NOM Launches Nationwide "Two Million for Marriage" Initiative!

APRIL 8, 2009 -- In just a few minutes, NOM President Maggie Gallagher and I will hold a press conference in Trenton, NJ, announcing an ambitious new nationwide "2 Million for Marriage" initiative.

Over the next two years, we will be organizing two million marriage activists from every state in the nation to form an online army of marriage activists willing to stand up for marriage on a moment's notice, sending emails and making phone calls to legislators whenever marriage is threatened.

The initiative represents the most ambitious effort ever of its kind, using a combination traditional TV and radio advertising and direct mail, coupled with the internet technology and social networking tools that President Obama used so effectively in his presidential campaign.  To assist with this ambitious new initiative, we've enlisted the expertise of Schubert Flint Public Affairs -- the same group that managed the Prop 8 Campaign in California last year.

"A Gathering Storm"
The centerpiece of the new initiative is a $1.5 million nationwide ad campaign launched today highlighting the threat that same-sex marriage poses to the core civil rights of all Americans who believe in marriage as the union of a husband and wife.

Please take a minute today to watch our new "Gathering Storm" TV ad.  (Click here or on the ad below to watch.)

The ad begins airing today in selected markets all across the country, and I'm convinced it will be an important tool in helping to awaken Americans to some of the threats posed by same-sex marriage.

Here's the question I hear over and over again as I participate in debates and interviews on same-sex marriage: How does same-sex marriage hurt you?

And here are the answers of everyday Americans who have felt the impact of same-sex marriage:

• "I'm a California doctor who must choose between my faith and my job."
• "I'm part of a New Jersey church group punished by the government because we can't support same-sex marriage." 
• "I am a Massachusetts parent helplessly watching public schools teach my son that gay marriage is OK."

Help make "2 Million for Marriage" a Reality!
We're excited about our new marriage activist initiative, and the potential it has to bring together an unstoppable team of marriage activists who can really make a difference in marriage battles across the nation. But we can't do it alone.

Tell a friend. Perhaps the most important part of this effort is the word-of-mouth recommendation you give your friends and family. If each of us recruits 5 people to join our Marriage Activist Team, we'll be well on our way to our goal of 2 million activists by the end of 2010. Remind your friends that it doesn't cost them anything -- we're simply looking for people willing to be notified of the latest marriage threats, and then take 3-5 minutes in order to send an email to their elected officials.

Ask them to visit www.nationformarriage.org and enter their email address in the box to Sign Up for e-Alerts to join our Marriage Activist Team today!

Online Social Networking. For those of you who are already online with social networking tools such as Facebook, Myspace or Twitter -- use those networks to invite your friends to join our 2 Million for Marriage initiative. And if you haven't yet visited NOM's Facebook page, do it today to receive the latest NOM updates and alerts via Facebook.

Help support the "Gathering Storm" TV Ad Campaign. We're also working to raise funds needed to expand our initial TV ad buy into more time slots and additional markets. Each airing of the ad on cable TV costs about $1,000. Some of you may be in a position to sponsor an entire ad. Perhaps others can sponsor part of an ad -- or better yet, team up with friends or family to sponsor an ad together. Use this link to sponsor a "Gathering Storm" TV ad today!

Today is a brand new day for the future of marriage!