Pleased to announce Freedom to Marry will be blogging on OpenLeft for the next month from their tour across the country -Adam
Last month the anti-gay National Organization for Marriage (NOM), has announced it's "Summer for Marriage 2010 Tour" which will feature a series of "one man, one woman" rallies promoting the exclusion of gay and lesbian couples from marriage. NOM was one of the forces behind the passage of Prop 8 which stripped away marriage from gay couples in California.
In NOM's call to discrimination, they declared "this is an urgent time for marriage," that "a strong marriage...makes a strong family," and that "groups of these strong families make strong neighborhoods" and "strong towns, cities, and states." We at Freedom to Marry, the campaign to win marriage for same-sex couples nationwide, couldn't agree more, that's why we are teaming up with local, state, and national equality groups on a series of pro-marriage events across the country in July and August.
We're honored to partner with OpenLeft to provide on-the-ground coverage of our tour over the next month or so. Also called "Summer for Marriage", the pro-equality tour will have events in 16 states and the District of Columbia. We'll have video, photos and all the action from the ground as we and committed same-sex couples from around the country confront the right-wing.
In announcing the tour, Freedom to Marry's executive director, Evan Wolfson said:
Opponents of the freedom to marry are unable to defend their position on its merits and point to any harm from loving and committed same-sex couples sharing in the freedom to marry. Anti-gay groups like NOM rely on diversion, division, and fear-mongering to distract from the reality that when committed couples join in marriage, families are helped and no one is hurt. Americans are now witnessing that reality in five states and the District of Columbia, and with our Summer for Marriage tour, Freedom to Marry and our partners are going to show what being for marriage really looks like."
At each stop on the "Summer for Marriage" tour, events will spotlight loving and committed same-sex couples and their families.
July 16th - Providence, RI 10am
Press Conference led by Marriage Equality Rhode Island
State House, North Steps
July 17th - Albany, NY 11.30am-1:30pm
Picnic for couples and families who support the freedom to marry
Reflecting Pools at Albany Plaza
July 23 - Columbus, OH 12noon-1:00pm
Press Conference with elected officials representing all levels of government
Location: TBD
Additional events are planned through mid-August. Stay tuned - and visit Summer for Marriage for more details as they become available.
STATE BLOGS
