The latest polls in states where same-sex marriage is on the ballot have shown a sudden tightening in the last few days before the election.
The Catholic News Agency (CNA) traditional marriage is reporting that support for traditional marriage is on the rise in states where the latest polls show the races as being too-close-to-call.
In Minnesota, where citizens will vote on whether or not to amend the state’s constitution defining marriage as between a man and woman, proponents of the amendment are now in the lead.
In the state of Washington, The Elway Poll found that support for redefining marriage in the state dropped by two points from September to October and is now below 50 percent. At the same time, opposition to redefining marriage has risen eight points, which brings the ballot measure to within four points.
In Maryland, the latest survey conducted for The Baltimore Sun indicate the measure is now in a dead heat. A poll commissioned just 30 days ago showed proponents of same-sex marriage leading by 10 points.
“Our opponents are hugely outspending us and had a jump start on us when it comes to getting the message across, though they failed to move the needle much their direction,” explained Thomas Peters, cultural director for the National Organization for Marriage (NOM).
“Now that we are on the airwaves as well, we are having success in changing hearts and minds,” Peters told CNA on Nov. 2.
The NOM is now conducting robocalls in key states where they hope to reach 10 million voters with a plea to take a stand for traditional marriage.
Other groups are also influential in the shift, such as the Catholic Church with bishops in all four states actively opposing efforts to redefine marriage in their states.
For example, Bishop Joseph Tyson of the diocese of Yakima, Washington denounced the measure to legalize same-sex marriage, saying that it “jeopardizes freedom rather than expands it,” and “endangers our religious liberty and the right of conscience.”
“Once marriage is redefined as a genderless contract, it will become legally discriminatory for public and private institutions such as schools to promote the unique meaning of marriage . . . This law will challenge our right to educate about the unique value of children being raised by his or her own mother and father in a stable home,” he warned in a recent pastoral letter.
Leaders of other churches have also spoken out, such as the Coalition of African-American Pastors, a national group that has been working to raise awareness about the growing threats to traditional marriage in the U.S.
In an Oct. 31, he denounced an ad which encouraged citizens of Maryland to follow President Obama’s lead by voting to support same-sex marriage.
“This ad is the worst attempt at pandering and manipulating the Black community to ignore their own pastors who rightfully uphold the sanctity of traditional marriage,” Owens said in an Oct. 31 statement.
He went on to warn the African American community that they were being courted “for political gain.”
The stakes for this year’s election could not be higher as it will affect the very moral fabric of our nation.
” . . . (M)en and women coming together in marriage to raise the children they have is a huge benefit to society, to the next generation and to the spouses,” Peters says, “and is one of the strongest safeguards against poverty.”
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