Victory in Massachusetts: Pro-family Legislators Survive Homosexual Blitz

Grassroots citizens' groups in Massachusetts have claimed a major victory in their state's September 14 primary election.

The powerful, nationwide homosexual lobby targeted seven pro-family legislators for defeat. Underfunded and understaffed, the Article 8 Alliance, the Parents’ Rights Coalition, and other grassroots groups supported the seven.

The box score: David 6, Goliath 1.

"It's the first victory party I've been to in 15 years," said Article 8's Amy Contrada.

Article 8 has led a campaign to remove the four Supreme Judicial Court judges who imposed homosexual "marriage" on the state this year. The judges may be removed via a bill of address (see chalcedon.edu/articles/0406/040601duigon.php).

Bill's Sponsor Wins

Tops on the homosexuals' hit list was Rep. Emile Goguen, sponsor of the bill of address. Goguen won 71% of the vote in his district — despite a personal pledge by Arline Isaacson, the leading homosexual lobbyist in the state (and a lobbyist for the state teachers' union), to take him down.

"Gay groups from outside the district brought in poll checkers, sign holders, etc., on Election Day — as many as ten at every polling place," said Brian Camenker, co-founder of Article 8.

Isaacson, according to MassNews.com, "even bussed 35 nasty, out-of-state activists into his district" (see massnews.com, Sept. 17).

The homosexual lobby poured $100,000 into a fruitless effort to defeat pro-family Rep. Joyce Spiliotis. She won 48% of the vote to 31% for a candidate backed by a homosexual political action committee (PAC) and 21% for a third candidate.

"Outside homosexual organizations paid for several mailings and brought in people from out of town and out of state," Camenker said.

Article 8 and the Parents’ Rights Coalition held a press conference and organized a mailing to alert voters to the pro-sodomy stances of the losing candidates.

That had to be done because the state's news media uniformly supported the pro-sodomy candidates.

"The media tried to keep the voters in the dark about the records of those gay-friendly candidates," said Ray McNulty, media consultant for the Massachusetts Family Institute.

“A Tough Loss”

The citizens' groups almost preserved all seven of the incumbents they supported, but Rep. Vincent Ciampa lost in his district by 117 votes. The sodomy lobby spent $50,000 to defeat him, according to Camenker. "Other gay groups paid for multiple mailings that saturated the district every few days," he added.

The winner, avowed homosexual Carl Sciortino, made the news last year when he and his "partner" disrupted a Roman Catholic mass to protest the church's teaching against homosexual "marriage."

Where Are the Churches?

When the voters of Missouri this summer amended their state constitution to protect marriage, local churches played a prominent role (see chalcedon.edu/articles/0408/040818-2duigon.php).

"We're still waiting for the churches," Amy Contrada said. "I've heard many pastors say New England is a tough territory for orthodox Christianity. But I think now it's more a case of Massachusetts churches being intimidated by leftist 'tax monitors.'"

Some left-wing groups this year, amid loud publicity, have "monitored" church services for pastoral remarks that might violate the federal tax codes (see chalcedon.edu/articles/0409/040901-1duigon.php).

"We're worried about how quickly this is progressing in our state," Contrada said. "Lately it seems you can't argue against 'gay marriage' without someone accusing you of hate speech."

But Ray McNulty had a different take on the churches.

"We expect the churches to be much more energized in the general election in November," he said. "In the primary election we saw a lot of grassroots activity in those legislative districts where the homosexual agenda was an issue, but it was pretty quiet elsewhere. It won't be so quiet in November."

An Uphill Battle

Currently the only state to recognize homosexual "marriage" — is it Massachusetts' destiny to be "the Gay State"?

"It's hard," Contrada said. "The public schools have brainwashed the younger generation: a lot of young people don't understand sexual morality. And with the schools pushing homosexuality so hard, it seems every family these days has one [a young person who has 'come out' as a homosexual]. When you try to discuss the issue, you wind up with these little old ladies accusing you of being mean to their grandchildren."

Massachusetts public schools, she added, hold an annual "Day of Silence" to demonstrate solidarity with and support for the homosexual agenda, and one school now flies "the Gay flag" alongside the American flag.

Victory in the primary election, Camenker said, "is only the beginning. The general election will be much tougher. The gays have targeted several more incumbents, have more horrible candidates, are raising more money, and are doing more and more organizing. We can't rest on our laurels."

Up against a hostile news media, rich and powerful unions (especially the teachers' union), paid professional lobbyists, and money and manpower provided by national homosexual organizations, the Article 8 Alliance — ordinary citizens with one small rented office, a few telephones, and a firm determination to save their state from organized sodomy — looks to continue its battle into November and beyond.

For more information or to make donations, phone Article 8 at 781-899-4905 or see the website, article8.org.