Jerry Buell faced jihad against him for
his recent comments opposing gay marrriage, National Organization for
Marriage President Brian Brown says.
Brown, who helms the nation's most
vocal group opposed to gay marriage, told supporters in a recent blog
update that Buell was the victim of a holy war.
Buell is the Florida school teacher who
faced suspension for posting on his Facebook page that passage of a
marriage equality law in New York had made him sick. He returned to
the classroom on Thursday after arguing
that such speech was protected under the First Amendment. School
officials would not comment on whether Buell had been reprimanded.
“The fatwa against Jerry Buell …
has just failed!” Brown wrote. “Jerry won a battle, but the
jihad continues.”
Brown went on describe the gay marriage
debate as an attempt to oppress opponents.
“But you and I have always fought
together under the banner of truth. Together, truth and love will
prevail, as [NOM board chair] Maggie [Gallagher] says. Not truth
without the love of God and our neighbor in our hearts. Nor a Love
which is afraid to speak truth for fear of being labeled a bigot or a
hater by those who wield scorn and hatred as a weapon to suppress the
truth and those who speak it.”
“They can only win if they can get us
to accept and internalize the second-class status they propose for
us. To accept our own marginalization, to be quiet, to stand down
and keep our heads down.”
“We are looking into the face of a
movement which wants, in the name of equality, to take away your
rights and the rights of millions of decent, loving, law-abiding
Americans who 'cling' – yes, I'm not afraid to call it that! – to
God, common sense, and the best of America's long traditions of
respect for Judeo-Christian values.”
Similar rhetoric has also been heard on
the campaign trail. At a South Carolina stop, presidential hopeful
Rick
Santorum claimed the gay community had waged jihad against him
for his opposition to marriage equality.