Brian Brown, president of the National
Organization for Marriage (NOM), has accused the Human Rights
Campaign (HRC) of promoting “anti-family imperialism.”
HRC has released a report titled
Exposed:
The Export of Hate, which seeks to shine a light on the
“network of American extremists who work tirelessly to undercut
LGBT people around the world at every turn.”
Brown is among those profiled in Export
of Hate.
“When you knock over a core pillar of
society like marriage,” Brown is quoted as saying, “and then try
to redefine biblical views of marriage as bigotry, there will be
consequences. Will one of the consequences be a serious push to
normalize pedophilia?”
Brown responded to the report in an
op-ed published Friday in The Washington Times and titled The
Human Rights Campaign's Anti-Family Imperialism.
Without providing any evidence, Brown
accused HRC of misrepresenting facts and “twisting them beyond
recognition to justify the charge that somehow supporting marriage as
the union of one man and one woman around the world is wrong.”
“I readily and proudly plead guilty
to the 'crime' of not supporting that organization’s desire to
redefine marriage. I have had the nerve to express that view not
only here in America, but when invited to speak in other countries.
Hence, in the distorted world of the campaign, I am an extremist and
'export hate.'”
HRC is “the phalanx of a new form of
cultural imperialism that seeks to overthrow the traditions, wisdom
and reason of cultures and faiths around the world,” Brown said.
Brown argued that he was not exporting
hate “but love.”
“I am proud to have played some small
role in this emerging global movement,” he said. “One of the few
things the Human Rights Campaign correctly notes is that I have
spoken to conferences around the world. However, these speeches
focused not on 'hate' or 'division' but on the importance of
individuals of different faiths, nationalities, cultures and
political creeds uniting together in a shared defense of the truth of
marriage and family. Working together with men and women dedicated
to protecting the family is not the definition of hate, but love.”
Last month, Brown attended a gathering
of social conservatives in Moscow, which ended with an urgent appeal
to the world to adopt more Russian-style bans that outlaw so-called
“homosexual propaganda.” Russia has said its law is needed to
protect children.