Focus on the Family Canada and Same-Sex Marriage
Parliament has finally introduced a same-sex marriage bill. (Yay!)
However, CBC's news program The Current devoted today's edition (a summary of the program should be up on their site tomorrow) to the issue and mentioned a lobby movement that is targeting undecided MP's, organised by Canada's Focus on the Family branch. This branch is funded by the American Focus on the Family association.
Dr. James Dobson (of recent SpongeBob fame and America's Focus on the Family) has spoken out against Canada's anti-hate legislation, calling it censorship and saying it infringes on religious freedom. The CRTC (Canadian Radio and Television Commission) has banned one of his radio programs because of its homophobic content. One of the articles posted on the American website (in 2003) has the title Death-knell for Traditional Marriage Sounds in Canada. At the bottom of the article Canadians are asked to email their MP "to oppose any legislation that attempts to change the traditional definition of marriage." Focus on the Family Canada is trying to organise similar letter writing campaigns as well.
I have an almost visceral reaction, like get the hell out of my country, when I hear interviews with people from this group. Dobson has asked Canadians to pray against this issue, and donate money to fight it. I heard an interview on CBC when they claimed that same-sex marriage would lead to a decline in heterosexual marriage, because 'our children won't want to marry if it's associated with gays'.
Fundamentalists are not the only people who can write letters.
This link will find your MP's address.
This petition is a quick way to show your support. We can't let these people stop this bill from being passed.
Resources gives a bit of background and strategies.
This gives some background on Dobson.
Religious Tolerance.org has some interesting articles, particularly the summary of public opinon polls, their interpretation of some of Focus on the Family Canada's ads and the timelines.
However, CBC's news program The Current devoted today's edition (a summary of the program should be up on their site tomorrow) to the issue and mentioned a lobby movement that is targeting undecided MP's, organised by Canada's Focus on the Family branch. This branch is funded by the American Focus on the Family association.
Dr. James Dobson (of recent SpongeBob fame and America's Focus on the Family) has spoken out against Canada's anti-hate legislation, calling it censorship and saying it infringes on religious freedom. The CRTC (Canadian Radio and Television Commission) has banned one of his radio programs because of its homophobic content. One of the articles posted on the American website (in 2003) has the title Death-knell for Traditional Marriage Sounds in Canada. At the bottom of the article Canadians are asked to email their MP "to oppose any legislation that attempts to change the traditional definition of marriage." Focus on the Family Canada is trying to organise similar letter writing campaigns as well.
I have an almost visceral reaction, like get the hell out of my country, when I hear interviews with people from this group. Dobson has asked Canadians to pray against this issue, and donate money to fight it. I heard an interview on CBC when they claimed that same-sex marriage would lead to a decline in heterosexual marriage, because 'our children won't want to marry if it's associated with gays'.
Fundamentalists are not the only people who can write letters.
This link will find your MP's address.
This petition is a quick way to show your support. We can't let these people stop this bill from being passed.
Resources gives a bit of background and strategies.
This gives some background on Dobson.
Religious Tolerance.org has some interesting articles, particularly the summary of public opinon polls, their interpretation of some of Focus on the Family Canada's ads and the timelines.