Hearings, Votes And Confessions

It was great to see so many of you at the marriage hearings yesterday in Olympia. Thank you for coming. Senator Dan Swecker told me that although the testimonies were very well presented, and they were, the numbers of people attending the hearings is even a stronger voice. The hearing room was filled with several other overflow rooms filled as well. The majority of those attending were people who support and defend marriage.

While good people testified in regard to their deeply held feelings and beliefs about marriage and their concerns about the marriage bill, another well timed, choreographed drama entered stage left.

Immediately following the hearings, Senator Mary Margararet Haugen, D-Camano Island called a press conference to announce that she had decided to vote for redefining marriage.

Sen. Haugen told the press she had taken time to "sort out for myself, to reconcile my religious beliefs as an American, as a Legislator, and as a wife and mother who cannot deny others the joys and benefits I enjoy." She confessed it had taken her a long time to get to the point of supporting the effort to redefine marriage.

In pledging her vote for homosexual "marriage," she became the 25th vote, becoming the deciding vote for the Senate to pass the bill probably sometime next week.

I'm wondering how Sen. Haugen will deal with other special interest groups who will now also demand marriage? What about polygamists and other groupings of people who also claim to be in love and have long term relationships? Will she discriminate against them and deny them the "joys and benefits" she enjoys?

Haugen said she voted in favor of homosexual "marriage" because of her Christian faith. She also said she would prefer that this issue be referred to the people for a vote, but didn't think the legislature would approve referring it to the people.

We'll see.

Here's the next step.

When this bill comes to the floor, there will be an amendment introduced by a senator to refer the matter to the voters. A number of legislators have said they would prefer to see this happen. Will they cave in to Gov. Gregoire, Sen. Ed Murray, Rep. Jamie Pedersen and others who are pressuring lawmakers not to send it to the people?

If the Legislature refuses to refer this issue to the people, then we will begin a referendum or initiative.

I cannot overstate the importance of your support at this time.

This is likely the most defining moral and cultural decision ever made by the Washington State Legislature. The next generation will be left to explain and endure the consequences of this decision should it be allowed to stand.

Just as Sen. Murray has incrementally laid the groundwork over the past 20 years, proclaiming his bills to be about fairness and tolerance, not about redefining marriage, he and others have also laid the groundwork to fundamentally transform what your child will be taught in public school regarding sexuality, homosexuality, family, gender, mother-father relationships and human relationships. Your child will be taught, under the guise of "bullying" education, that homosexual behavior is normal and those who do not affirm it are bigots and intolerant.

This prize piece of the homosexual agenda for the state will advance the "questioning" aspect of the LGBTQ agenda. This is a morally devastating decision, with reprehensive consequences.

Again, I cannot overstate the importance of your support at this time. We will do everything we can do with God's help and your support because I believe we are called to stand against the moral decline in the culture and for righteousness. And together we must seek God's blessing and favor. This is not a political battle. It is a spiritual one.

Thank you for standing with us.

Be Vigilant. Be Discerning. Be Prayerful. Be Active.