Bay Windows reports that Mass. Family Institute (MFI) thinks we're rude (!) and they're "distancing" themselves from the likes of us. (Yes, they appear to have spoken with Bay Windows! Why?)
It seems MFI sent a letter to all the Massachusetts state legislators begging them not to confuse them (MFI) with Article 8/MassResistance or the Pawlicks (Mass. Citizens for Marriage).
MFI is the group behind the current horribly flawed marriage amendment. Tight with Dr. James Dobson's Focus on the Family, they like to be polite. They seem not to realize that the barbarians are at the gates. They don't think it's polite to reveal the unpleasant truth about homosexuality, or speak passionately to our representatives.
MFI believes it's a good political strategy to redefine "family" to include the new "families" made since same-sex "marriages" began in May 2004. And it's a REALLY good idea to send openly gay, activist legislators VERY POLITE postcards asking them to PLEASE "Let the people vote!" -- to confirm this ghastly redefinition of the family. An example of very polite testimony from MFI for their amendment:
The amendment is quite limited, as it only relates to "marriage" as such and says nothing one way or the other about benefits, civil unions, domestic partnerships-which are left to legislative rather than constitutional determination. It also only operates prospectively, and will not undo existing same-sex marriages that have been entered into under the authority of the Goodridge decision. ... Only the union of male and female can beget offspring, and only wives and husbands can provide children with a married mother and a father, which is the ideal arrangement for raising children. Obviously other parenting arrangements are possible, and they are allowed by law; but these should not be allowed to undermine the sense that children being raised by a married mother and father is optimal. Preserving the traditional definition of marriage is the least that can be done to make that point.
And MFI wants to distance itself from Brian Camenker (Brian -- who is brave enough to expose things like "Fistgate" and the "Little Black Book"), and the Pawlicks (who were behind the clean marriage amendment of a few years back). Now what did we do to earn the reputation of being "rude"? We suggested to citizens that it's OK to contact legislators at home if they can't reach them at their offices. (Reps did choose to run for public office, after all; and they must have caller ID and voice mail; and can choose not to answer their phones if they're eating dinner!) Or to demand that our reps preserve parental rights. Or that it's OK for citizens to be angry that there are bills filed by Mass. legislators advocating the de-criminalization of bestiality.
No, says MFI, don't be angry -- remain polite and calm. Beg -- but with poise -- for your voting rights. Everything will be OK. And don't be distracted by Article 8/MassResistance's alerts identifying those dangerous bills! (Reminds us of the videos of captured Westerners begging for their lives as the terrorists are about to shoot them in the head, or decapitate them. Weak and hopeless.)