The Issue

DID YOU KNOW?

Marrying a same-sex lover isn't a civil right. Marriage Amendment isn't out to remove rights. In America, we all have the "right" to have a relationship. But what about the legal right to marry?

     For centuries, civil marriage protected society and children by making marriage a legal institution between a man and a woman.

      61% of New Jersey residents believe that same-sex couples have a right to live their life the way they choose BUT do not have the right to change the definition of marriage for rest of society.

     30 states have passed amendments defining marriage between one man and one woman.

The question is, where does it stop? If gays have a right to get married, then how can they say a man doesn't have the right to marry his daughter, or a minor, or three women?

The same-sex marriage movement has more to do with validation and social respect than legal rights. But the cost to the rest of society is far too much to pay.

DID YOU KNOW?

This isn't just about adults and their desires. Marriage Protection  Amendment puts children first.

     Children from fatherless homes account for 63% of youth suicides, 70% of long-term prison inmates, 71% of high school dropouts, 85% of youth prisoners, and 90% of runaways.

     Marriage between a man and a woman goes far beyond procreation.

      While death, divorce, and other circumstances may prevent it in many cases, the best environment for raising children is traditional marriage. More than ten thousand studies document significant advantages kids experience when raised by committed and loving moms and dads.

Benefits include:

* Lower poverty rates: On average kids from never married homes spend 51% of their childhood in poverty compared to only 7% for kids in married homes

* Lower crime rate: Kids from married homes are less than half as likely to end up in jail as children of broken homes

* Lower suicide rate: Kids from married homes are six times less likely to commit suicide than those from divorced homes

* Better health: Kids from married homes are generally physically and emotionally healthier when they reach adulthood than kids from unmarried homes

DID YOU KNOW?

Public schools are required to teach the role of marriage in society. If the Marriage Amendment passes, that won't change.

     In 2007, an Illinois high school held a pro-gay seminar and required 14-year-old freshmen to sign a confidentiality agreement and not tell their parents.

      If Traditional marriage is re-defined, children as young as kindergarteners will be taught and socialized to accept same-sex marriage as normal.

       In 2006, a Massachusetts teacher read the gay-friendly book "King and King" to her first-grade class, which included Joey Wirthlin. His parents, Robert and Robin Wirthlin, met with the school principal to request they be given advance notice before such material was taught to their son.

     Two courts decided schools are not required to inform parents in advance of teaching about same-sex relationships. On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the appeal.

     "The Supreme Court has made it clear that once a state orders gay 'marriage,' public schools are going to be teaching about gay 'marriage,' " said Maggie Gallagher, president of the National Organization for Marriage "There is no parental opt-out."

DID YOU KNOW?

A Marriage Amendment protects and strengthens society by promoting marriage between a man and a woman.

     In countries where gay marriage is legal, the average gay man has six partners per year outside of their same-sex marriage. And the average marriage lasts less than two years.

     Traditional marriage is better for us, mentally, physically and psychologically. We're not making it up; public health statistics confirm this.

     Take just one example: * Men in traditional marriages are way better off than unmarried men.

*They live longer: Unmarried men have a 250% higher mortality rate.

* They're happier: The latest data show that 40% of married people say they are very happy with their life in general, compared with less than 25% of single or cohabitating individuals.

* They're richer: Married men earn more too... 10-40% more than single or cohabitating men.

What this means is that fewer of your tax dollars go to pay for social programs caused by unhealthy and unwise living.

DID YOU KNOW?

     If same-sex marriage stays legal, nothing prevents the legalization of polygamy and incest.

     If gay marriage is legalized, churches likely will face lawsuits and persecution if they don't perform same-sex ceremonies.

     Churches, synagogues, mosques and other centers of worship have beliefs, practices, and traditions they use to determine what heterosexual couples must meet prior to marriage. That isn't bias; that's freedom of religion.

     The government doesn't (as of yet) tell faith-based groups who they can...

* baptize

* confirm

* accept for a bar mitzvah

* qualify for any other religious function.

If same-sex marriage is legal, what will happen if a church or religious institution refuses to perform a marriage ceremony for individuals that runs contrary to its belief system? If it refuses, it may be accused of discrimination and be subject to a lawsuit. That is not freedom of religion.