A Whopping 47 People - Including Babies - Attend Anti-LGBT "March For Marriage 2017"

(image via Beth Ethier/Twitter)

Remember when virulently anti-LGBT Brian Brown, of the ironically named National Organization for Marriage, used to draw a crowd?

Well, not anymore.

Check out the photos and tweets from this year's "March for Marriage" in Washington D.C. today.

According to Beth Ehtier, who counted every attendee - "including babies!" - Brown got a sad 47 bodies to the event.

Snork! #gleefuldancing

Brian Brown addressing a crowd of around 30 people at this year's anti-gay March for Marriage #equality pic.twitter.com/mKEMY5TcK2

— Beth Ethier (@missdeutsch) June 17, 2017

Update: I was able to count every attendee. There are 47 including babies. pic.twitter.com/a8bXeCIHz6

— Beth Ethier (@missdeutsch) June 17, 2017

ThinkProgress' @ZackFord Covers The Sad Little #MarchForMarriage

Here's how the #March4Marriage is shaping up. I'd say dozens. pic.twitter.com/SGx30cM3NN

— Zack Ford (@ZackFord) June 25, 2016

When everyone was asked to gather closer, it made the #March4Marriage look smaller. pic.twitter.com/CFfus0nrBB

— Zack Ford (@ZackFord) June 25, 2016

I don't know what being anti-trans has to do with marriage, except being a fight they haven't totally lost... yet. #March4Marriage

— Zack Ford (@ZackFord) June 25, 2016

Here's how empty this little plot of land looks. #March4Marriage pic.twitter.com/X2crkIdRQd

— Zack Ford (@ZackFord) June 25, 2016

By @sydneyp1234's count, there are 237 people at #March4Marriage, including speakers, infants, journalists (like us), and curious onlookers.

— Zack Ford (@ZackFord) June 25, 2016

I just warned some oncoming tourists, "Watch out! There's a whole lot of bigots coming through!" #March4Marriage

— Zack Ford (@ZackFord) June 25, 2016

On this narrow sidewalk, it actually looks like there a few people at the #March4Marriage, but that's everybody. pic.twitter.com/JQpGWhxkba

— Zack Ford (@ZackFord) June 25, 2016

I think the #March4Marriage is small enough to just be a mob, not a march. pic.twitter.com/cvaB0VpfZU

— Zack Ford (@ZackFord) June 25, 2016

There are a bunch of banners spread out at the end to make the #March4Marriage look longer than it is. pic.twitter.com/BmJ4Dlo6ch

— Zack Ford (@ZackFord) June 25, 2016

NOM President Brian Brown Is "Outraged" Over Jim Obergefell's Invite To State Of The Union Address

Virulently anti-gay Brian Brown, president of the ironically named National Organization for Marriage, is super-mad y'all.

Brown is upset (and begging for money) because Jim Obergefell will be sitting with the First Lady at tonight's State of the Union address.

As you probably know, Obergefell was the lead plaintiff in the lawsuit that led to the historic marriage equality decision by SCOTUS last summer.

Via press release:

“It’s an outrage that President Obama is honoring the extermination of true marriage in our nation’s laws as a result of an anti-constitutional, illegitimate ruling of the US Supreme Court,” said Brian Brown, NOM’s president.

“President Obama is trying to honor something that is completely dishonorable because it strips from the law the truth of marriage as the union of one man and one woman, and substitutes a fiction from the left that marriage can be anything you want it to be.”

I wasn't aware that heterosexual marriage is now "exterminated?"

Of course, what he's really mad about is his six-figure annual salary is about to go bye-bye.

Fox News' Megyn Kelly Slaps Down Anti-Gay Brian Brown Over Marriage Equality & SCOTUS

In an effort to find some semblance of relevance in today's world of marriage equality, virulently anti-gay Brian Brown (of the ironically-named National Organization for Marriage) made an appearance on Fox News last night to talk on Alabama state Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore's feckless attempt to stop same-sex marriages in his state.

Of course, as we all know, last June the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriage was a right in this country, and thus making it possible for gay and lesbian couples everywhere in America to wed.

Grasping at straws, Brown tried to make an (illogical) legal case for Moore's impertinence. The results - and response from experienced lawyer Megyn Kelly - were not exactly what Brown was hoping for.

From Mediaite:

Brown’s opening gambit was the fine legal thinking of Rick Santorum and Mike Huckabee (imagine that wedding), which holds that Supreme Court rulings are more, like, guidelines. Kelly lost it a little when Brown said officials shouldn’t “kowtow” to the court (which might be NOM-speak for some kind of man-dairy animal union), then patiently tried to explain the legal concept codified in Marbury vs Madison.

That’s when Brown really stepped in it, telling attorney Megyn Kelly “I think you are misreading Marbury vs Madison.” If Megyn Kelly ever decides to return to practicing law, her new strategy should be to just make faces during opposing counsel’s argument. She’d win every case.

Maine: National Organization For Marriage Finally Files Donor List With Total Of Six Names

NOM president Brian Brown

After a five year legal battle, and paying a record $50,000 fine, the anti-gay National Organization for Marriage has finally handed over it's donor list as ordered by the courts to the Maine Ethics Commission.

In 2009, the organization funneled over $2 million to the anti-gay Stand for Marriage Maine political action committee, which supported a referendum to overturn a same-sex marriage law passed by the state legislature and signed into law by Gov. Baldacci.

A later referendum in 2012 reinstated marriage equality.

NOM has tried to by-pass state campaign finance laws regarding the 2009 campaign, and has refused to file their donor list.

Until now. Having run out of options to avoid the inevitable, NOM has given up.

From the Bangor Daily News:

The donor list includes a mix of in- and out-of-state donors who gave NOM between $50,000 and $750,000 in individual donations. The largest donor was Sean Fieler of New York City, who is the president of Chiaroscuro Foundation and gave a total of $1.25 million.

The only donor listed from Maine was Richard Kurtz of Cape Elizabeth, who gave $50,000. There are only six names on the list, plus about $5,300 of “unitemized contributions.”

That's quite the "national" organization, huh? Only SIX donors.

And only one from Maine.

Gee, Brian Brown, I can't imagine why there were all those calls of "out of state interference."

Haters Screaming For A Veto In Indiana Over RFRA "Fix"

The haters are losing their minds over the proposed "fix" for the Indiana state "Religious Freedom Restoration Act" because it deprives them of their true goal - which was to discriminate against LGBT folks.

From Brian Brown of the National Organization for Marriage (via email):

Stung by a furor of false accusations against the Indiana Religious Liberty Restoration Act, some Republican legislators are proposing to "fix" the law by stripping it of any chance to protect people of faith against being forced by law to participate in same-sex 'marriage' ceremonies that violate their deeply held religious beliefs. Worse, they are rewarding gay activists and celebrities like Miley Cyrus who intentionally and massively mischaracterized the legislation passed last week with expanded "anti-discrimination" provisions that will be used as a club by these same activists to punish people of faith for supporting biblical principles in the way they live their lives.

Russell Moore, the president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, recently tweeted: "This Indiana 'compromise' is a train wreck. It should be voted down." This "fix" legislation must be defeated! It is like paying ransom to a kidnapper — a complete abandonment of principle in the face of political pressure from those bent on redefining marriage and imposing a radical agenda on the country. Please sign this petition immediately so that Governor Mike Pence and top Republican legislators realize that we will not stand for this abandonment of people of faith in order to reward the radical left who have grossly mischaracterized the Religious Liberty Restoration Act.

Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council (via press release):

"On the eve of Good Friday, Big Business is encouraging elected leaders to take the silver over religious freedom.

"This new proposal guts the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and empowers the government to impose punishing fines on people for following their beliefs about marriage. Religious freedom should not be held hostage by Big Business. Big Business is now putting religious freedom in a worse place than before RFRA was signed into law.

"Gutting RFRA in this manner would put people of faith in the crosshairs of government discrimination as never before. Far from being a 'clarification,' this would gut religious freedom in Indiana. Religious freedom doesn't need a 'fix.'

"This proposal would force religious businesses and even nonprofits deemed 'not religious enough' to participate in wedding ceremonies contrary to their owners' beliefs.

"If the government punishes people for living their faith, there are no limits to what government can control. We urge the governor to veto this measure that will be used by the government to bring financial ruin on people like florist Barronelle Stutzman, bakers Aaron and Melissa Klein, and wedding photographer Elaine Huguenin."

Would You Give Money To An Idiot?

It's fascinating to read this email from Brian Brown of the anti-gay National Organization for Marriage, where he begs for money to keep funding his losing fight against same-sex marriage.

It's honestly like he's become an out of touch idiot. From today's email:

"Support for same-sex marriage has dropped over the past year by six percentage points, while opposition has increased. In fact, more voters are opposed to same-sex 'marriage' (44%) than are in favor of it (42%).

"This dramatic change in public opinion comes as activist judges throughout the country have been working overtime to redefine marriage in direct opposition to the decision of over fifty million voters.

"While the media seems utterly baffled by these findings — unable to process them and therefore report on them — we are not surprised in the least.

"Please make plans for joining us for the March for Marriage this year as we make the case for marriage. Three days after the justices of the Supreme Court see the outpouring of support for marriage, they will hear oral argument in the case that could shape the legal definition of marriage in America for years to come.

"In the mean time, please consider making a generous donation to support our efforts to organize and promote this critical event. We have a great deal of work to do and nobody to turn to for help except for loyal supporters like you."

As the rest of the world knows - support for marriage equality has seen a sharp increase over the past few years. That is a fact.

A recent NBC/Wall Street Journal poll (not some fly-by-night outfit) showed support rising to 59% for same-sex marriage. A fact Brian Brown simply chooses to ignore.

Brian Brown Praises Alabama State Supreme Court For Halting Same-Sex Marriage

Hate group leader Brian Brown

In a blog post for the National Organization for Marriage, president Brian Brown praised the Alabama State Supreme Court for halting same-sex marriage.

"We praise the justices of the Alabama Supreme Court who have ruled in overwhelming fashion that the laws of Alabama defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman must be followed by state officials."

"A single federal judge does not have the authority to force a state to redefine marriage and it's high time that out of control judges were put in their place. We call on other states to similarly order their state's officials to enforce state marriage laws."

In light of the Tuesday ruling from the state Supreme Court, the Mobile County Probate Court has decided they would not be issuing any marriage licenses -- to same-sex couples or otherwise -- while they review the state Supreme Court's decision.

NOM's Brian Brown Sends Greetings From Alternate Universe

Brian Brown, of the anti-gay hate group National Organization for Marriage, posts on his group's NOM Blog today about the "Top Headlines of 2014" in which he seems to conclude that his anti-marriage equality movement is somehow thriving:

We live in a time when those who wish to redefine marriage and their sycophants in the media miss no opportunity to tell us that the battle is essentially over, that history is on their side and that the views of the citizens have changed. This is a future that these activists hope for, but it is decidedly not the future they will encounter. The reason we know this is because whenever they put their version of the future to the test, it is rejected by the American people.

I am encouraged by the victories and the bright moments of the past twelve months as we head into 2015, because they remind me that the cause of marriage is still very much alive, and we have good reason to hope for even more successes in the new year!

With that reminder then, please accept my wishes for a happy and blessed new year for you and your family, and my thanks for continuing to work with NOM to defend marriage and family in 2015!

I'll remind readers that the pro-same-sex marriage folks won almost 50 legal battles in 2014 while Brian Brown and his ilk saw perhaps 2 wins in their column.

"Even more successes" indeed...

National Organization for Marriage - Losing Campaigns and Donors

NOM's Brian Brown

The ironically named National Organization for Marriage - which actually campaigns against marriage rights - is woefully in debt and barely staying in business according to 2013 tax records:

The main findings: NOM's donors have vanished, with 2013 fundraising barely half what it was in 2012. Meanwhile, NOM's debt has ballooned to from $2 million in 2012 to $2.5 million in 2013. Of the $5.1 million that NOM raised last year, more than half came from just two donors. That's down from three major donors in 2012.

NOM hasn't had a major "win" against same-sex marriage since 2012 when North Carolina passed it's statewide ban - which is now already struck down.

And just today NOM's request to reverse Oregon's marriage ruling via en banc rehearing in the 9th Circuit Court was denied.

Another day, another loss for NOM and Brian Brown. See the one page ruling below:

14-35427 #46 by Equality Case Files

Anti-Gay 'National Organization For Marriage' Sees Donations Drop Over 50%

Brian Brown of NOM

Brian Brown over at the ironically named National Organization for Marriage might need to worry about feeding his kids soon if NOM's funding continues to dry up as it has in the past year.

According to analysis of the organization’s 2013 tax filings done by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), NOM raised $5.1 million in 2013, dropping by over 50% since 2012. Just 2 donors accounted for more than half of the organization’s funding – further evidence that everyday Americans have little interest in furthering NOM’s extremist agenda. In addition, the NOM Education Fund also dropped by nearly $3.5 million in funding -- a drop of almost 70% since the previous year. NOM ended the year more than $2.5 million in debt.

“NOM should start figuring out that people aren’t willing to give their hard-earned money to an extremist agenda that's going nowhere,” said Fred Sainz, HRC Vice President of Communications. “If I were Brian Brown, I’d be worried that my two or three mega-donors are soon going to come to terms with the fact that they’d largely be better off flushing money down the toilet. Americans certainly aren’t buying what NOM is selling, and it’s only a matter of time before the trickle of money keeping the lights on at NOM HQ dries up.”

It's important to note from that quote - "Just 2 donors accounted for more than half of the organization’s funding." Which means that most Americans are not part of NOM's hate campaign.

And there's more bad news for NOM:

• The Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices voted unanimously to impose record civil penalties against NOM totaling $50,250 due to non-disclosure violations

• "Strong Opposition" to marriage equality has dropped to a low of 28%

There's more info about NOM's activities over at the Human Rights Campaign.

NOM's Brian Brown Declares War On GOP Sen. Rob Portman

NOM's Brian Brown

Anti-gay spokesman Brian Brown has declared war on Republican Sen. Rob Portman, who, after his gay son came out in 2013, said he supports marriage equality.

Brian Brown isn't having any of that:

"Rob Portman can forget about getting elected President of the United States. If he runs we will make sure that GOP primary voters are aware of his desire to redefine marriage and his willingness to see federal judges set aside the votes of 50 million Americans who enacted marriage amendments across the country because his son is gay.

"Rob Portman's son has a right to live as he chooses, but that does not give his father the right to redefine marriage. The same voters who just elected pro-marriage candidates like Joni Ernst, Tim Scott, Tom Cotton, Pat Roberts and Thom Tillis are not going to support someone like Rob Portman."

Just another day in the mind of the haters...

National Organization For Marriage's Brian Brown Robocalls Against GOP Candidate Carl DeMaio

Some voters in San Diego this weekend received robocalls from the president of anti-gay National Organization for Marriage, Brian Brown, urging them to NOT vote for Republican Carl DeMaio and instead vote for the Democratic candidate Scott Peters. Not because Brown supports Peters - in the call he says Peters is "wrong on the issues but at least we can defeat him in two years. If DeMaio is elected, he may hold office and do damage for decades! Please vote against Carl DeMaio on November 4th."

Brown opposes DeMaio basically because "gay."

I'm no fan of DeMaio myself, but interesting that Brown is willing to turn on Republicans if they happen to be gay.

But remember, he says NOM doesn't get involved in political races...



(via JMG)

C-SPAN: Evan Wolfson Schools Anti-Gay Brian Brown On Same-Sex Marriage

From this past weekend, watch Freedom To Marry head Evan Wolfson calmly and methodically deconstruct all of hate group leader Brian Brown's misleading lies and exaggerations against same-sex marriage in an hour-long call-in show on C-SPAN.

Best moment of the hour is at 43:00 - Wolfson calls out Brown for participating at the recent anti-gay Kremlin conference.

Wolfson: "Mr. Brown was in Russia, people can go and look it up, for something called the World Conference [Congress] Of Families, that endorsed a resolution calling on other countries to adopt the same kind of vicious, brutal, sweeping anti-gay law that Putin's Russia just enacted that has launched a wave of thuggery and beatings in the street and discrimination against gay people in that country that is now seeking to export that kind of attack. That's not about marriage. That's about beating up and in some cases killing and licensing thuggery. Mr. Brown was part of that conference and that's part of the work he is doing."

Brown: "That's absolutely wrong."

Wolfson: "People can look it up. "

Brown: "His facts are absolutely wrong. All people can look up are Evan Wolfson's and Human Rights Campaign's absolute lies and slurs."

Wolfson is excellent at staying on point and addressing the real concerns and issues regarding marriage equality.

Watch below.

(via JMG)

NOM's Brian Brown: Conservatives Will Lose Elections If They Don't Hate On Gay Marriage More

In a recent post on the National Organization for Marriage's blog, Brian Brown praises former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee for threatening to leave the Republican Party if more conservatives don't stand against equal rights for gays:

"Governor Huckabee is exactly right and is speaking for millions of Americans who are sick of Republican elitists remaining silent and refusing to fight for the survival of marriage, the principal building block of society and the foundation of civilization.

"Republicans who remain silent on marriage do so at their own peril and risk losing elections across the country. If conservatives see Republican candidates fail to lead on marriage — or worse, come out in favor of redefining marriage — then conservatives will abandon those candidates.

"We are grateful for those leaders who have spoken out to condemn the Supreme Court for their unprincipled and outrageous decision to allow the redefinition of marriage to occur in these states.

"We are prepared to work tirelessly to support them and others who lead in the fight to preserve marriage. But Governor Huckabee is right. If more Republican leaders do not speak up and join the fight, then millions of conservatives will abandon them and join with officials who will fight.

"Marriage is on the line in our country, and it's time for people to get off the bench and into the battle."

Brian Brown Begs For Money As Haters See Marriage Equality Win The Day

National Organization for Marriage's Brian Brown sent this missive out yesterday begging for money to continue the more and more ill-fated hate campaign against equal rights for gays and lesbians to marry.

"This is not democracy: it is judicial tyranny. We need to act—now!

Please take a moment immediately to contact Congress and demand support for an amendment to the Constitution of the United States that will preserve and protect marriage as the union of one man and one woman!

Legislative efforts to amend our Constitution to protect marriage are already underway. In the House, this initiative is being led by Representative Tim Huelskamp of Kansas. In the Senate, it is being spearheaded by Senator Ted Cruz of Texas.

Marriage Supporter, I'll say it plainly: marriage is on the ropes, and our principles of government are taking a beating as well. That's why I need you to ACT NOW and DEMAND action from Congress to put a halt to the legal chaos that has been thrust upon us by the radical same-sex ‘marriage' movement."

Note the urgency in his tone as his cushy paycheck promoting second-class rights for gays is quickly slipping away.

Brian Brown: "I Am An Extremist and I 'Export Hate'"

Hate group leader Brian Brown of the ironically named National Organization for Marriage has penned an "essay" for the Washington Post in which he voices his disagreement with the Human Rights Campaign, who recently launched a new campaign which exposes some of the leaders of the anti-gay rights movement.

Part of that campaign that sheds light on Brown's "export of hate" around the world.

Well, Brown is not very happy in this spotlight. He writes:

I readily and proudly plead guilty to the “crime” of not supporting that organization’s desire to redefine marriage. I have had the nerve to express that view not only here in America, but when invited to speak in other countries. Hence, in the distorted world of the campaign, I am an extremist and “export hate.”

[snip]

I am proud to have played some small role in this emerging global movement. One of the few things the Human Rights Campaign correctly notes is that I have spoken to conferences around the world.

However, these speeches focused not on “hate” or “division” but on the importance of individuals of different faiths, nationalities, cultures and political creeds uniting together in a shared defense of the truth of marriage and family. Working together with men and women dedicated to protecting the family is not the definition of hate, but love.

After all that high-minded hyperbole, Joe Jervis of JoeMyGod points out that Brown recently appeared at a Kremlin conference which concluded with a call for more nations to criminalize homosexuality.

So much for "the importance of individuals of different faiths, nationalities, cultures and political creeds."

Sounds like hate to me. Read more about Brian Brown's extremist work to undercut the rights of LGBT citizens around the world at the HRC's "The Export of Hate."

"Export of Hate" - Human Rights Campaign vs Brian Brown

Brian Brown, the president of the shadowy anti-LGBT group National Organization for Marriage, is being put on notice for his anti-LGBT advocacy worldwide.

From California to France, Brown has traveled the world spreading messages of homophobia and transphobia.

Learn more about Brown’s work here - http://www.HRC.org/ExportOfHate

NOM president Brian Brown: Marriage equality "house of cards" is collapsing

National Organization for Marriage's Brian Brown

Hot on the heels of the Louisiana ruling today against same-sex marriage (the first since June of 2013), NOM president Brian Brown claimed the "house of cards" that is the marriage equality movement is "collapsing:"

"Here we see the house of cards collapsing that supported the myth that redefining marriage is inevitable," said Brian S. Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage. "This decision by Judge Feldman in Louisiana is a great win for the cause of marriage, coming as it does on the heels of other pro-marriage court victories, that puts the lie to the claim that it is inevitable the US Supreme Court will redefine marriage. To the contrary, we believe they will leave this issue with the states."

"Judge Feldman has authored a powerful opinion that points the US Supreme Court in the direction of upholding state marriage laws and constitutional amendments," Brown said. "He finds what should be obvious to everyone, that states have a legitimate concern in 'linking marriage to children with intact families.' It is perfectly appropriate for voters to determine if they wish to decide for themselves whether they wish to redefine this age-old institution that has served society so well. Overwhelmingly, voters have rejected redefining marriage, and we expect the US Supreme Court to do so as well."

Regarding a "house of cards," it should be noted that Judge Feldman's ruling is the first against same-sex marriage by a federal judge since the Windsor decision by SCOTUS in June of 2013.

(via press release)

Bryan Brown laments - Which bigot will be next?

Bryan Brown, who has led two year boycotts of General Mills and Starbucks as it serves his own discriminatory practices, tweets about the "intolerance" of what he refers to as the gay mafia's influence towards bigots who choose to discriminate against the LGBT community.

#dramaqueen #butchitup

(via JoeMyGod)