You Too Can Laugh at the "National Organization for Marriage"

by Adam Amir · 2010-07-29 14:10:00 UTC
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Not known for their particularly reasoned disapproval of gay marriage, the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) continues its unintentionally comedic tactics through their “Summer for Marriage” Tour.

Their latest blunder? Turnout. According to Billerico.com, a mere 40 NOM supporters showed up in Indianapolis, IN, vastly outnumbered by the estimated 250 LGBT people and allies. NOMTourTracker.com has thoroughly embarrassed NOM for their few supporters. In Madison, WI, equality advocates outnumbered the NOM folks 8 to 1. Similarly, in Annapolis, MD, NOM only drew a crowd of about 20, including their own staff and speakers in a tour stop last week (pictured left).

When only 23 NOM followers showed up for an event in Columbus, OH, about 70 equality protesters shouted “2, 4, 6, 8, time for you to leave the state.” Considering the mysterious absence of NOM President Brian Brown in recent rallies, their chant may have worked.

NOM is not a recent addition to the hall of hot mess. How about their “One Man, One Woman” tour bus? The tour bus is plastered with photos of happy-looking, heterosexual families. Ironically, the families are fake, because the pictures were found on a stock photo website. Remember their misleading and goofy TV advertisement, the “Gathering Storm?” It was parodied on the Colbert Report.

While it is fun and probably healthy for the LGBT community and their allies to laugh at the ragtag anti-gay crew, their campaign and their followers elevate some truly disturbing homophobic views. In Indianapolis, one of their supporters waved a homemade sign urging lynching as a “solution” to same-sex marriage.

In St. Paul yesterday, NOM had Pastor Brad Brandon speak. In his radio show, Brandon has compared gays to pedophiles. According to Goodasyou.org, on the topic of allowing openly gay clergy to serve in the church, Brandon said “that’s like asking someone who is living an openly adulterous lifestyle to become a pastor … that’s like asking a pedophile to be a pastor.”

Keep the pressure on NOM and their anti-equality allies. Protest their arrival to a town near you. Their next stops are cities in Missouri, Iowa, Georgia, and Florida.

Photo credit: Billy Pollina/Courage Campaign

Adam Amir is a Harry S. Truman Scholar and recent graduate of the University of Florida. He will work for the New York City Mayor as a part of the Urban Fellows program.
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