illogical and against the human nature of those few percent.

[Jay Markowitz]

So much hate...

NOM is nothing but bigots.

[Rola Cook]

Does this mean the Mormons are at it again?!

[lawrence Hess]

It's official. The National Organization for Marriage is our nationals most prominent hate group.

[Jeffery P. Segall, RN]

More hatred from those who shouldn't judge.

Going to church no more makes you a christian than standing in a garage makes you a car.

Maybe if most of these people tended to their own gardens, we'd all be a bit happier.

[ANNIE]

I cannot understand why people are afraid of same sex marriage. It really is no ones business if two men or women want to marry. I could not be happier if my son and his partner get married.
How can it hurt any one?

[Tim Kelly]

I wish the National Organization for Marriage would go after what's REALLY wrong with marriage in this country. The divorce rate in the United States is WELL above 50%. How about banning divorce instead of denying gay couples equal protection under the law? Interestingly enough, the state with the lowest divorce rate in this country is Massachusetts, the FIRST state to grant civil marriage to same-sex couples.

I would also like to know how, in ANY way, same-sex marriage affects anyone other than the couple getting married? If you don't like same-sex marriage, don't marry someone of the same sex!!!!

[Tom]

Again religion causing problems in the world. What is their infatuation with homosexuality? Could it be they are seeing something in themselves they do not wish to see. Sounds like a case of the lady protest to much me thinks.

[schaid]

Knowing how mega-liberal the times is, if the article dealt with an anti-prop 8 group attempting to raise money, the times would have had a website attached to the article where people could contribute. But because it's a pro- prop 8 group, they will not post one.

Whatever happened to fair and balanced?

[Deborah]

ah shucks! give it up NOM. Iowa already allows same-sex marriage. And you know what??? this battle will not end until there is equality for ALL. so, all you are doing is giving us a headache and delaying the inevitable. Besides, who do you think you are, telling others that they can't marry the people they love?

Anyone over the age of 18 should have the freedom to choose their life-partners and every married couple should have the same legal rights.

[Gary Mac]

Why don't you list organizations opposed to this group?

[Jerome Melgar]

All the states that legalized same-sex marriage have legalized it through court action, not by votes.

[Pachecosita]

Really?
Is that more important than helping communities in NEED of food, clothing, education, love?
Really?
wao! what a great gospel these people are preaching now

[fern]

These people are giving hetero people a bad name.