Michigan Clergy: Gays Are Our Enemy

Via USA Today:

Declaring "the fight is on," a formidable coalition of conservative Christian groups filed legal briefs in federal appellate court Wednesday supporting Michigan's ban on gay marriage. Representing potentially millions of worshippers in the state, the Michigan Catholic Conference, the Thomas More Law Center in Ann Arbor, Mich., and a national coalition of Baptists, Lutherans, Mormons and evangelicals led by Catholic bishops filed three separate briefs Wednesday in the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati. The briefs back Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette in his efforts to defend the state's voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage, which was overturned earlier this year by a federal judge in Detroit.

The rant below is really something.

Thomas More Society Has The Illinois Sadz

"The bill is called the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act. But this act is neither free nor fair for people of religious convictions. Because the general assembly left out specific protections for individuals, businesses, religious organizations, and religious charities, we will have to discover the boundaries of this act through litigation. The idea that free people can be 'compelled by law to compromise the very religious beliefs that inspire their lives' as the 'price of citizenship' is a chilling and unprecedented attack on freedom,  This affects believers in myriad ways -- how they live out their faith, how they educate their children, and how they operate their businesses." - Peter Breen, senior counsel of the Thomas More Society, via press release.

ILLINOIS: Thomas More Society Concedes Marriage Lawsuits Are Now Moot

Via press release:

This morning attorneys with the Thomas More Society secured an agreed Order, entered by Judge Sophia Hall, staying all further proceedings in the lawsuit filed by the Illinois ACLU and Lambda Legal, who filed suit over a year ago, challenging Illinois' marriage laws as unconstitutional in violation of various provisions of the Illinois Constitution of 1970. Given Tuesday's votes in the Illinois General Assembly, amending the marriage law to allow for same sex marriages and Governor Quinn's announcement that he will soon sign the new measure into law, the Society, whose attorneys represent downstate County Clerks who intervened in the lawsuit, filed a motion contending that the lawsuit should be dismissed as "moot."

According to the press release, Lambda Legal and the ACLU have, of course, agreed to the stay.

UPDATE: Lambda Legal director Jon Davidson jumped into the comments of this post.  He writes:

The Thomas More Society's press release may have been misleading. The court's order only stayed the Illinois marriage cases until Thursday of next week, and that is all that Lambda Legal and the ACLU agreed to. The cases are not moot at present, as same-sex couples currently are still not able to marry in Illinois. The cases will not be moot until same-sex couples actually can marry in the state.

Thomas More Society Has Illinois Sadz

"While we believe it regrettable that Illinois legislators have now purported to redefine marriage as something different from the union of one man and one woman, we are at least pleased and reassured to hear that legislators insisted during today's floor debate in the House of Representatives that Illinois' Religious Freedom Restoration Act and other constitutional and statutory guaranties of Illinois citizens' religious liberties remain in full force and effect. We will do our part to insure that those fundamental religious liberties are given robust and unstinting protection. The free speech and free exercise clauses of our First Amendment remain at the core of our constitutional order, and no law nor any public official may lawfully coerce anyone to deny or disavow his or her religious beliefs, or refrain from professing those beliefs in the public square, or to go against those beliefs in practice. This is still a free country, and Thomas More Society stands ready to do its utmost to keep it free." - Tom Brejcha, whose group was representing downstate Illinois county clerks in the lawsuits to overturn the ban on same-sex marriage.

SCOTUS Rejects Appeal Of University Official Canned For Anti-Gay Op-Ed

Last December, the Sixth Federal Court of Appeals upheld the firing of former University of Toledo human resources director Crystal Dixon, who was canned in 2008 after an Ohio newspaper published her op-ed column in which she denounced LGBT rights and promoted the "ex-gay" movement. Dixon, long a martyr for anti-gay hate groups, was represented by the anti-gay Thomas More Center, who yesterday had their final appeal rejected by the US Supreme Court. The Thomas More Center has not yet reacted on their website.  Here's an excerpt from the column that started it all:

As a Black woman who happens to be an alumnus of the University of Toledo's Graduate School, an employee and business owner, I take great umbrage at the notion that those choosing the homosexual lifestyle are "civil rights victims." Here's why. I cannot wake up tomorrow and not be a Black woman. I am genetically and biologically a Black woman and very pleased to be so as my Creator intended. Daily, thousands of homosexuals make a life decision to leave the gay lifestyle evidenced by the growing population of PFOX (Parents and Friends of Ex Gays) and Exodus International just to name a few. Frequently, the individuals report that the impetus to their change of heart and lifestyle was a transformative experience with God; a realization that their choice of same-sex practices wreaked havoc in their psychological and physical lives.

 (Tipped by JMG reader Kyle)

ILLINOIS: Hate Group Compares Gay Marriage To Incest, Polygamy, Blah, Blah

"Arguing that marriage should be available to any human beings who profess to love each other not only ignores unique biological fruitfulness of male and female unions, but it also makes us wonder when -- and why -- plaintiffs would ever draw the line. Stretching plaintiffs' rationale to the limits of their logic, why or how could they bar or limit the legality of 'marriages' between brothers and sisters, so long as they profess 'love' toward one another, or between cousins of close consanguinity, let alone polygamy, or polyandry, or even polyamory. Thus the plaintiffs' rationale goes far beyond the pale, founders on its own illogic, and affords no good reason at all for overturning our traditional, classic understanding of this vital social institution" - Thomas More Society president Tom Brejcha, on yesterday's oral arguments before the Cook County Circuit Court in Illinois, where the ACLU and Lambda Legal are attempting to overturn the ban on same-sex marriage. Thomas More is representing two downstate county clerks in the suit.

ILLINOIS: Court Hears Motion To Dismiss Marriage Equality Lawsuit

Today in Illinois the Cook County Circuit Court heard oral arguments in the anti-gay Thomas More Society's bid to dismiss the marriage equality lawsuit brought in May 2012 by Lambda Legal and the ACLU. Lambda Legal writes via press release:

Today we urged the court to ensure that same-sex couples and their families get their day in court. We put forward the severe harms experienced by the 25 plaintiff couples and the thousands of same-sex couples and their children in Illinois every day because their government marks them as unequal. The recent Supreme Court ruling striking down DOMA has made the freedom to marry even more urgent in Illinois than it was before because Illinois now stands between these families and a host of federal protections, benefits, rights and responsibilities. Civil unions do not fully access the federal safety net that marriage provides, and Illinois families can’t wait any longer.

No word on when a ruling is expected.

Totally Not-Gay Rep. Aaron Schock Cheers Anti-Gay Group For Their Work

The Thomas More Society is representing two downstate Illinois county clerks who are defending against the ACLU's lawsuit to legalize same-sex marriage.  Totally not gay US Rep. Aaron Schock is very sorry that he couldn't be there for the group's annual function, but he recorded the below video clip to congratulate them for their hard work to deny civil equality to the people in Schock's district.

IL Anti-Gay Group Warns That Marriage Bill Will Prevent Them From Discriminating

"Law professors on both sides of the marriage issue agree that Senate Bill 10 provides the worst religious liberty protections of any same-sex marriage bill in the country. SB 10 will force religious people and organizations into years of legal fights, likely against the Illinois government, to defend their rights to practice their faith. SB 10 would make Illinois the most hostile state in the country to the religious freedoms of people of faith. SB 10 would generate years of litigation and cause those who faithfully practice their religion to be mislabeled as 'discriminators,' stripped of government benefits, and subjected to fines and penalties simply because they abide by their sincerely held beliefs. Legal scholars have urged on a bipartisan basis that SB 10 in its current form be rejected. Illinois legislators should heed this bipartisan call." - Peter Breen, senior counsel of the Thomas More Society, which is "defending natural marriage" in cases brought on behalf of downstate county clerks.

Thomas More Society Has The Sadz

"The same-sex marriage bill passed by the Illinois Senate today would violate the right of Illinois churches and religious organizations to follow their faith free of government oppression,. It would also force Illinois business owners to operate in fear of being shut down, because of their conscientious objections to same-sex marriage. Why are Illinois politicians working to trample the rights of the millions of people of faith across our state to live and work in accord with their religious beliefs? The senators’ decision today serves as a declaration that their constituents’ sincere beliefs about the true nature of marriage are bigoted and discriminatory. The Illinois House should reject the redefinition of marriage and this poorly drafted bill." - Peter Breen, executive director of the Thomas More Society, which is representing downstate Illinois county clerks in the lawsuits to overturn the ban on same-sex marriage.

ILLINOIS: Court Refuses Hate Group's Plea To Stay Marriage Equality Cases

As the same-sex marriage bill winds its way through the Illinois legislature, two lawsuits to overturn the state ban are continuing. Today the anti-gay Thomas More Society lost their bid to squash the cases.  Via press release from Lambda Legal:

Today the Circuit Court of Cook County, Chancery Division denied a motion to stay the cases brought by Lambda Legal and the ACLU of Illinois seeking marriage for same-sex couples. The motion, brought by The Thomas More Society, attempted to delay any action in the case pending decisions in two federal marriage cases up for review in the United States Supreme Court, United States v. Windsor and Hollingsworth v. Perry. "The cases up for review in the United States Supreme Court involve different parties and a different body of law -- Illinois courts do not permit a defendant to stall a case based on speculation about what may happen in someone else's lawsuit involving a different body of law," said Camilla Taylor, Marriage Project Director for Lambda Legal. "We are pleased that our case will move forward and that loving, committed Illinois couples will have the chance to get to the heart of this case and explain to this Court why marriage is so important to their families."

RELATED: The Illinois Senate votes on marriage tomorrow!