Video: A point-by-point takedown of NOM's lies
Source: Stop8.org, Tuesday, 08/31/10

The National Organization for Marriage put out a new video last week, and of course, it's full of lies about Prop 8. So let's go point-by-point through their claims, and explain why they're utterly wrong.

Hey, it's Matt from Stop8.org. So, this week there was a new radio ad put out by the National Organization for Marriage, an anti-gay group with strong ties to the Mormon Church. And of course, it's full of lies about Prop 8. Let's break it down.

"San Francisco is unique, but should their values be imposed on the rest of America?"

Okay. Now, that's not a lie, but it's catty. And misleading. Gay couples aren't the ones "imposing their values" -- it's not like they're going to force everyone get gay-married. Gays just want the freedom to live their lives as they choose. If anyone's "imposing their values," it's the church-backed National Organization for Marriage, which is trying to make the entire country live by someone else's religious doctrine.

"A gay San Francisco federal judge"

Okay. Maybe Judge Walker is gay. A lot of people think he is. He's never confirmed or denied it. But so what if he is? NOM is making it sound like his ruling was biased because he's gay. But can they point to anything that shows evidence of gay-judge bias? No. They can't. Because it's a ruling that could have been written by any judge, gay or straight.

And besides, the Prop 8 Proponents had an opportunity to ask the judge to recuse himself. And they didn't. They only want to complain about the judge now that he didn't rule their way.

"A gay San Francisco federal judge has ruled that marriage between one man and one woman is discriminatory and unconstitutional."

Nope! Not even a little bit true. Did they even read the ruling? There's nothing in there about heterosexual marriages being discriminatory. All he ruled was that banning gays from marrying is discriminatory.

Straight marriage? Fine. Banning gays? Discrimination. There is a difference.

"His ruling could eventually impose gay marriage on every state in America."

Nope. It's not Judge Walker who would do that. It's the 14th Amendment, which was written after the Civil War and guarantees all citizens equal protection under the law. So if they want to blame anyone, they should blame Abraham Lincoln -- or as they might call him, a gay Illinois laywer.

"This ruling is crazy and scary."

Nope. You know what's crazy and scary? If your wife is dying in a hospital, they'll try to stop you from seeing her. If your husband is from another country, they'll have him deported. If you have foster kids, they'll try to take them away from you.

These things all happen to gay couples all the time, and it's not just "crazy and scary." It's inhumane and terrifying.

"The judge claim as so called facts that children do not need a mom and a dad, and that parental gender is irrelevant to child development."

That's misleading. Judge Walker didn't claim it -- we've known for years that gay parents are just as good as straight parents, and that love and affection is far more important than your parents' gender.

That's backed up by tons of expert testimony, depositions, and even a statement by the American Psychological Association. NOM's just trying to vilify Judge Walker for acknowledging reality.

"He says that men and women have exactly the same roles in a marriage."

Misleading again. Judge Walker actually ruled that we no longer use what was once called "coverture," a doctrine under which women lost their legal identity upon marrying. Does NOM seriously want to go back to that system, under which the state treated women as legally inferior to men?

"He actually ruled that marriage as the union of a man and a woman is just an artifact of a time that's passed."

No. Let's look at the ruling. On page 113, he says that gender discrimination -- not marriage -- is an artifact. Specifically, he says that society no longer forces women and men into different roles. He's not saying marriage is an artifact-- he's saying discrimination is an artifact.

"And he slams people of faith by saying religious beliefs harm gays and lesbians."

Wrong again.

He's not talking about all religious beliefs. He's only talking about the belief that gay couples are inferior to straight couples. And this is one of his most thoroughly-backed up findings. Look at the exhibits. He cites specific cases of religious leaders harming gay couples by calling them sinful, by working to restrict their legal protections, and by creating "religious hostility." Case after case after case of people using religion as justification for harming gays and lesbians. The proof's right there. What are you going to argue?

"America doesn't have to accept San Francisco's values."

Nope. And America shouldn't have to submit to NOM's values, either.

"Time is short to save traditional marriage."

That's the biggest lie of all. The phrase "traditional marriage" can mean a lot of things -- marriage in which a woman loses her rights, marriages that prohibit Blacks, forced marriages, marriages in which adultery is punished by death. These are all traditions that have gone away, and we're better off without them. Just like the "tradition" of discriminating against happy, healthy, successful gay couples.

And that's what makes that such a big lie. NOM's time isn't short. It's already run out.






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I say the worst lie is when one lies not to achieve something for himself, but to deny rights to others. The first instance may sometimes be understandable, the second is simply evil