In 2004, Oregonians approved a marriage protection amendment, which defined marriage as the union of one man and one woman, by a healthy 57 percent. However, last spring, the Democrat-controlled legislature, with the urging of the governor, circumvented both the amendment and the will of the people and approved same-sex marriage using the name "domestic partnerships." This was done against the strong objections of the people and with phone calls and emails running 100 to 1 opposed to the new domestic partnership bill.
Family Leader is working with a group called Concerned Oregonians , http://www.concernedoregonians.com, who have a solution to bring marriage back to the people ! Concerned Oregonians has filed a referendum to let the people vote on the marriage issue in November 2008, but they need to collect 57,179 signatures of registered voters by September 25, 2007 . Currently they have about 42,000.
Take Action:
1. For more information on the issue go to http://www.concernedoregonians.com
2. To request petitions send an email to info@concernedoregonians.com
3. Please forward this urgent information to family and friends in Oregon and ask them to participate before the September 25th deadline.
4. If you live in Oregon and are interested in helping, please contact Kenneth Stevens with Family Leader at Kenneth.r.Stevens@verizon.net
Rally Now!
According to petition organizers church and community groups, who were actively involved in helping pass the 2004 marriage amendment, have been slow to rally, saying, "We already did this. Why should we have to do it again?"
To use a battle analogy from Waterloo, "The Duke of Wellington once said to some French soldiers that British soldiers were not braver than French soldiers; they were only brave for five minutes longer." To protect marriage in Oregon, citizens must be brave five minutes longer than the special interest groups determined to dilute its vital role in society. And what if we fail? Children will learn at school that sexual expression can take many acceptable forms. Terms like "mother and father", "husband and wife" will be considered hate speech. Marriage rates will fall as it loses its meaning, just as it has in some European countries. The fallout goes on and on.
Our society has protected marriage because it has been a child-centered institution, and we recognize that the good of the whole and the strength and stability of future generations depends upon encouraging it. Click here to read Why Civil Unions Hurt Marriage.
Please contact friends and family in Oregon about this urgent situation before it is too late. If you live in Oregon please join this effort!
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