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Ponderings on a Faith Journey 
Deseret News 
Peter Mills is an American politician - a Republican from Maine. Mills currently serves in the Maine Senate, representing the 26th district. He ran for Governor of Maine in 2006, ultimately losing by 2,400 votes in the primary to Chandler Woodcock. Mills has announced he will run again for Governor in 2010. Learn more here.
Steve Schmidt is an American campaign strategist and public relations worker for the U.S. Republican Party. He specializes in political "message development and strategy." Schmidt was the senior campaign strategist and advisor to the 2008 presidential campaign of Senator John McCain. Early in his career, Schmidt was communications director of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. In 2001, he was the spokesman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, becoming the Communications Director by 2002. He left the NRCC in early 2003 to work for the lobbying firm Direct Impact Company. Schmidt joined the Bush administration as a Deputy Assistant to the President and Counselor to Vice President Dick Cheney. In 2004, he was a member of the senior strategic planning group, led by White House adviser Karl Rove, that ran President George W. Bush's re-election campaign; Schmidt oversaw the reelection "war room." In 2005 and 2006, he was the White House strategist in charge of the U.S. Supreme Court nominations of Samuel A. Alito and Chief Justice John Roberts. Learn more here.I doubt voters under thirty will abandon social attributes that distinguish them from older voters; among them, a greater acceptance of people who find happiness in relationships with members of the same sex. And I believe Republicans should re-examine the extent to which we are being defined by positions on issues that I don’t believe are among our core values, and that put us at odds with what I expect will become over time, if not a consensus view, then the view of a substantial majority of voters...It cannot be argued that marriage between people of the same sex is un-American or threatens the rights of others. On the contrary, it seems to me that denying two consenting adults of the same sex the right to form a lawful union that is protected and respected by the state denies them two of the most basic natural rights affirmed in the preamble of our Declaration of Independence – liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That, I believe, gives the argument of same sex marriage proponents its moral force...In closing, I’ll return to our national creed, what Lincoln called the inestimable jewel of American history, and offer my respect for and urge my fellow Republicans to respect every human being’s rights to liberty and the pursuit of happiness as much as they cherish their own.Schmidt also spoke of his lesbian sister and her partner, saying "...they are an important part of my life and our children's life. I admire your group [Log Cabin Republicans] and your organization and I encourage you to keep fighting for what you believe in because the day is going to come." [Link]
GAY RIGHTS 
The New Yorker 
Margaret Hoover is a conservative American political commentator, political strategist and blogger. She is the great-granddaughter of former President Herbert Hoover. She worked for Bush-Cheney ‘04, Inc. and was the Deputy Press Secretary to Florida Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart on Capitol Hill. She then held a White House appointment in the Bush Administration, and also served as a senior advisor to the Deputy Secretary in the Department of Homeland Security. Most recently, she has worked as Deputy Finance Director to Rudy Giuliani’s Presidential Exploratory Committee. She is a frequent contributor to Fox News's O'Reilly Factor. Learn more here.Gays and lesbians are our friends, neighbors, doctors, colleagues, sisters and brothers. Does it sit well with you that because of their sexual orientation, a factor outside one’s control, that they should have less rights and protections in the eyes of the law? While increasing acceptance of gays marks my generational experience—Ellen DeGeneres is welcomed into the living rooms of millions of Americans daily, an impossibility in even my childhood— many who are older than me fear that if gays and lesbians can marry, what’s next? They worry that homosexual marriage degrades the integrity of heterosexual marriage. They fear that their children might be exposed to alternative lifestyles that will impact them negatively, or argue that the purpose of marriage is procreation. If you are uncomfortable with gay marriage, I encourage you to pay attention to this trial, the plaintiffs, the defense and the spectrum of experts, historians, psychologists, economists, political scientists, who will testify as to the effects and detriment of Proposition 8. In the words of NAACP chairman Julian Bond, “The humanity of all Americans is diminished when any group is denied rights granted to others. [Link]Freedom to Marry salutes Margaret Hoover as a Voice for Equality! Learn about other Voices for Equality here.
Bill Baroni is an American Republican Party politician who has served in the New Jersey Senate, where he has represented the 14th legislative district since January 8, 2008. Prior to his Senate service, Baroni served in the General Assembly from 2004-2008. On November 6, 2007, he won election to become State Senator of the 14th Legislative District. He captured 67% of the vote, defeating Democratic Party opponent Seema Singh. Baroni filled the State Senate seat vacated by Republican Senator Peter Inverso. There had been speculation that Baroni would seek the Republican nomination for United States Senate in 2008 against Frank R. Lautenberg, but his run for the New Jersey Senate effectively ended that speculation. Learn more here.The man has been known to infuriate Democrats on occasion, as any good partisan should. But on marriage equality, he is good as gold. He was the first (voting before any of the Democrats) to vote 'yes' on the marriage equality bill in the Senate Judiciary Committee. He has shown courage and a willingness to break with his party to stand on principle -- something few politicians of any stripe are willing to do these days. [Link]On Thursday, January 7, 2010, Senator Baroni did indeed vote in favor of the marriage equality bill in New Jersey - the only Republican to do so. Baroni, who had added an amendment that would protect religious organizations from performing a marriage they opposed, saw it clearly as a civil rights issue. "I don't believe government should be granting one set of rights for some citizens and deny them to others," said Baroni, a practicing Catholic, who added that he has immense respect for the church and its moral and ethical teachings. "At the same time, I have a constitutional responsibility as a senator and I oppose discrimination." [Link]
Agence France Presse
Reuters 
Iowa Independent January 5, 2010
ChicagoPride.comFor comments about the site or to report problems: editor1[AT]freedomtomarry.org
ASK EVAN WOLFSON: Why Marriage Matters -- Short Answers for Big Questions
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