Marriage Day at the Aldrich Mansion

Stand with us for marriage on Sunday, August 16!

The Marriage Day Celebration will include live worship music, guest speakers, plenty of food, and activities for children. Tickets will be sold for a cook-out style meal but attendees can also bring a picnic. The highlight of the Sunday afternoon event will be an opportunity for married couples to renew their vows together at a beautiful waterfront setting.

Click here to see the event schedule and to RSVP!

This is a great opportunity to take a stand for marriage as God ordained it. Our goal is to esteem marriage to its proper place in society and make a statement that Christians in Rhode Island believe strongly in this cherished institution.

New Poll Find Rhode Islanders Opposed to Same-Sex Marriage

(Providence, RI -- June 15, 2009) A new poll conducted by veteran Rhode Island pollster Victor Profughi of Quest Research shows Rhode Islanders opposed to same-sex marriage by a margin of 43% to 36%.

Presented with a proposal that reads "Only marriage between a man and a woman will be valid or recognized in Rhode Island," a majority (52%) supported the measure, compared to 38% opposed. An overwhelming 74% of respondents indicated that the same-sex marriage issue should be resolved by Rhode Island voters, compared to just 10% favoring resolution through the legislature.

The poll of 400 registered voters was conducted on June 8-9, 2009, and has a margin of error of +/- 4.9%. The survey was paid for by NOM Rhode Island. The Quest Research summary and full topline results are available here.

Same-Sex Divorce Bill Hearing June 3 at 4:00pm!!

[June 2, 2009]  Tomorrow, Wednesday June 3 at 4:00 PM, another important bill is coming before the Rhode Island House Judiciary Committee. Bill Number 5926 would pave the way for the Rhode Island Family Court to issue divorce decrees in the case of same-sex marriages performed in other states. The bill states,

“Regardless of whether the parties would have been eligible to marry in Rhode Island, the parties to any marriage, or other domestic relationship granting substantially similar rights and obligations of marriage, recognized in any state of the United States, possession of the United States, or in any foreign country, may petition for a divorce proceeding in this state so long as the parties meet the jurisdictional requirements of section 15-5-12.”

Note the important word “any” throughout the bill. Any marriage from any location will be recognized in Rhode Island for the purposes of divorce. This is one very small step away from any marriage being recognized in Rhode Island period, and it is a clear step the Same-Sex Marriage movement wants to take. If same-sex divorce is approved it will not be long before same-sex marriage is approved.

We need to have your voices heard: Marriage is between a man and a woman. Rhode Island must not recognize “any marriage” from “any place” unless it is between a man and a woman.

The National Organization for Marriage–Rhode Island’s position is simple. First, to recognize a same-sex marriage for purposes of divorce is to recognize same-sex marriage period, something Rhode Island law prohibits. To take this step is to move ever closer to legalizing same-sex marriage in Rhode Island. Next, proponents of this bill will claim because they live in Rhode Island they have no recourse to end their unhappy “marriages.” This is not true. These couples went to other States to get married and they can, as hard as it may be, go back to these States for their divorce. To claim they are stuck in legal limbo is a fallacy. Finally, Rhode Island should not be amending its laws to solve a problem created by Massachusetts or any other State. Those States amended their marriage laws, they can amend their divorce laws to fix this issue.

NOM - RI urges you to come out the State House, Room 313 Wednesday June 3rd at 4:00 PM, and make your voice heard. Marriage is between a man and a woman! Rhode Island must not take any action to recognize any other type of “marriage” from any other place unless it is between a man and a woman.

If you can’t come out to the hearing please contact the House Judiciary Committee by email here.

NOM Rhode Island Launches Radio Ad Campaign: "Get Back To Work"

Today, the National Organization for Marriage announced a new ad campaign. To sponsor a Protect Marriage Radio Ad, please click here!

URGENT ALERT

The RI Senate has decided to try again; the Same-Sex Marriage bill is once again on the agenda for a public hearing.

It is now scheduled for February 26, 2009 at 4:00 PM. The good news is that a bill aimed at preserving marriage is on the same agenda. There are two reasons for you to stand up as a strong and courageous soul: Support marriage equalling one man and one woman, and oppose any attempts to redefine marriage as we know it. Your elected officials need to hear from you and understand that we will not allow marriage to be redefined by a small but vocal minority. Don't be passive, do not slumber - there is too much at stake. Tell your representatives that marriage equals one man and one woman and any attempts to redefine it will be strongly opposed.

Here's What You Can Do:

Attend the upcoming Senate Committee Hearing; send an e-mail to your Senator and each Committee Member; ask 5 friends to do the same; pray for the defeat of the same-sex marriage legislation and passage of the bill preserving marriage.

Here's How You Do It:

1. Attend the Senate Committee Meeting.

Both bills will be heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, February 26th at 4:00pm. The committee room is on the third floor of the State House. To get there take the elevator by the North Entrance and go to your left upon exiting the elevator. Please plan to arrive no later than 3:30pm and plan to stay for a couple of hours (it's difficult to predict how long the hearing might last).
Parking on the street is free after 3:00pm. If on-street parking is full, there will also be parking available nearby at the state parking facilities and at St. Patrick's Church on Smith Street.

If you are able to attend this important meeting you will not be asked to speak. Showing your support and praying during the hearing would be an awesome act of faith.

If you plan to attend please "reply" to this e-mail! We're aiming for an overflow crowd, and need to know how many people to expect.

2. E-mail your own state senator and all Senate Judiciary Committee Members. We've set up an online form allowing you to quickly and easily send an email to each of the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, with a copy going to your own state senator as well. We've drafted a sample letter that you can use, and in 5 minutes or less you can customize the message in your own words. Click here to get started!

3. Ask five friends to join you in contacting members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. If we're going to stop same-sex marriage in Rhode Island, we'll need hundreds and thousands of concerned Rhode Islanders to contact their legislators and make their voice heard. If each of us find five friends who will also send an email, we'll multiply our effectiveness.

4. Pray. As often as you can please pray for the defeat of the same-sex marriage bill and passage of the bill preserving marriage, pray for God to move the hearts of the members of the committee, pray for God to protect our State, pray for the sanctity of marriage, and pray for Christians to become united around this cause.

"Remain true to the principles that give meaning to your existence. Be a watchman on the walls and bear witness to the faith."

Victory Without Having To Go Into Battle

Thank you for your many emails and prayers regarding recently proposed legislation to legalize same-sex marriage in Rhode Island. The Rhode Island State Senate Judiciary Committee has postponed its hearing on this bill indefinitely.

Our sources in the State House tell us that this action took place after the opposition learned of your support for defending marriage through hundreds of emails to the Committee and your State Senators. Nearly 800 emails were sent by supporters of marriage. Thank you for standing up for marriage.

While we clearly won this battle the war is not over. This bill could come back to the Committee at any time and similar attacks on marriage are expected in the Rhode Island House of Representatives later this Session. Please continue to pray and let your representatives know that Marriage Equals One Man and One Woman, and efforts to redefine it as anything else will be strongly opposed.

This has been a great first step this year to defend marriage. Thank you.

Tell the Providence Journal: Protect the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)

In a January 8 editorial entitled "Ditch DOMA," the Providence Journal argued: "[O]n the basis of proper states’ rights, the law should be repealed, and President-elect Obama agrees. This year would be a good time to do it."

DOMA is the federal law that protects your tax dollars from subsidizing Massachusetts' same-sex marriages. It also protects the right of Rhode Island and every other state to determine for itself whether or not it will recognize same-sex marriage. Repealing DOMA means taxpayers in all 50 states will be forced by just four judges in Massachusetts (or Connecticut!) to treat same-sex couples as married. DON'T LET SPECIAL INTERESTS IMPOSE GAY MARRIAGE ON RHODE ISLAND.

Marriage means a union of husband and wife, because our children need a mother and a father. Politicians should not be messing with marriage.

Use this hyperlink to send a letter to the Providence Journal. A copy will also be sent to your Representative and Senators in Washington.

Protecting marriage means protecting children and the common good from moral confusion. It also means protecting Christianity - and other traditional faiths - from being redefined as bigotry.

The mission of NOM Rhode Island: Protecting marriage and the faith communities that sustain it. To learn more about how you can protect marriage and religious liberty, sign up for our weekly e-mail newsletter.

Marriage, as we know it, is worth saving

by Michelle A. Cretella, NOM Rhode Island Advisory Board Member
Providence Journal, July 25, 2008

 "From its inception marriage has had everything to do with the natural family — bonding a man to his children and their mother. The public institution of marriage was never merely 'a loving commitment between two adults.'

"While same-sex marriage is often compared to interracial marriage, the comparison is a non sequitur. Interracial marriage in no way redefined marriage. The ban against interracial marriage was wrong because it kept a man and woman apart on the basis of skin color. Skin color is a genetic trait that is not intrinsic to marriage. Gender complementarity, on the other hand, is integral to the very purpose and meaning of marriage; it always has been and always will be."

Read the full article.

Support NOM Rhode Island!

As we launch a long-term campaign to stop gay marriage in Rhode Island, we need the support of friends from all across the state who will stand with us, joining in our effort to reach and persuade co-workers, neighbors, and legislators of the importance of marriage. Can you give $10, $25, or $50 today? Each radio ad costs $400 to air, but has the potential to reach thousands of our fellow Rhode Islanders, and generate hundreds of phone calls and e-mails to the statehouse. With your help we can stop same-sex marriage in Rhode Island! Click here to donate!