Gay Leaders Plan a “National Day of Protest”

Gay Leaders Plan a “National Day of Protest”
in Response to Marriage Victories

Ready to “Rumble and Fight”
While the rest of the country is planning for a national day of Thanksgiving in November, radical gay leaders around the nation are planning a “National Day of Protest” on Saturday, November 15, 2008, coming to a city near you. The self proclaimed champions of tolerance, diversity and respect for others have chosen a clutched fighting fist as their logo and are using phrases like “Ready to Rumble”, “Join the Impact” and “Fight the H8 (Hate)” as their slogans. These really winsome and civil minded slogans are sure to endear the American people even closer to the gay agenda and to their movement which is becoming increasingly intolerant, disorderly and aggressive.

Why are they protesting? Well in a nutshell, they could not defeat any of the three marriage amendments which defined marriage as the union of one man and one woman. They are upset and “angry” (their words) because they could not persuade enough people in the marketplace of ideas in Florida, California and Arizona. So after failing at the ballot box, instead of examining their own arguments, assumptions, and internal contradictions they are going to “protest”, “rumble”, “impact” and “fight”.

Intimidation and Hostility
The real goal of this nationwide protest is to try and foster a wide spread culture of intimidation and hostility in the public square against anyone who thinks that marriage should remain as the union of one man and one woman. If you want to know the end game of our opponents it can be really boiled down to two goals. First, they want to normalize and promote all things “gay” in every nook and cranny of our society. Then second, they want to silence anyone who disagrees with them. There is just a small problem with the second part of this strategy: This is AMERICA! Our opponent’s strategy runs directly afoul of the American political experience where the free exchange of ideas, robust debate, respecting people we disagree with, and accepting a final vote as an expression of the will of the people are what makes us great as a nation.

The Irony of a Florida Protest
In Florida, it appears there are protests being planned in Orlando, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tallahassee and Jacksonville. The idea that gay activists in Florida are now protesting because Amendment 2 passed is really ironic since we were disingenuously told in the campaign over and over again that this amendment has “nothing to do with gay marriage.” Remember? It was all about benefits, health care, domestic partnerships, senior citizens and unmarried persons. There was no “gay talk” anywhere to be found during the campaign. Apparently every gay activist in the state agreed to bite their tongue, drink the focus group tested “Kool-Aid” and in a conspiracy of silence not say a single word about “gay marriage”, “gay rights” or even “gay equality.” But now that opponents of Amendment 2 have lost at the ballot box, they have taken off their political masks and shown their true identities and their true colors.

Boycotting Utah?
Apparently our opponents have also come up with another strategy to respond to their losses. Boycott Utah! I am not making this up folks. The Associated Press reported only days after the election that gay activists were upset because the LDS church and Mormons in Utah gave major funding to the Proposition 8 campaign in California. So they are calling for a boycott of the entire state of Utah! Maybe while they are at it they can also boycott the other 45 states that have also defined marriage in their constitutions or statutorily. The LDS church should be applauded for their unprecedented financial support of marriage in California. Please make sure you thank a Mormon today for their heroic stand and the major part they played in California’s Proposition 8. And while you are at it, plan your next winter ski trip in Utah.

The Political Problem is Not Homosexual Conduct
From a political and a policy standpoint, homosexual behavior is not the problem per se. People with same sex attractions have been around since the beginning of time. And while there are very legitimate health and medical issues to address--- as well as ministry concerns--- many people with a same sex attraction manage to live quite and peaceful lives and are not looking to advertise and promote their sexual behavior to the whole world. We have even learned that there are a surprising number of homosexual men and women who do not even support the idea of same sex marriage. So the real political challenge we face is not homosexual activity per se. The real problem is this artificial socio-political construct that has been manufactured in the last couple of decades called “Gay”. The word “Gay” now represents an "in your face" approach, shove our agenda down your throat tactics and all the trappings of a dance-half-naked-in-the-streets-gay-pride-parade type agenda. And God forbid if you disagree with them in any way-- no matter how loving, articulate and intelligent the basis for your objection-- you will be shouted down and accused of being a “bigot”, a “hate monger”, a “gay basher” or worse. This is why someone can live as an active homosexual yet not be “gay-identified” with this new political movement. And out of fairness, homosexually active citizens who just want to be left alone need to be distinguished from the radical gay activists. The two groups are not synonymous.

A Culture of Narcissists
One of the many reasons our opponents have failed time and time again in the debate on marriage is that their rhetoric, their motive and tone is unapologetically “me” centered. At the heart of all the gay rights talk is a remarkably narcissistic streak. Devoid are discussions about what is best for children, and families, and the common good of society. Instead it is all about “me” and “my rights” and “my body”. This unbridled self-centered fixation will never win the day in the public square. This may also explain why they are resorting to this quasi-riot style of responding to their own political losses.

So What Should Be Our Perspective On All This?
First, we must affirm our opponent’s rights to peacefully assemble, speak freely and to demonstrate. Second, we must understand that the goal of these national “protests” is not to articulate some lofty ideas or further noble principles. Their goal is to create an intense climate of intimidation and hostility within the culture to try and deter people from supporting traditional marriage and other pro-family initiatives in the future. Since the three votes on November 5, many U.S. cities have seen vandalism, disorderly conduct, destruction of property and even violence. We will not be bullied into silence, indifference or inaction. No American citizen should be intimidated for exercising their constitutional right to vote.

Let’s once again thank supporters of natrual marriage and encourage them to continue to be humble yet bold in standing with us for what is right, true and good. The future of our country and generations of children yet unborn are depending upon it.

John Stemberger is an Orlando lawyer and served as the State Chairman of the Yes2Marriage.org Campaign in Florida.