More than 1,000 daily newspapers in the U.S. now accept gay "wedding" announcements. And Hallmark now offers greeting cards for gay "weddings."
While it's not illegal for newspapers or Hallmark to cater to the homosexual community, they are disrespecting the law in 27 states — states that have defined marriage in their constitutions as between one man and one woman.
"It's entirely possible that newspaper staff has not connected the dots between having a state constitutional amendment and requests to publish same-sex 'marriage' or commitment announcements," said Carrie Gordon Earll, senior director of Issue Analysis at Focus on the Family Action. "Readers should give publishers the benefit of the doubt unless and until they determine that the newspaper is in fact disrespecting the vote of the people and publishing such counterfeit announcements.
"At that point, people need to hold the newspapers accountable."
TAKE ACTION
Check this list to see which newspapers are sidestepping state law. If your state is not listed, there is no marriage amendment in place yet. Please call your local or regional newspaper. You can check our Action Center for contact information, or visit the newspaper's Web site.
Ask to speak to the person who handles wedding announcements, then ask:
1) Are you aware the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation lists your newspaper as having a policy to publish same-sex "marriage" or commitment ceremony announcements? Is that correct?
2) If so, are you aware that our state has a constitutional amendment defining marriage as only between one man and one woman?
3) If so, how do you reconcile publishing such announcements when such unions are illegal under state law?
If the answer you receive is unsatisfactory, ask to speak to the editor. You also may contact the publisher. Let us know how it goes.
