Louis Marinelli, a key activist with the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), an anti-gay group that the Southern Poverty Law Center includes on its official list of hate groups, has recanted his opposition to civil marriage rights for same-sex couples.
From Good As You:
While still not in full support of homosexuality on some levels (where he needs our help to correct misinformation), Louis is now a) repudiating virtually all of the vitriol that he put on the public record; b) is owning up to the major role that he’s played with NOM, including admitting that he was the impetus behind the whole summer tour; and c) is coming out in full support of the civil marriage rights that gay people are seeking.
And even more important that that: He, the man who gave NOM its official “protect marriage” Facebook page and who has been working as an independent contractor with the org. ever since (and still is, reporting directly to Brian Brown, at least up until the moment this post goes live), quite literally credits exposure to the NOM tour as the very thing that led to his change of heart!!!!!
NOM’S Tour mastermind, Facebook founder and online strategist, Louis Marinelli, now supports our civil marriage equality! The [driving force behind the] much-ballyhooed Summer Marriage tour 2010 opened his eyes!
If you’re interested in the gay marriage rights, Marinelli’s recantation is a fascinating read.
Tellingly, he says at the top, “I am neither a psychologist nor does psychology interest me,” which, as they say, speaks volumes. It may also explain the limits to the evolution in his thinking:
My transition from an opponent of same-sex marriage to a supporter does not mean I suddenly think homosexuality is a good thing.
I personally disagree with it. The same way I disagree with many other things other people do with their lives. That doesn’t give me or anyone else the right to prevent homosexuals from being homosexuals or to take away their constitutionally protected civil rights as American citizens.
While Marinelli’s opposition to gayness seems to be based on religious teachings, he says he is an agnostic.
[And] while homosexual acts may very well be “immoral” in the eyes of Christian morality, I can no longer stand by any comments I’ve made in the past about the immorality of homosexuality. There are a variety of different sets and sources of morals and no one has the right to impose their set on the rest of society.
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This is an amazing metaphorsis, which may not yet be complete.
