In vintage Frank Schubert form, Minnesota for Marriage — the paradoxically-named group that’s working hard to add a marriage discrimination amendment to the Minnesota constitution — released an ad today that attempts to scare Minnesotans into voting for the amendment by ominously (and falsely) warning that marriage equality harms children because “same-sex marriage could be taught in local schools.” Similar shamelessly fear-mongering ads, released en masse at the last minute, contributed greatly to the 2008 passage of Proposition 8 in California.
Lets hope that this year, the outcome in Minnesota will be different.
Watch:
Why would the outcome be any different, unless those fighting against this amendment are offering counter-messages? Are they?
We’ll see. I’m sure they’re prepared — the pro-equality strategy and coordination in MN so far has been amazing. Also, in terms of public acceptance of LGBT people, the distance between 2008 and 2012 might as well be measured in light-years. So it’s a totally different landscape, meaning we could see a different outcome.
I volunteered for the Obama campaign in Virginia this summer, and the campaign’s strategy was simple. Match them on the air, and beat them on the ground. I hope the equality campaigns in the four states also use an ad blitz or something to counteract this nonsense.
But have pro-same sex marriage activists ever come up with an effective message to counter Frank Schubert’s “harm to children” message?
The message, “Marriage Equality Harms Kids” works because vast numbers of parents don’t want their kids to be gay. A significant percentage of that vast number are ignorant and/or stupid enough to worry that if their kid learns in school about gays in a non-negative context, the kid will decide that being gay is a cool choice, and will come home one day and say, “Hi mom. Hi dad. I’m gay now!” And because our side has not educated those parents on how full equality for gays benefits everyone, and how being gay is not a choice, the fear (even just a glimmer of fear) is enough for those parents to vote against us.
These gay-haters (wait – it’s not about gay people or hating gays. I always forget that.) Is there anyplace in the U.S. where “marriage” is taught in school? I’ve never heard of a 1 through 12 course on marriage. But now that maybe gay people might marry, it’ll be taught in school? They really know how to spin a lie and make it stick in parents’ minds. It’s interesting that when a made-up threat to children is foisted upon them, parents’ brains go right out the window.
[...] Minnesota for Marriage’s new ad not only attacks children in the tradition of the Prop 8 “princess” ad, but even falsely [...]
Wow, what happened to someone’s freedom of speech? This article is crazy
Since when does freedom of speech include the right to lie and attack others unchallenged?