Date: Sat, 13 Sep 1997 11:10:18 -1000 From: lambda@aloha.net (Martin Rice) Subject: SA 197: THE HOMOSEXUAL AGENDA by Jay Alan Sekulow Aloha kakahiaka kakou. This "report" comes under the heading "Know Thy Enemy" and is undoubtedly the biggest crock of propaganda I've seen in a long time. It only underscores Sekulow's true profession: schlockmonger. Any other subshyster would be too embarrassed to put his or her name on this crap, but not Jay Alan Sekulow, chief counsel to Pat Robertson and our loving "friends" at the Christian Coalition. The American Center for Law and Justice CHIEF COUNSEL'S CONFIDENTIAL REPORT ON THE HOMOSEXUAL AGENDA Jay Alan Sedulow The Homosexual rights movement is like a runaway train racing down a mountain pass. For several decades, this train has been gaining stream, but it was not until the last few years that its speed began to increase exponentially. The train is still largely out of sight, so most people are unaware of the destruction that is headed their way. But if you listen closely, you can hear the train approaching. It is coming closer with each passing day. In this confidential report, I expose the homosexual agenda for what it is: a runaway train bent on destroying our communities. I want you to know where that train is headed, and what it will do to our society if it runs it course. I want you to be able to recognize it so you'll know when it comes to your community. There's one more thing. I want to show you what you can do to help stop this train before it destroys our families and the very foundation of our society. /s/ Jay Alan Sekulow THE TRAIN IS COMING Understanding The Gay Rights Agenda The homosexual rights movement is engaged in a concerted effort to radically alter the definition of marriage, and thereby of the family, in America. This is their ultimate goal. Everything else--the equal protection movement, the push for benefits to gay partners, the education agenda, and the fight for same-sex "marriage"--must be understood in this context. Homosexuals are not only out of the closet, they are out to destroy the family as we know it. The evidence for such a strategy can be plainly seen. For example, the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund's "Marriage Project," as well as other programs, are using the push for same-sex "marriage to help bring about a cultural revolution in our society. These activists have patterned their crusade after the civil rights leaders. This quote from Evan Wolfson, who heads the Marriage Project, is typical of the homosexual rights movement: "As Martin Luther King, Jr. put it, 'In this Revolution, no plans have been written for retreat.' We must ready ourselves and advance toward other goals" _(Crossing the Threshold: Equal Marriage Rights for Lesbians and Gay Men by Evan Wolfson)._ What "other goals" was Wolfson referring to? Michael Signorile, quoted in _OUT Magazine_, sheds more light on this radical agenda: "Homosexuals must fight for same-sex marriage and its benefits and then, once granted, redefine the institution of marriage completely . . . to debunk a myth and radically alter an archaic institution." Wolfson and Signorile are not alone. The National Coalition of Gay Organizations created a "Gay Rights Platform" that included these goals: Repeal _all laws_ prohibiting private sexual acts involving consenting persons; repeal all laws against prostitution; repeal of all laws governing the age of sexual consent; repeal all laws that restrict the gender or number of persons entering into a marriage unit; extend legal benefits to all persons who cohabit. If these extremists have their way, America will not only condone homosexuality, but will become the world's greatest promoter of every form of sexual deviancy. The traditional family will be left in ruins and moral constraints wil be cast aside--all under the guise of equality. If you look around, you can see that this is already happening. The train is approaching. PICKING UP STEAM Why Gays Are Gaining Cultural Acceptance In the last two decades, the gay rights movement has gained unprecedented cultural acceptance. Homosexuals in America have transformed their image so well that it now appears a majority of leaders in science, entertainment, education and business support the homosexual lifestyle. For example, in the December 1996 _Baehr v. Miike_ ruling, when the State of Hawai`i became the first court to ever legally sanction same-sex marriages, the Circuit Court relied, in part, on the testimony of "experts" in the field of psychiatry. According to Kyle Pruitt, "Gay and lesbian parents are as fit and loving as non-gay parents and couples." The Court referenced the testimony of a Dr. Schwartz: "There is no reason related to the promotion of optimal development of children why same-sex couples should not be permitted to marry." The homosexual movement uses the testimony of such "experts" to validate a lifestyle and even promote the purported positive social benefits of homosexuality. Hollywood has helped in this image makeover as well. Slowly, cross-dressing and then homosexual characters have been introduced to movies and television. Finally, full acceptance came on April 30, 1997, when Ellen Degeneres' alter ego in the sitcom _Ellen_ announced that she was gay. This carefully orchestrated "coming out" party, which was celebrated openly by the media elite, marked another milestone in the mainstreaming of homosexuality in America. More quietly, the homosexual cultural revolution has invaded our workplaces as one company after another adapts to the changing culture. Such corporate giants as Apple Computer, Eastman Kodak, Hewlett Packard, IBM, Microsoft, The New York Times, Sprint, Time Warner, Walt Disney, Xerox, and many others now offer benefits to domestic partners (see _World_, April 26, 1997, p. 16-17). Because the policies of Fortune 500 companies invariably "trickle down" to smaller businesses, the societal effect of changes in the workplace can be dramatic. Perhaps the key battleground is the classrooms of America, where pro-homosexual education materials like _Daddy's Roommate_ regularly appear on the reading lists of even our youngest children. Here at the American Center for Law and Justice, we receive calls from shocked parents who report blatant examples of the pro-homosexual agenda. Schoolteachers also often turn to us for help. FAST TRACK TO CHANGE How Homosexuals Are Using The Courts At the same time that homosexual rights activists conduct their "slow march" to cultural acceptance, a panzer movement is underway through the courts that is designed to fast track the homosexual extremists toward their goal of making homosexuality a protected status while redefining the family. It's the same strategy that abortion advocates used to create a constitutional right to abortion. Now, the crusade for a constitutional right of sexual orientation is underway. Why the courts? Because judges are not accountable to the democratic process. Once they decide to abandon the rule of law, they wield enormous power as social architects. As a result, it takes just a few votes, not 51 percent of an elected assembly, to change the laws. Abraham Lincoln understood this fact. In his First Inaugural Address, Lincoln said: The candid citizen must confess that if the policy of the government, upon vital questions, affecting the whole people, is to be inevocably fixed, by decisions of the Supreme Court . . . the people will have ceased to be their own rulers, having, to that extent, practically resigned their government, into the hands of that eminent tirbunal. In 1993, two Hawai`i Supreme Court justices, dissenting in _Baehr v. Lewin_, recognized that this scenario of judicial tyranny was unfolding in their state. Justices Heen and Hayashi warned that the Court was manufactuing "a civil right which is unsupported by any precedent." They saw that the legal trend in Hawai`i would have "far-reaching and grave repercussions on the finances and policies of the governments and industry of this state and all the other states in the country" (see _Baehr v. Lewin_, 852 P.2d at 70-74). The courtroom is the key. If homosexuals can win the battle of the courtrooms, they will be guaranteed victory in the culture war. That is why the American Center for Law and Justice has implemented a nationwide strategy to confront this issue. We have been heavily involved in the battle in Hawai`i and are committed to defending marriage and the family on a state-by-state and, if necessary, county-by-county basis. DERAILING THE CULTURE What Same-Sex Marriage Could Do To America With the stroke of a pen, the Circuit Court of the State of Hawai`i became the first court in the history of the world to legally sanction same-sex marriages. This is despite the fact that 73 percent of Hawaiians polled oppose same-sex marriages. The American Center for Law and Justice has labored intensively to ensure that this ruling does not become the law of the land in Hawai`i or across America. We are closely monitoring the Hawai`i Supreme Court's review of the case. Plus, we played a critical role in working to see a constitutional amendment defending traditional marriage come to a vote before the people of Hawai`i. The final outcome of this battle in Hawai`i is not yet known. If homosexuals are allowed to marry in Hawai`i, all other states, the federal government, and private businesses may be forced to recognize these marriages in a variety of ways, including: Full state sanctioning of the homosexual lifestyle; government benefits, including Medicare and Social Security; work leave to care for a sick partner; retirement benefits; joint health, auto and home insurance policies; tax advantages; immigration for a partner from another country; joint parental custody; divorce rights and alimony; inheritance rights; full adoption rights. In spite of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which I supported in testimony before the U.S. Congress, thousands of homosexuals would flood to the "Aloha state" and then return to their states demanding their marriages be recognized under what is called the "full faith and credit" clause of the U.S. Constitution. As one lesbian activist stated, "We'll be on the first plane out [to Hawai`i]! So many of us are just waiting for the day that our relationships are legally recognized" (Deb Price, _Detroit News_, August 1995). If same-sex marriage is allowed, the family would never be the same. America's moral landscape would be transformed literally overnight. That is why the same-sex marriage issue--and the unfolding drama in Hawai`i--is undoubtedly the most crucial battleground in today's culture war. In fact, it could be the decisive battle for the soul of America. STOPPING THE TRAIN An Action Plan For Defending The Family "Homophobic." If you haven't been hit with that charge yet--and you are a concerned Christian who believes in traditional marriage--you will be soon enough. In fact, you can expect to hear that charge more and more in the coming months. But it's a charge that demands an answer. For unless we can answer it, the homosexual extremists will have their way in our business, classrooms and even our churches. 1. Understand Your Position First, you must be fully convinced in your heart and mind that you are on sound moral and legal grounds in defending traditional marriage in your community. This is the only way you will be able to answer the charges of bigotry. Let's start with the Bible. The biblical record is clear: homosexuality is an abomination to God. Go back and read the account of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 18,19). Read the direct prohibition against homosexuality in the Mosaic Law (Lev. 18:22). Study the Apostle Paul's account of the depraved mind in Romans I. You will see that throughout the Bible, God strongly prohibits homosexuality. The Bible is part of the long-standing historical record that defends tradtional marriage. Long before our Constitution was written, centuries of common law definded the nature of marriage as one man and one woman. Since the earliest days of our nation, our laws have defined, preferred and protected marriage as the joining together of one man and one woman. Adultery, incest, polygamy, sodomy and other sexual acts which contravene traditional marriage have from time to time been outlawed. The Supreme Court has affirmed this position. Here are two cases you can reference when defending traditional marriage in your communtiy: _Skinner v. Oklahoma:_ In this case, the Supreme Court described marriage, the matrimonial state entered into by a man and a woman as a "basic civil right" (_Skinner v. Oklahoma_, 316 U.S. 535,541 (1942)). _Loving v. Virgina:_ Here, the Court said marriage was "fundamental to our very existence and survival." The Court also said marriage is a revered institution "older than the bill of Rights--older than our political parties [and] older than our school system" (_Loving v. Virginia_, 388 U.S. 1,12 (1967)). Also, as recently as 1986, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of state sodomy laws, some of which have been on the books for generations. The legal and historical record is clear: America was built upon the traditional family. When you come face-to-face with the homosexual agenda, remember this: even the Supreme Court agrees that the traditional family is the foundational, social and religious institution of our society. 2. Take A Stand In Your Community To defend tradtional marriage in your own community, you'll need more than a historic perspective. You need to be able to establish that your community has a "compellling interest" in not granting special rights to homosexuals. In Hawai`i, the Circuit Court's ruling in _Baehr v. Miike_ in favor of homosexual marriages was based largely on the finding that "the defendants presented insufficient evidence and failed to establish or prove any adverse consequences to the public resulting from same-sex marriages." That is why it is essential to emphasize that your community does indeed have a "compelling interest" in refusing special rights to homosexuals. These interests include: • Support for the tradtional family as the foundation of society; • Documented disintegration of those societies which have approved or tolerated homosexual behavior; • Negative societal and economic impact from homosexual health problems. Also, you must understand the difference between the civil rights movement of the 60's and the homosexual movement of today: _Ethnic minorities in America have fought for rights based on "who" they are, while homosexuals are fighting for "rights" based on "what" they do._ Simply put, just as we have laws banning polygamy and incest because those sexual acts undermine society, likewise the state has a compelling interest to ban the act of homosexuality. And certainly, there is no duty to promote the act that society deems destructive! In fact, it could be argued that society has a responsibility to discourage such acts. 3. Become An Education Watchdog As we have seen in recent years, homosexual rights activists aggressively seek to promote their agenda to the children of America. And, apparently, no age is too young. One of the planks of the "Gay Rights Platform" includes a provision that encourages support for sex-education courses that are prepared and taught by gay women and men, presenting homosexuality as a valid, healthy preference and lifestyle. If you have a child in public schools, be sure to monitor any and all schools, be sure to monitor any and all school books, videos, audios and other materials. If you encounter a textbook or program that is obviously promoting the homosexual lifestyle, bring this to the attention of your school's administrators. If they fail to take action to remedy the situation, contact our offices immediately. Also, when homosexuals try to dictate cirriculum content in your public school system, know that you are standing on solid legal ground in trying to stop them in their tracks. But I encourage you not to take them on alone. Our staff of attorneys are here to assist. We have assembled volumes of briefs and case evidence to establish the legal position which defends the family and protects our children from homosexual indoctrination. Often, a demand letter is all it takes, but if necessary, we will assign counsel to the case in your community and fight for the family until we win. 4. Track Your Company's Polices As noted earlier, the corporate world is quietly being overrun by pro-homosexual policies that grant a wide array of benefits to the partners of homosexual employees. But how is it happening? The pattern is predictable. First, a company will adopt a "sexual orientation" non-discrimination policy. This policy may seem innocent at first, but it moves the focus of the debate from morality to equality and fairness. _World_ magazine referencing the Human Rights Campaign, reports that "more than half of the Fortune 500 companies have already adopted sexual orientation non-discrimination policies, as have 165 cities and counties, 67 of the 100 largest law firms, and 64 U.S. Senators" (_World,_ April 26, 1997, p. 17). Once the non-discrimination policy is passed, and the moral basis of opposing homosexuality is eliminated, companies invariably begin granting "spousal" beenfits to the partners of homosexual employees. What can be done? If you are an employer, understand that the law does not require you to adopt "sexual orientation" language to your non-discrimination policy, nor are you required to provied "spousal" benefits to the partners of homosexual employers. Sadly, this could all change if the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) passes Congress. In 1996, ENDA was narrowly defeated in Congress when homosexual rights supporters attemtpted to attach it to the Defense of Marriage Act. ENDA would revolutionize the workplace, requiring businesses to adopt pro-homosexual policies. We will be fighting ENDA and any similar bills which would require private employers to subsidize homosexuality. DRAWING THE LINE Turning Back the Runaway Train I believe we are at a crucial point in the battle over homosexuality and the meaning of the family in America. We must draw a line and determine to stop the advance of this radical agenda. We must be on the alert in every community across the nation, and stand ready to win the battle in the classrooms, courtrooms and legislative halls of our land. But we must do more than hold our ground. We must reclaim the land that has been stolen and re-establish the moral, cultural and legal supports for the traditional family. We can draw the line. We can stop the "runaway train" of the radical homosexual agenda right in its tracks. And if we band together and commit ourselves to a common goal, we can turn that train back and protect our families and communities for generations to come. [photo of Jay Alan Sekulow with caption: _Jay Alan Sekulow is the Chief Counsel for the American Center for Law and Justice._] THE AMERICAN CENTER FOR LAW AND JUSTICE® P.O. Box 64429 Virginia Beach, Virginia 23467-4429 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "People that are really very weird can get into sensitive positions and have a tremendous impact on history." --Vice President Dan Quayle ~~~~~~ Fred and Martin, strangers before all but 16.7% of the law, and fading fast. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~