CRAZY VIDEO: Maryland Pastor Says Gays & Their Supporters "Deserving of Death" at Anti-Marriage Equality Event

The Maryland Marriage Alliance, the main group organizing opposition to marriage equality (Question 6), recently assembled a panel of speakers in Baltimore. Last Friday they held a town hall meeting at Manna Bible Baptist Church and brought together opponents of civil rights for LGBT families.

QUESTION 6 SUPPORTERS WORTHY OF DEATH: One of the panelists, Pastor Robert Anderson of Randallstown started off by suggesting that a "vote for" marriage equality (Question 6) would open the door for legalized prostitution, bestiality, polygamy and incest. But even worse, Pastor Anderson plainly stated that gay and lesbian residents -- and their supporters -- were "deserving of death."

In the video footage below, the moderator of the event appears to praise these statements, while the other panelists nod in approval. Watch our video recap of the Maryland Marriage Alliance Town Hall below:




SIDEBAR: This event was held in Rep. Elijah Cummings' district. But as we previously noted, the longtime Democratic politician is turning a blind eye to the hate brewing under his nose.

JPG: Maryland Marriage Equality Opponents Distribute Lawnsigns in Spanish // PLUS: Sam Arora Sighting & More

Below Maryland Juice provides a mash-up of a few interesting tidbits regarding marriage equality (Question 6) and LGBT rights.

JUICE #1: ANTI-MARRIAGE EQUALITY FORCES DISTRIBUTE SPANISH LAWNSIGNS - Maryland Juice photographed a Spanish-language lawnsign that the anti-civil rights forces have been distributing. I guess the rightwing "English-only" push in Maryland is on hold until after the election. Notably, a majority of Latinos now support marriage equality: 52% to 32%. See the divisive sign below (caption courtesy of Juice):

JUICE #2: SAM ARORA READER SIGHTING - Meanwhile, if you're curious what's going on with embattled anti-marriage equality Delegate Sam Arora, you're not the only one. After all, 2014 is just around the corner, and Arora's constituents are still demanding an explanation on his civil rights flip-flop. Unfortunately, many of them still haven't had the opportunity to question him. District 19 candidate debates in 2014 ought to be fun! See the quick field report below:

ANONYMOUS READER: Ghost sighting.... Well, not really, but I was at a debate this afternoon at Leisure World for the school board candidates (At-Large and Districts 2 and 4) when who walked in about 2/3 of the way through but Sam Arora! I was hoping to talk to him afterward and ask him about his gay marriage switcheroo - which he has never explained the reasons for to constituents such as myself -- but he left before the debate was over. Not sure why he was there.

JUICE #3: FLASHBACK TO 2010 // VETERAN TEACHER FIRED FROM BALTIMORE CATHOLIC SCHOOL FOR BEING "UNCHASTE" - A Maryland Juice reader has forwarded us an interesting contrast to the current controversy surrounding the suspension of Gallaudet's "diversity and inclusion provost." As you may have heard, the D.C.-based University is weighing the fate of their employee Angela McCaskill, after she signed a petition calling for the marriage rights of same-sex couples to be put to a popular vote. Arguably, McCaskill violated the school's established "credo" of discouraging "behaviors and attitudes that disrespect the diversity of individuals and groups for any reason including ... sexual orientation."

Many have been quick to defend McCaskill, arguing that her private views and behavior should be protected. But when it comes to individual freedom and free association rights, it appears that many on the right are content to err on the side of protecting those who seek to advance discrimination over those who are the victims of said discrimination. As one example, a reader has sent us a story about a veteran teacher at a Baltimore Catholic school who was terminated in 2010 for being "unchaste." When's the last time you heard of a straight person being fired for the same reason? In any case, below see a quick explanation from our reader, followed by a column written by the fired teacher:

ANONYMOUS READER: See the attached copy of the New Ways Ministry newsletter published in Spring 2010.  Below you will find a first person story penned by April Flores, describing how she was terminated from her job as a teacher at the Sacred Heart of Mary School after administrators from the Archdiocese of Baltimore discovered that she had wed her female partner in Washington DC in July 2009.  She describes a humilitating process of going through a "hearing" to try to keep her job, and includes some of the language that was used in the correspondence that was used to terminate her: “behavior that seriously offends the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Baltimore [and I] failed to uphold the moral values of chastity.”

Seriously, they terminated a 25-year veteran teacher, who apparently was valued by the community she served, because the Archdiocese was "offended", and because she was not chaste.  It is not clear how the Archdiocese knew Ms. Flores was unchaste (hard to imagine how they gathered this data), and interesting that we seldom (never ?) hear of heterosexual folks being terminated due to lack of chastity.

Below, read a column by April Flores, a teacher who was fired from Baltimore's Sacred Heart of Mary School in 2010 (via BaltimoreOutLoud.com & New Ways Ministry):

APRIL FLORES: I’m Catholic and I used to proudly celebrate Catholic Schools Week; however, due to a collision of my religion and my personal life, I did not participate in this year’s festivities. I devoted over twenty-five years of my life to Catholic education and was only married to my wife, Jennifer Simmons, for one month before the Archdiocese of Baltimore (AOB) involuntarily terminated my contract.

TODAY: Delegates Anne Kaiser & Heather Mizeur Debate MD Gambling // PLUS: New Poll Shows Question 7 Deadlock

ALSO: Delegate Kathleen Dumais Debates Leader of Marriage Equality Opposition

BALLOT QUESTION DEBATES: This afternoon MoCo residents can attend an interesting set of debates about two of Maryland's heated ballot question battles. The League of Women Voters of Maryland, The University of MD School of Public Policy, and The Norman and Florence Brody Public Policy Forum are hosting a faceoff between supporters and opponents of gambling expansion and marriage equality. Of note is what promises to be an interesting matchup between Delegates Anne Kaiser and Heather Mizeur on the gambling expansion debate (Question 7). The other debate features Del. Kathleen Dumais taking on the head of Maryland's anti-marriage equality campaign.  See the details below:

A Pro and Con Panel Discussion of Ballot Question 6 -- Civil Marriage Protection Act and Ballot Question 7 -- Gaming Expansion

Saturday, October 20, 2012
3:00 pm -- 5:00 pm 

Friendship Heights Village Center
4433 South Park Ave, Chevy Chase, MD 20815

Hourly parking (free on weekends) is available at the Courtyard Marriott open platform parking lot (4), accessed off of The Hills Plaza

Moderator: Douglas J. Besharov, Professor at UMD School of Public Policy

Civil Marriage Protection Act:

• For - Delegate Kathleen Dumais, MD House of Delegates since 2003
• Opposed - Derek McCoy, Executive Director of the Maryland    Marriage Alliance

Gaming Expansion:

• For - Delegate Anne Kaiser, MD House of Delegates since 2003
• Opposed - Delegate Heather Mizeur, MD House of Delegates since 2007

Sponsored by: The League of Women Voters of Maryland, The University of MD School of Public Policy, and The Norman and Florence Brody Public Policy Forum

NEW POLL SHOWS CLOSE RACE FOR GAMBLING EXPANSION - QUESTION 7: The Washington Post released results of a recent poll on Maryland gambling expansion. Their results show an extremely close race that is currently leaning against gambling expansion:

WASHINGTON POST: Maryland voters are sharply divided over a ballot proposal that would allow a Las Vegas-style casino in Prince George’s County, according to a Washington Post poll that shows widespread doubt that the measure would boost education funding as advertised.

Among likely voters, 46 percent say they favor Question 7, while 48 percent say they oppose the measure, which would also allow table games, such as blackjack and roulette, at the state’s five previously authorized slots sites.

BOOK OF REVELATIONS: Reports Reveal Anti-Marriage Equality Donors // Ehrlich Robocall Consultant Cuts Big Checks

The latest campaign finance filings have been released regarding Maryland's marriage equality battle, and there are several newsworthy items in the disclosures. Below Maryland Juice provides comment from anonymous readers, as well as a press release from the Marylanders for Marriage Equality campaign:

REVELATION #1: EHRLICH'S VOTER SUPPRESSION GURU IS SINGLE-HANDEDLY FINANCING A GROUP OPPOSED TO MARRIAGE EQUALITY - The most interesting tidbit from the campaign finance reports is that a new anti-civil rights group called "Jump the Broom for Marriage" (aka JTBM) is receiving almost all of its financing from Julius Henson, who was recently convicted of voter suppression efforts for GOP Governor Bob Ehrlich. Indeed, $21,000 of the $21,881 raised by JTBM is from Mr. Henson. In 2010, Henson taped a robocall telling African American voters they didn't need to turn out for the  election. Now he is trying to mislead Maryland's voters (and cowboys) into thinking their children will somehow be harmed by the passage of marriage equality:

ANONYMOUS READER: You may have already followed up on this -- but see attached for the campaign finance report from Jump the Broom for Marriages. Of the $21,881 in contribution the campaign took in -- $21,000 were from Julius Henson (Ehrlich's robo call campaign flak). Henson also donated another $7k in-kind, so this "ballot committee" is really just a wholly owned hobby of Julius Henson.

I realize there are lots of other campaign finance stories today -- but just thought to follow up on this to show that along with Frank Schubert (the Karl Rove of marriage ballot initiatives), the folks who are working to defeat marriage equality are a compromised bunch. Harry Jackson, Derek McCoy and Julius Henson are all cut from the same cloth -- they have multiple judgments against them in the court system, mostly for failure to pay their debts, and they make a living spreading invective and lies. Birds of a feather, really.

REVELATION #2: LEADER OF MARYLAND'S BIGGEST ANTI-MARRIAGE EQUALITY GROUP DODGES TAXES - In yet another sign of moral hypocrisy from Maryland's preachy stone-throwers, The Washington Blade reported this week that the head of the Maryland Marriage Alliance (aka MMA) doesn't like to pay taxes. Derek McCoy is the leader of MMA, which is the main group organizing opposition to civil rights in Maryland. Marylander's anti-civil rights leaders recently placed a "curse" on The Washington Blade (good luck with that one). See an excerpt from the Blade's report below:

WASHINGTON BLADE: The Washngton Blade has learned that the Internal Revenue Service in 2011 filed a lien against the executive director of the group challenging Maryland’s same-sex marriage law for more than $32,000 in unpaid taxes.. The filing notes he had an unpaid balance of $22,940.32 for the tax period that ended on Dec. 31, 2002. The document further indicates that McCoy had an unpaid balance of $9,646.07 for the tax period that ended on Dec. 31, 2003.

McCoy, who is executive director of the Maryland Marriage Alliance, is an associate pastor at Hope Christian Church in Beltsville, the same congregation headed by Bishop  Harry Jackson who claimed late last month he placed a “curse” on the Blade two months before the newspaper’s parent company’s Nov. 2009 bankruptcy forced it to temporarily shut down.

REVELATION #3: MARRIAGE EQUALITY SUPPORTERS RAISE MONEY FROM THOUSANDS OF DONORS // OPPONENTS FUNDED BY HANDFUL OF RICH EXTREMISTS - A press release from Marylanders for Marriage Equality, the group pushing a "vote for" marriage equality (Question 6), shows a stark contrast between supporters and opponents of civil rights. The pro-marriage equality side counts over 9,000 donors, while the haters are being funded by a small group of 300 wealthy haters and religious extremists. See the press release below:

PRESS RELEASE

Campaign Filings Show Stark Differences Between Supporters, Foes of Question 6

BALTIMORE - Both sides of the Question 6 referendum in Maryland submitted their campaign funding reports yesterday, revealing a significant difference in the number of individual donors to the two camps. Marylanders for Marriage Equality, which raised $3.2 million to date, produced 950 pages of contributions in a report that includes over 9,000 donors. The Maryland Marriage Alliance raised $830,000 and filed a 40-page report including just 300 donors.

"We'll let the massive gap between our number of individual donors and theirs speak for itself," said Josh Levin. "Our opponents raised almost 80% of their funds from two secretive organizations that don't disclose their donors, yet we've still raised more from Maryland residents alone than they have overall. The campaign for marriage equality is powered by Marylanders who are giving their time and dollars to protect fairness and equality under the law.”

MMA's primary funding came from the National Organization for Marriage at $400,000, Knights of Columbus at $250,000, and MMA itself at $151,000 (in un-itemized funds raised before its ballot committee was established). These three account for $801,000 of the total 838,000 in contributions. The remaining $37,000 is from about 300 donors. Maryland Catholic Conference made about $11,500 in in-kind contributions.

The MMA’s Derek McCoy has frequently claimed Marylanders for Marriage Equality receives "millions" from "movie stars."

"The disclosure highlights a larger point: our opponents are misinforming - and sometimes outright lying to - voters,” said Levin.

Marylanders for Marriage Equality is the diverse coalition made up of 1199 SEIU of Maryland, NAACP Baltimore, ACLU of Maryland, Equality Maryland, the Human Rights Campaign and more working to protect marriage on the November ballot.

###

MORE ON MD'S BATTLE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS SOON!

WATCH ONLINE // Marriage Equality Opponents Launch New TV Ad: "Children Do Best When Raised By Married Mom & Dad"

UPDATE: An LGBT-oriented news site called "Good As You" has deconstructed the stock video compilation in the anti-civil rights video below. They note that the new ad from Maryland Marriage Alliance doesn't actually feature any Marylanders:

GOOD AS YOU: I'll leave it to you to find your own voiceover artist. However, if you are a Marylander looking to discriminate against gay couples, here are eight of the nine stock video clips that the Maryland Marriage Alliance purchased to represent actual Marylanders....

I've pasted one of the nine screenshots below. I wonder if the people captured in this clip knew that they would one day be spliced into a homophobic/anti-civil rights TV ad?

The "about us" section of the Good As You website contains the following explanation of their goals: 

Good As You represents a new generation of GLBT activism. Now is the time for intelligent, progressive-minded individuals to step up and fight for the common rights of which they might be denied. We're here to rally the troops.

We have made it our mission to investigate any organization/media outlet/personality in regards to discriminatory language or actions. In turn we will always extend the opportunity for these individuals or groups to speak on their own behalf, as we do support the First Amendment Right of all.

Marriage equality opponents are airing a new television ad in their quest to stop the expansion of civil rights in Maryland. The following ad regarding Question 6 makes a vague claim that children do best when raised by married, opposite-sex parents.

If this is their argument, perhaps civil rights opponents in Maryland should be working on banning heterosexual parents from divorcing? Otherwise, this argument is a non-sequitor and complete distraction from the simple goal of granting same-sex couples the ability to conduct basic legal transactions in Maryland.

SCANNED DOCUMENTS // New Propaganda from Maryland Marriage Equality Opponents: "Have a Heart for Children"

A Maryland Juice reader forwarded us several anti-marriage equality flyers that they picked up in Montgomery County this weekend. Paul Bessel, a member of the MoCo Democrat's Ballot Question Advisory Committee (BQAC) forwarded us three flyers are from the Maryland Marriage Alliance and a group called Marriage for Maryland. Bessel supports civil rights and recently voted to recommend a "vote for" marriage equality (Question 6) during the BQAC's recent sample ballot debate. Read the anti-civil rights propaganda regarding Question 6 below, along with the following quick note about where they were found:

READER: I thought you might be interested in 3 flyers that were given to me at today's (Sat, Oct 6, 2012) Oktoberfest in Germantown, at a booth where people were urging everyone to vote against Question 6, same-sex marriage.... Also, Congressman Roscoe Bartlett was there, and his supporters were encouraging people to have their photo taken with him. My wife and I passed on that.

Marriage for Maryland Anti-Marriage Equality Flyer

Maryland Marriage Alliance Anti-Marriage Equality Flyer

Anti-Marriage Equality Talking Points at Germantown Oktoberfest

SNEAK PREVIEW: Divisive Direct Mail Propaganda & Lawnsigns From MD Marriage Equality Opponents // SCANNED IMAGES

An anonymous source reveals that the obsessive, anti-LGBT lobby in Maryland is continuing to use divisive, hate-mongering tactics to try and stop marriage equality at the ballot this November. They have formed a new ballot issue committee called Jump the Broom for Marriages, which appears to be run by relatives of Bob Ehrlich's disgraced robocall consultant, Julius Henson (see filing documents at bottom of post). Our source provides the following commentary about this group and their disgraceful new propaganda campaign:

ANONYMOUS SOURCE: See attached files for materials from the press packet being prepared by an anti-marriage equality group - Jump the Broom for Marriages.  They have filed with MD Board of Elections as a Ballot Issue Committee.  Interesting to note that the Treasurer for the Committee is Raymond Henson, who I was told is a relative of Julius Henson (who worked for Ehrlich's 2010 gubernatorial campaign and was responsible for the "stay at home" robocall on election night). 

Attached you will find correspondences and pics of the lawn signs they are offering and pics of the glossy 9" x 4"mailers that are targeted at various demographic groups.  Note that the mailers include some truly perjorative pitches -- one shows scantily clad marchers in a Pride parade, another shows a group of babies who seem confused about their parents' gender.  The others include a pitch to Afr Amer, Latinos; cowboys who love big busty women and young caucasians.

A press packet for the anti-civil rights group is included below (scroll to bottom), but it notes the following goals for Jump the Broom for Marriages (excerpt below):

JUMP THE BROOM FOR MARRIAGES: Jump the Broom for Marriages is a Maryland Ballot Issue Committee formed to run a political campaign to encourage Maryland voters to vote against--and defeat--the same-sex. marriage ballot referendum. The referendum will appear on the Maryland ballot as Question 6 in the 2012 Presidential Election. This referendum is titled "Marriage Equality," but we know that same-sex marriages are counterfeit marriages. You share our belief that this gay and lesbian agenda runs counter to God's intentions....

In order to successfully defeat the same-sex marriage ballot referendum, we need to mobilize voters, particularly the African American community in Maryland. While we believe that a concentrated campaign must be waged statewide to all voters, the final outcome-success or failure -- will be determined in the African American precincts of Baltimore City, and of Prince George's, Baltimore, Howard, Harford, and Charles Counties. Montgomery County, Prince George's County and Baltimore City comprise the largest population centers of liberal Democrats who are most likely to support same-sex marriage, or so called "Marriage Equality." The other twenty-one counties are smaller conservative population centers of Republicans, and they are the least likely to support same-sex marriage....

Our campaign budget is $2,500,000. We believe that our efforts will result in 250,000 more voters going to the polls to vote against the Question 6 ballot same-sex marriage referendum. Jump the Broom for Marriages is looking for funding for this campaign.

The materials being used by Maryland's civil rights opponents are particularly vile, because they are clearly attempting to stoke racial and religious divisions. Meanwhile, they are almost completely lacking in substance and the postcards instead using the mere sight of people to stoke opposition. All of this is a complete distraction from the unequal legal rights and protections facing families in Maryland. See what I mean below:


EXHIBIT 1: USING PHOTOS OF GAY PRIDE PARADES TO STOKE OPPOSITION -Here is a mailer that attempts to generate opposition to civil rights by simply showing photos of people at a gay pride parade. This non sequitur of a propaganda piece has no purpose other than to try and incite ungrounded negative feelings:

EXHIBIT 2: INVOKING CHILDREN TO STOKE OPPOSITION TO LGBT RIGHTS - It should come as no surprise to see the haters trying to mislead voters by vaguely invoking children. In fact, supporters of marriage equality have been warning that these images would be coming, given that the haters have been using such spurious arguments in other states:

EXHIBITS 3-4: STOKING RACIAL DIVISIONS TO GENERATE OPPOSITION - In another predictable move, civil rights opponents are attempting to divide and conquer various racial and demographic groups. The series of mail pieces below demonstrate an extremely cynical attempt to market bigotry to Maryland voters:

PROPAGANDA FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN VOTERS

Jesse Jackson Urges Marylanders to Support Marriage Equality // Civil Rights Leader & Reverend Urges Vote FOR Question 6

PLUS: GET READY FOR MISLEADING ADS FROM CIVIL RIGHTS OPPONENTS

Reverend Jesse Jackson

JESSE JACKSON ENDORSES MARYLAND MARRIAGE EQUALITY: The Huffington Post today reported that the Reverend Jesse Jackson is urging Maryland voters to vote for Question 6 this November. In a radio interview during last week's Democratic National Convention, Jackson called marriage equality "basic civil rights" (excerpt below):

HUFFINGTON POST: The Rev. Jackson Jackson is urging Maryland voters to vote in favor of a ballot measure this fall that would give marriage equality to gays and lesbians in the state....

“The culture has had to expand,” Jackson said.... "You know, you have a right not to agree with interracial marriage but no one should be denied rights under the law....”

“If you don’t believe in it, don’t engage in it. But don’t deny other people their basic civil rights.”

Marriage Equality Battle: Fox News Baltimore's Anti-LGBT Robocall, Del. Parrott's $74K Bill for Marriage Repeal & More

A few interesting reports surrounding Maryland marriage equality have recently emerged. Below, Maryland Juice discusses a few of the notable developments, including fundraising updates and more details on Fox News Baltimore's campaign against LGBT rights. We begin with a video from members of SEIU's 1199 pledging to defend marriage equality:

UPDATE #1: SEIU 1199 RELEASES VIDEO DEFENDING MARRIAGE EQUALITY -





UPDATE #2: DETAILS ON FOX NEWS BALTIMORE'S ANTI-LGBT ROBOCALL - Several weeks ago, Maryland Juice wrote about a push-poll that Fox News Baltimore was conducting against Governor O'Malley and marriage equality. WBFF Fox 45 attempted to disguise their hit-piece as an opinion poll, but the call was obviously intending to promote a rightwing agenda. This is consistent with Fox News Baltimore's previous controversy where they placed a petition link on their homepage encouraging readers to help repeal marriage equality.

The Baltimore Sun's David Zurawik recently managed to dig up additional details about the source of their recent robocall, and it appears to be part of a national campaign against marriage equality (excerpt below):

BALTIMORE SUN: In May, I reported on Baltimore-area homes receiving mysterious robocalls voiced by WBFF anchorman Jeff Barnd asking residents a series of questions about Lyme disease, same-sex marriage and the alleged agenda of Gov. Martin O'Malley....

I have since been able to confirm that the name of the company is ccAdvertising, of Centreville, Va. And from its website, the firm appears to be heavily engaged in right-wing politics, including push polling in at least one state against same-sex ballot initiatives like the one Maryland is expected to have in the fall.

The firm's website lists among its clients Grover Norquist's American's for Tax Reform, the Alaska Republican Party and Answers in Genesis....

UPDATE #3: MARRIAGE EQUALITY SUPPORTERS RAISE FAR MORE IN-STATE MONEY THAN ANTI-LGBT GROUP - A source within the Marylanders for Marriage Equality campaign is highlighting the fact that they appear to be raising far more money from actual Marylanders than the anti-LGBT campaigners. Maryland Juice previously noted that almost all of the so-called "Maryland Marriage Alliance" money came from outside of Maryland, while 7 in 10 donors were non-Marylanders. The marriage equality proponents provide a quick update:

MARYLANDERS FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY: In just one day, we've raised more from Maryland citizens than our opponents did in the last month. We've seen a lot of energy and excitement around this, and could use help pushing this effort far and wide. MD's LGBT Caucus matched donations made this week. Join us to defend equality for all loving, committed families in Maryland. http://bit.ly/keepthemomentum

UPDATE #4: IS MARYLAND DEL. NEIL PARROTT PROFITING FROM ANTI-CIVIL RIGHTS EFFORT? - A couple of Maryland Juice readers pointed us to another story related to the finances of the anti-LGBT rights campaigners. In particular, they note that The Baltimore Sun's Annie Linskey reported that the so-called "Maryland Marriage Alliance" -- which is running the marriage equality repeal effort - is thousands of dollars in debt. Moreover, they owe over $74,000 to MDpetitions.com, the website run by Republican State Legislator Neil Parrott. See an excerpt from The Sun article below:

BALTIMORE SUN: ...The Maryland Marriage Alliance raised a mere $5,000 in the past month -- and owes $88,000 to various vendors. The biggest unpaid bill, $74,000, is to MDPetitions.com, the outfit run by Del. Neil Parrott. The group also owes about $5,000 in legal fees.

Dereck McCoy, the executive director of the Maryland Marriage Alliance, said he expects to clear up the bills shortly....

This article prompted some of our readers to wonder whether Delegate Parrott was profiting from his rightwing advocacy. Indeed, we will be curious to see whether MDpetitions.com spends the funds it raises on its campaigns, or whether those involved will enrich themselves by trying to gut civil rights protections in Maryland.

SHADY: Anti-LGBT Group Hides Contributors in Fight Against Maryland Marriage Equality // 7 of 10 Donors from Outside MD

Maryland Juice has received a copy of the campaign finance report from the Maryland Marriage Alliance (MMA). The anti-civil rights group is leading the effort to overturn the Free State's newly signed marriage equality law.