Watershed moment for gay marriage in Maryland?

I read the following about lgbt families via Goodasyou from Jennifer Roback Morse. Morse is affiliated with the anti-gay National Organization for Marriage and she was testifying against allowing same-sex marriage in Rhode Island:

"When slavery was abolished, all slaves became free men and women. When women obtained the right to vote, the discrimination ended with the very next election. But for children of same sex marriage, the situation will be different. When we come to our senses 30 years from now and realize that we have perpetrated a grotesque injustice, not a single child born fatherless or motherless within a same sex marriage will get his missing parent back. Only prevention will protect children’s rights.

The thin disguise of marriage equality will not mislead anyone, nor will it atone for the wrong this day done"

Is it just me or is that rhetoric a tad nasty when it comes to same-sex families.

Perhaps it isn't just me. We are learning that it was rhetoric just like that which made a Maryland State Senator, Jim Brochin, recently change his vote from opposing same-sex marriage in the state to supporting it. He released this statement to the press:

“What I witnessed from the opponents of the bill was appalling.” Brochin said. “Witness after witness demonized homosexuals, vilified the gay community, and described gays and lesbians as pedophiles. I believe that sexual orientation is not a choice, but rather people are born one way or another The proponents of the bill were straightforward in wanting to be simply treated as everyone else, and wanted to stop being treated as second-class citizens.

Brochin added, “For me, the transition to supporting marriage has not been an easy one, but the uncertainty, fear, and second-class status that gays and lesbians have to put up with is far worse and clearly must come to an end.”

What's happening here is simple. When the right first began attacking same-sex marriage in 2004, the understanding about it was a bit simplistic. They were able to exploit people's ignorance by terming it as selfish homosexuals wanting to redefine marriage.

However, fast forward to 2011. People are starting to realize that same-sex marriage is not about lgbts wanting to "force affirmation." It is about love. And most of all, it's about family.

Lawmakers in Maryland were able to see and hear from real families who are affected positively by marriage equality. And what did the folks on the right have to oppose this? A bunch of hypothetical statements tuned to sound logical, but really amounted to the demonization of lgbt persons and families - a three dimensional personification of truth vs. lies, if you will.

Personally, I am all for it. When truth faces up against lies, sooner or later, truth wins.

And it's about time, too.

Conservative throws tantrum about gay group at CPAC and other Thursday midday news briefs

RedState's Erickson Slams GOProud, Norquist and CPAC - Erik Erickson throws a tantrum because of the gay group at CPAC. Do you want your bwankee, wittle Ewick?

Protect Marriage MD: The 'MD' stands for 'minus droids'- Gay marriage will lead to android marriage? Nice going, NOM.

Ugandan Government Follows “Rolling Stone” Script for Gay Panic Defense in David Kato’s Murder - This ought to make Matt Barber practically giddy.

Secaucus Town Council decides against rehiring 3 firefighters who quit amid allegations they harassed gay couple - Good.


Eugene Delguadio: Radical Homosexual Pirates Are Running Wild In Tampa! - Heeeeey! Yo, ho, ho and a bottle of lube! Of course this is the SAME nut who claimed that gay men are picking children out of orphanages in order to turn them gay.

Focus on the Family chooses power grabs over simple Christian virtues

While the lgbt community raises hell about the American Family Association, the Family Research Council, the Traditional Values Coalition, and many of those other bogus pro-family groups, let's not forget about Focus on the Family.

Focus on The Family has always been careful not to seem as too extreme as Peter Sprigg of the Family Research Council or Bryan Fischer of the American Family Association.

However, that doesn't mean the lgbt community should ignore them. According to People for the American Way's Right Wing Watch, the following is what the organization's advocacy arm - CitizenLink - wants Congress to do "to" the lgbt community (as well as other communities):

The group is now demanding Republicans pass harsh anti-choice bills that would cripple women’s health services, and also wants the GOP to rollback the rights of gays and lesbian: asking Republicans to repeal the Hate Crimes Prevention Act, reinstate Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, block the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, and protect the unconstitutional Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Tom Minnery, the head of CitizenLink, previously called on the House Oversight Committee led by Darrell Issa (R-CA) to investigate the Department of Justice over their handling of successful challenges to DOMA.

I know there is something in there about health care, jobs, education, and helping the downtrodden.

But apparently it's hidden so well that I can't see it.

Focus on the Family's "wish list" speaks for itself in terms of how miserably the "public standard bearers" of Christianity and morality have failed at their jobs.