As VOM, they did their worst, while claiming that everything the good side did was immoral or illegal, while all their unethical and maybe illicit tricks were justified. Of course, it was the pro-same-sex-marriage and pro-same-sex-adoption people who were actually for marriage and for the welfare of the children and families.
The specious misnaming continues, but after their huge amendment defeat in June, the VOM arm of Mass Family Institute was reduced to sputtering, "Just you wait." The best they could come up with was an impotent threat to defeat the 11 legislators who saw the future in fairness and not in discrimination.
Note: I predicted that MFI head Kris Mineau is on his way out. I stand by that. He was useful as the key fund raiser. That ability has diminished manifold.
Last week's email blast shows the further lessened expectations. You can also see the no-longer-VOM goals on the renamed group's website. As they put it there:
Our five goals are simple . . .
Educate
We will let the citizens of Massachusetts, particularly those who attend church, know the real-life consequences of same-sex marriage, AND simple steps they can take to get involved in our battle, right in their communities.
Advocate
We will continue to let our grassroots know what issues impacting the family are currently being debated on Beacon Hill, and provide easy ways for them to contact their state representatives and senators.
Train
Our volunteers want to learn more about the nuts and bolts of how to effectively lobby their elected officials, how to run a campaign for public office, and how to organize their fellow parishioners to be more involved. We need to provide them with the expert tools and training to accomplish these goals.
Recruit
We will expand our base of volunteers, so when we are ready to begin another petition to restore traditional marriage, our army of grassroots supporters is larger than ever.
Elect
We can assist candidates who favor traditional values and provide the kind of support they need to win election. We need to turn the State House around and bring people with strength of character, who cannot be bribed or threatened, into public office.
If you agree with us that a strong grassroots pro-family movement is necessary to turn our state around, please volunteer and donate.
There's a trove of tiny gems there, including:
- A promise of continued propaganda and lies, as in telling citizens "the real-life consequences of same-sex marriage." In the real world, of course, that would be that life goes on, with couples, their kids, whole families thriving. Then there is the MFI reality.
- After getting out-lobbied, out-reasoned, and out-organized by MassEquality and its friends, the no-longer-VOM tries on the good guys' clothes. They claim to be a real grassroots organization with widespread voter support, able to convince lawmakers and run for office themselves. Clearly, saying and doing are very different.
- The recruiting goal is particularly poignant. this renamed Coalition wants to "expand our base of volunteers (to have) an army of grassroots supporters..." That too would be MassEquality in real life. The day when it was okay to discriminate are past, as seen in the last elections and last ConCon.
- They have also reframed themselves throughout their website as a primarily Catholic organization, instead of that broad, grassroots one in their goals. Check out their links and their call to become a rep for them in your own parish. Here's betting that Catholics who might have considered donating would rather give to a charity or project that helps people instead.
Now they say they want to elect reps and senators who "favor traditional values." They say they will "turn the state House around and bring people with strength of character, who cannot be bribed or threatened, into public office." That is, this group who was unable to defeat a single pro-equality candidate claims that it will, in effect, slowly replace over half the legislature. I guess they operate in geologic time.
The recurring theme seems to be that last phrase, "volunteer and donate." Lackaday for them, they jerked their supporters, including the local Roman Catholic clerics and prelates, around to the point of whiplash. It's going to be near impossible for them to get enough people to keep them in business, much less mount another petition drive. In addition, legislators are not stupid in a the main. They know people are sick of the vitriol, particularly when a trip with MFI and VOM led nowhere good.
Humiliation by association is not what politicians like or repeat.
This Coalition of a decreasing number of the befuddled and ill-meaning has vastly lowered its ambitions. Yet there is still a lot of bluster there. They have tasted defeat and they can smell the end. They just can't quite face reality.
Lapsed liberals, like Ray Flynn, and defeated legislators, like Marie Parente, were big supporters of the aims and tactics of VOM. The old group promised much, produced little and ultimately failed. The new version is the asthenic offspring with even less ability or attraction. Even VOM's old fart supporters must be too gun shy to align themselves with the watered down reincarnation.
Tags: massmarrier, Massachusetts, amendment, Mineau, Ray Flynn, same sex marriage, ConCon, Coalition for Marriage and Family, Vote on Marriage
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