Florida Amendment sponsors roll out new campaign of hate
Filed by: Waymon Hudson
April 18, 2008 1:45 PM
The group behind the Florida "Marriage Amendment" has launched a new website and media blitz. Not surprising, all of the press conferences announcing the effort took place at churches around the state. It seems they aren't even trying to hide the purely religious basis for the amendment that would not only ban gay marriage and enshrine discrimination in the state constitution, but also take away domestic partnerships and other important rights and benefits.
At a press conference in Naples, Florida, the pastor in charge, Hayes Wicker, let loose with this screed about gay marriage:
This is a tremendous social crisis, greater even than the issue of slavery.
Isn't slavery all about stripping people of their dignities and human rights and forcing them to live as a lesser human being?
I think I'm beginning to see a common theme.
Maybe he should have called it the "holocaust of hetero proportions" to help stress the importance of the social crisis of two committed people forming a relationship...
The religious fervor doesn't end there, however. The new website for Florida4Marriage has the new catchy title "Yes2Marriage" and is a guide on how to get the amendment passed using churches. With links to "sample sermons for preachers", "church action plans", and "God's design", it reads like a church bulletin instead of a substantive effort to pass legislation.
It continues to amaze me how people forcing their personal religious views on everyone can be seen as a legitimate political campaign or movement. This is religious-based bigotry, pure and simple.
To help fight against this amendment, go to www.SayNo2.com and contribute what you can. You can also help the campaign against Amendment 2 win $1000 in an online polling contest by going to www.equalitygiving.org and voting for Florida Red and Blue. Every dollar counts in this fight!
Comment on this entry
"Yes2Marriage"
OMG!!! Talk about double-speak!!! Unbelievable.
The bigots are trying to get the same two sorts of initiatives on the ballot in CA, too.
They may have already qualified, for all I know.
Brynn Craffey | April 18, 2008 7:59 PM
Of course it's more important than slavery to them.
Just look at the historical record of what preachers in Southern Baptist churches said before the War of Northern Aggression: that Abolition was against God's Holy Word, and would lead to immorality, sin, and the collapse of decent society. Basically the same words they're using today.
That's why they're the Southern Baptists, the whole Baptist movement split on the issue.
They were fanatically in favour of slavery then. But they know it won't be re-introduced, and have learnt to live with that. Re-introduction of their "peculiar institution" is just not that important to them any more. It's not going to happen, no matter how much theu might want it to.
Zoe Brain | April 19, 2008 3:09 AM
Maybe Florida needs an amendment to outlaw common sense too, I mean they seem to be against that as well.
diddlygrl | April 19, 2008 4:18 AM
Waymond, I would appreciate knowing how Crist has come down on this? Until I left Florida six months ago I had to believe that he was not only doing a good job for the state, but was not the lockstep idiot Jeb Bush was.
We can beat up on religion (which deserves it) and talk "ain't it awful" only so long. They have obviously gone for a grassroots organizational base of church lovin dimwits who never knew that their "holy scripture" is no more the word of God than the receipe for meatloaf on the back of a Campbell's soup can.
Just as the bible and religion were invented to keep the stupid common folk in their place tilling the fields for the masters we must create our own cool reasoned responce to their argument.
I have made this suggestion before in another area. Let's make it specific. Start giving out Rev Wicker hates us hot dogs at the local TV station in Naples. Get air time. Organize a "We Are Family" picnic in Naples and get a ton of folks over from Miami and Ft Lauderdale to overwhelm them with numbers.
Always be respectful, always be non violent, but always be strong in your resolve.
Robert Ganshorn | April 19, 2008 7:24 AM
I recently took a look at the KnowThyNeigbor.org website to see if anyone living near me had signed the petition in support of the so called Florida "Marriage Amendment." Lo and behold ,there were some neighbors listed who live just a few houses down from my partner and myself ... the very same neighbors who give us a friendly wave whenever we walk the dog ... scary, very scary.
Tom (Orlando, FL) | April 19, 2008 9:04 AM
Robert-
Crist has been talking out of both sides of his nouth on this issue. During his election campaign, he signed to get the amendment on the ballot (so he supported it to get elected and play to the base). He has since said it is "not a priority" for him and that he is a "live and let live guy".
Tom-
KnowThyNeighbor.org is a great site and tool! I encourage everyone to use it, find out if people they know (or any of their elected officials) signed the petition and start a conversation with them to make sure they VOTE NO.
Waymon Hudson | April 19, 2008 9:33 AM
Waymon-
I'm not really the type who likes to make waves and engage awkward conversations ... I guess that's part of the reason I was closeted for as long as I was. I just wish these fundamentalists would just leave us alone and treat us with dignity and respect. I have no idea how to engage in a conversation with people I don't really know.
Tom (Orlando, FL) | April 20, 2008 10:52 AM
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