The National Organization for Marriage
(NOM) has targeted Colorado State Senator Pat Steadman for his
remarks in support of civil unions.
On Thursday, NOM, the nation's most
vociferous opponent of gay marriage, posted a video of Steaman's
remarks to his Senate colleagues before they voted in favor of a
civil unions bill and sent it to the House for further consideration.
Steadman, who is openly gay, has
carried the bill in the chamber for three sessions in a row.
“So, what to say to those who claim
that religion requires them to discriminate,” Steadman asked
rhetorically. “I'll tell you what I'd say – get thee to a
nunnery. Live there then. Go live a monastic life, away from modern
society, away from the people you can't see as equals to yourself.
Away from the stream of commerce where you might have to serve them,
or employ them, or rent banquet halls to them. Go someplace and be
as judgmental as you like. Go inside your church, establish separate
water fountains, if you want. But don't claim that free exercise of
religion requires the state of Colorado to establish separate water
fountains for her citizens.” (The video is embedded on this page.
Visit
our video library for more videos.)
NOM President Brian Brown wrote in blog
post that civil unions aren't a compromise but “a Trojan horse that
immediately attacks both marriage and religious liberty.”
“To make matters even worse, for
Senator Steadman religious liberty isn't simply a regrettable
casualty in the march for same-sex marriage … attacking religious
liberty is part of the point!”
“We must draw a line in the sand,”
Brown added.