March For Marriage

 Gary Bauer, Contributing Author: Today Americans who support traditional marriage gathered in Washington, D.C., for the second annual March for Marriage. I am proud to say that my educational public policy organization, American Values, co-sponsored today's march.

The men and women who came from all over the country today stood for the values of faith, family and freedom in spite of a coordinated effort in the media and the popular culture to demoralize everyone who believes marriage is between a man and a woman. Polling on this issue is being used as propaganda. Don't buy the left's spin.

Here's something that may surprise you. Homosexual rights groups have abandoned plans to put same-sex marriage on the ballot in Ohio this year. After going through the signature collection process to repeal Ohio's marriage protection amendment, which passed in 2004 with 62%, they decided that they don't want the people to vote after all.

How could that be? The reason is clear: they are not at all confident they could win. As my friend Phil Burress of Ohio's Citizens for Community Values said, "I don't see where 10 years has changed anything. …But if they do [put it on the ballot], we'll beat them again."

While many reporters breathlessly note the sea change of public opinion on this issue, the biggest thing that has changed is that unelected judges are forcing the left's morality on the rest of society.

It used to be a hallmark of conservatism to forcefully criticize judicial activism -- unelected judges forcing radical change on the country. Now there is barely a peep from many Republican leaders whenever a voter-approved marriage amendment is struck down. Regardless of whether they support the radical redefinition of marriage, I thought Republicans at least respected the will of the people and the proper, limited role of the judiciary.

Some GOP consultants argue that Republicans should stop defending normal marriage because young people support same-sex marriage. I would be careful about arguing that just because young people are more liberal, the whole party should adapt to their whims. For one thing, people change -- especially as they mature, get jobs and start having families of their own.

And if we intend to allow people from the ages of 18 to 24 to decide the GOP platform, it is going to be an odd party because many youth also support legalizing drugs and cutting defense spending. Here's an idea: Why don't we devote more time to making the case of our values to young people, rather than allowing them to dictate our values?

If only Republicans were just as passionate about preserving marriage and religious liberty as they are about preserving the current minimum wage or tax breaks for billionaires.

My friends, I'm not trying to discourage you. I'm trying to motivate you. We must fight for our values just as hard as, if not harder than, the left is fighting to undermine our values.
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Gary Bauer is a conservative family values advocate and serves as president of American Values and chairman of the  Campaign for Working Families

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Tags: March for Marriage, June 19, 2014, Washington, D.C., Gary Bauer, Campaign for Working Families To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. and "Like" Facebook Page - Thanks!