|
Gay Opponent Compares Homosexuality to Alcoholism
By Yoji Cole
February 22, 2007
As gay and lesbian couples in
New
Jersey celebrate their legal right to
civil unions, opponents, led by
John Tomicki, president of the New Jersey Coalition to Preserve and Protect
Marriage, plans to continue his effort to ban same-gender marriage through a
constitutional amendment.
"We believe that the people of the
state of New
Jersey should make the determination of
how marriage is defined," said Tomicki. "The court, particularly in
New
Jersey, has a tendency to act like
oligarchs--to legislate from the bench."
Who is this guy and what does he
mean?
He thinks "homosexuality may be a
condition." But he compares it to a disease like alcoholism.
"We know certain people who are
genetically predisposed when they have that first drink they can't stop," says
Tomicki. "But the good book [the Bible] tells us drunks will not inherit the
Kingdom of Heaven. So homosexuality may be a
condition, but being gay or lesbian is a choice."
Tomicki also is the executive
director of the League of American Families, a group with satellite
organizations in several states. He launched his
New
Jersey statewide petition drive Feb. 12
seeking signatures in support of placing a constitutional amendment on the
November election ballot. If voters support the amendment it would define
marriage as being between one man and one woman.
Tomicki is quick to detail his
sociological and religious reasons for opposing marriage but is tight-lipped
about who funds his groups' efforts. He says the coalition is a volunteer-based
organization comprised of groups, such as the League of American Families, The
Knights of Columbus, the Mississippi-based American Family Association, the
Family Policy Council, Council on American Families and much more.
The coalition does not accept
donations because the group wants to be an all-volunteer organization, says
Tomicki.
"Whenever we have to do something,
we all chip in," says Tomicki.
Calls to the N.J. Secretary of
State's Office and the N.J. Treasury Department seeking information about the
Coalition and the League did not uncover any records of Tomicki's groups despite
his claim that they are nonprofit organizations.
Tomicki says polls conducted by
the Coalition indicate New
Jersey residents do not support gay
marriage. That may be true, but other polls indicate
New
Jersey residents also do not support a
state constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage. A Rutgers
University-Eagleton Institute of Politics poll released in October found that 53
percent of N.J. residents oppose amending the state constitution to define
marriage as between one man and one woman, while 39 percent support such an
amendment, according to the Asbury Park Press.
|
DiversityInc Bookstore |
|
By George Chauncey |
Why Marriage?
The History Shaping Today's Debate Over Gay Equality
Why has marriage emerged as the most explosive issue in the gay struggle for equality?
The author shows the shifting attitudes toward gays, from the growth in acceptance to the many campaigns against gay rights that led to today's demand for a constitutional amendment. What's at stake for both sides is illuminated.
For More
Information
|
More from Today's Diversity News
<< PREVIOUS ITEM | NEXT ITEM >>
Send Your Comments About This Article Now
©DiversityInc. Reproduction in any format is absolutely prohibited.
|
digg this | 
mixx! | 
reddit
del.icio.us
Newsvine | 
| 
