Right-Wing Org Urges Defeat of TN Anti-Gay Marriage Bill (You are Not Hallucinating!)

Hold on to your seat! The well-heeled and influential right-wing Family Policy Network ("informing Christians and confronting the culture on the moral issues of the day") is sending out email alerts in Tennessee urging conservatives to work for the defeat, or withdrawal, of the anti-gay marriage amendment.

No, they haven't suddenly come to their senses. Rather they have changed their strategy in mid-stream and now argue that legislation which merely defines marriage is next to useless, since all the rights inherent in marriage can also be gained in civil unions or domestic partnerships. They argue that this change in strategy is necessary because "homosexual activists and liberal politicians have dramatically changed their tactics."

Thus, the right-wing organization now supports only amendments that explicitly outlaw civil unions or domestic partnerships.

Included in their email alert is a list of states with "strong" marriage amendments, meaning they also outlaw civil unions or domestic partnerships. Tennessee is listed as a state with a "weak" amendment. So-called 'weak" amendments do not outlaw civil unions or domestic partnerships.

Thus, the conservative Family Policy Network wants Tennessee's anti-gay marriage amendment defeated or withdrawn. If enough conservatives in Tennessee decide to oppose the marriage amendment, it has a very good chance of going down.

Nevermind their reasoning, the defeat of this homophobic bill would be a major psychological victory for progressives in Tennessee. Such victories help us keep the faith that there is indeed a progressive light at the end of this dark regressive era. Obviously, it is very hard to keep on fighting when you suffer nothing but defeat after defeat.

The House is set to consider the marriage amendment on Tuesday, March 15.

Please spread the news, especially to your right-wing friends and/or enemies.

Below is part of the alert that I recieved today from the Family Policy Network.
You can read the rest of it here.

If you would like me to forward the entire message to you, email me.

Family Policy Network Alert:

Dear Friend:

I have some bad news.

The marriage amendment proposals that Tennessee's House of Representatives will consider this Tuesday, March 15 are so problematic that FPN would prefer they be withdrawn or rejected so language that will actually accomplish something may be introduced next year.

This email contains an FPN Policy Paper outlining the reasons that that the CURRENT marriage amendment proposals are bad. Unfortunately, homosexual activists and liberal politicians have dramatically changed their tactics aimed at creating "homosexual families" in the last few years. Therefore, despite all of the great intentions and truly Godly people behind the push for a Tennessee marriage amendment, passage this year would actually be detrimental to the long-term efforts of conservatives to protect the institution of the family in the Volunteer State.

To summarize, the problem with the language currently proposed is that the bills would only define the word "marriage." Homosexual activists are now primarily attempting to gain all of the benefits of marriage through "parallel legal institutions" with different names (like "civil unions" and "domestic partnerships"). Therefore, merely defining the term "marriage" is no longer an effective way to defend the family against attempts to redefine it. The Policy Paper below gives a broader explanation of the problems associated with only defining marriage in a state constitutional amendment.

Please pray for this year's marriage amendment proposals to be withdrawn, or to fail when they are voted on in the House of Representatives this Tuesday, March 15. Pray simultaneously for our friends who are still promoting this language, that God will provide "a way out" that enables them to somehow gain ground in their quest to protect Tennessee families. This is an awkward situation for everyone involved, especially since homosexual activists will be jubilant over the failure of an amendment to pass, regardless of the reason. As Christians, we know the temporary shame associated with the perception that Christ had been defeated at the cross was worth the ultimate victory to defeat Hell and the grave.

May God bless you as you continue to live for Him.

Ron Shank,
State DirectorFamily Policy Network

Tennessee's Pending Amendment:

Tennessee: (WEAK) “The historical institution and legal contract solemnizing the relationship of one man and one woman shall be the only legally recognized marital contract in this state. Any policy or law or judicial interpretation, purporting to define marriage as anything other than the historical institution and legal contract between one man and one woman is contrary to the public policy of this state and shall be void and unenforceable in Tennessee. If another state or foreign jurisdiction issues a license for persons to marry and if such marriage is prohibited in this state by the provisions of this section, then the marriage shall be void and unenforceable in this state.”