The National Organization for Marriage
(NOM) released a second ad last week attacking Rhode Island Governor
Lincoln Chafee for his support of gay marriage.
In its 60-second radio spot, the
nation's most vociferous opponent of gay marriage accused Chafee of
“wasting time trying to redefine marriage instead of solving our
economic problems.”
“He's got time to pressure lawmakers
about gay marriage, but needs more time to get his economic plan
together?” a woman tells a man in the ad.
“Sounds like he's wasting time.”
“I don't want legislators messing
with marriage,” the woman adds. “Marriage brings men and women
together to help ensure that as many children as possible are raised
by a mom and a dad. And kids need a mom and a dad.”
The ad comes just three weeks after the
group argued in a television ad that Chafee's November 2 win wasn't
decisive enough for him to back a gay marriage proposal.
“A close race for governor. Lincoln
Chafee gets just 36 percent of the vote. Fewer votes than the Cool
Moose Party,” a female announcer says with a giggle, referring to
Cool Moose perennial candidate Robert Healey's race for Rhode Island
lieutenant governor.
“Now Chafee claims a mandate to push
gay marriage with no vote of the people. Eighty percent of Rhode
Islanders want the chance to vote on marriage just as voters in 31
other states have done,” she adds. (The video is embedded in the
right panel of this page.)
Lawmakers are expected to begin debate
on a gay marriage bill on Wednesday.
In his inauguration speech, Chafee, a
Republican turned independent, reiterated his call for lawmakers to
legalize gay marriage and argued that the institution would be an
economic boom for the state.
“Lincoln Chafee has recently asked
for more time to work on the state budget, but our question is why
has he been wasting the state's time pushing his same-sex marriage
agenda instead of focusing on the economy?” Christopher Plante,
executive director of the Rhode Island chapter of NOM, said in a
statement.
Legislators in Rhode Island have
considered a gay marriage bill every year since 1997.
Maryland
lawmakers will also debate the issue this session. Hawaii
will debate a civil unions bill.