It seems like we ought to talk about NOM’s March4Marriage, but watching the live feed for just a few minutes was enough to show nothing of substance was going on. Really, the only appropriate response is mockery, which I engaged in via Twitter throughout the event. So if you want a sober and judicious analysis of the event, read no further. But if you’d rather read the reaction it deserves, then please continue.
First, a response to all the rhetoric of “freedom” and “limited government.”
Because "freedom" means having the government dictate the gender of your spouse. #March4Marriage
— Rob Tisinai (@robtish) June 19, 2014
San Francisco Archbishop Cordileone took the stage to praise himself and others for being so gosh-darned nice.
Cordileone wants no hateful rhetoric? This man called SSM the "ultimate attack of the Evil One." What a hypocrite! #March4Marriage
— Rob Tisinai (@robtish) June 19, 2014
Then he invoked early Christians in Rome, who were scapegoated when disasters occurred, and who cared for plague victims when no one else would, even if the victims weren’t Christian.
Does Cordileone realize he just made early Christians sound a lot like modern-day gays? #March4Marriage
— Rob Tisinai (@robtish) June 19, 2014
Cordileone was followed soon by another man of the cloth.
Bishop Jackson just talked about demons ("principalities"). That's why we call it "hate." #duh #March4Marriage
— Rob Tisinai (@robtish) June 19, 2014
Later, a representative from Concerned Women for America said something ridiculous.
Allison Howard just declared marriage has been the same for 5000 years. Does that mean her sister-wives are speaking next? #March4Marriage
— Rob Tisinai (@robtish) June 19, 2014
John Eastman, NOM’s Chairman of the Board, came onstage, so flushed and shrill he seemed about 3 decibels from a heart attack. He quickly demonstrated why he’s such a horrifically bad lawyer. This, really, is so awful it deserves some background. Eastman declared:
Two months ago Justice Kennedy authored an opinion when he says the courts should never take content — controversial issues away from the voters in this country. And that’s absolutely right. The last time the Court tried to do that a century and a half ago on the slavery question, Abraham Lincoln refused to comply. He said if we let the Court be the final word, we cease to be our own rulers, having given to that extent practically, er, resigned our government into the hands of the Supreme Court. That’s not what we stand for.
I imagine he thought he was being clever by invoking our nation’s most shameful Court decision. But when you look at what Eastman said right before that about voters, a more shocking conclusion emerges.
Wow, Eastman basically just argued slavery should have been left up to a vote by the people of each state. #March4Marriage #moralidiot
— Rob Tisinai (@robtish) June 19, 2014
It’s like they should never have taken the training wheels off his mind. But the sad truth is that this is where their complaints about activists judges actually lead.
Speaking of those judges, Huckabee closed the rally by (unintentionally) painting the funniest image of the day.
Huckabee just complained about a judicial "coup-de-tot," which I guess is a gov't overthrow by tiny children. #March4Marriage
— Rob Tisinai (@robtish) June 19, 2014
At least it was nice of them to end on something fun.