ADF Alliance Alert

Diversity, diversity, diversity! This is oftentimes the war hymn and battle cry of organizations committed to the proliferation of homosexual and alternative lifestyles. Yet, when it comes to the actual practice of what they preach, homosexual activists are remarkably intolerant. Diverse opinions and lifestyles are only freely accepted by homosexuals when those opinions and lifestyles are consistent with their own. In this instance, you do not have diversity, but a singular view of how they believe things should be. The opinions of over 50% of Oregon’s voters that marriage means, and has always meant, one man and one woman does not, in the mind of many of Oregon’s homosexual activists, represent one of many diverse views, but an intolerant view. Thus, these activists’ vision of diversity is actually hypocrisy.

Currently, in Oregon, there is a citizen drive to put to statewide vote Oregon’s new domestic partnership laws set to go into effect on January 1, 2008. In response, the most recent brand of homosexual “diversity” in Oregon is the campaign of intimidation that was launched by Know Thy Neighbor. The purpose and design of this web site is to cast as wrong or un-American those citizens who merely exercise their God-given right to participate in the electoral and/or petition process. What’s worse is that Know Thy Neighbor’s websites shamelessly attempt to portray themselves as a pro-marriage outfit, wielding the battle cry of “Protecting ALL Oregon families.” Gay Rights Watch has also stepped up to the plate, encouraging citizens to call or e-mail regarding any person seeking signatures as part of the petition drive. Again, another scare tactic.

Regrettably, the hypocrisy exists on another level. Just two years ago, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in Planned Parenthood of Columbia/Willamette Inc. v. American Coalition of Life, 422 F.3d 949 (9th Circuit 2005) upheld large civil and punitive damages awards against pro-life advocates who distributed the names and pictures of abortionists on posters. The posters never threatened harm towards the abortionists or called for harm to come to the abortionists. In point of fact, the 9th Circuit found that “ACLA made true threats intending to intimidate physicians by generating a fear of violence, though not necessarily intending to hurt or kill these particular providers.” Thus, although the information distributed was public information, and made no threats of harm, the 9th Circuit called the perceived generated “fear of violence” sufficient for legal liability to attach. In other words, any published information, no matter how true or public, that generates a “fear of violence” is legally actionable.

It is appropriate that this case arose out of Oregon because, now, that which is good for the goose is perfectly permissible for the gander. Moreover, the circumstances presented with Know Thy Neighbor’s campaign are much more egregious than those presented in the 9th Circuit case. Here, Know Thy Neighbor’s method of distribution—the internet—is far more expansive than the posters distributed by ACLA. Moreover, though the Oregon information has not yet been posted, in its other states of Florida and Massachusetts, Know Thy Neighbor is posting the full name and full address, right down to the apartment number and county of each signor—much more information than was published about the abortionists. This information not only invites personal retribution against each signor and their property, it places each member of their family, along with children and pets, within the line of fire as well. Moreover, it invites campaigns of telephone harassment since anyone with half a brain can now lookup a signor online or in the telephone book and easily make a call. Finally, each of these citizens who chooses to participate in our great nation’s political process is subject to harassment by mail. Know Thy Neighbor is taking a divisive tactic literally to the neighborhood, attempting to create schisms within any given peaceful community in pursuit of a political objective.

To Know Thy Neighbor, political objectives are now more important than even the peaceful existence of neighborhoods and a citizen’s right to the peaceable enjoyment of their home. Their tactics lack any measure of shame. As evidence of their lack of shame and any semblance of concern for the persons whose names they post, consider the following retraction by a Massachusetts individual. This person executed an affidavit requesting that their name not be published or listed. Moreover, they claim that they did not know what they were signing, suggesting that if they had to do it all over again, they wouldn’t sign. Did Know Thy Neighbor honor this request or even suggest praise for this retractor? No. Instead, Know Thy Neighbor not only has this person remaining on its website, they elected to post her affidavit as well. This is clear evidence that Know Thy Neighbor cares nothing for Thy Neighbors.

But wait! It’s public record! What’s the big deal? The precise reason that records are public is so that the public, when necessary for a specific purpose, can lookup those records. Here, Know Thy Neighbor is making an effort to bring public information to the doorsteps of those who might never seek out the information themselves. Why? For one reason, and one reason alone—a campaign of intimidation. As the information is already public, Know Thy Neighbor can’t justify its activities under that guise. Such would be tantamount to me saying that I cite cases in my briefs in order to publish those cases. This, of course, makes no sense. The cases are already published. However, I cite them for a reason—to support my arguments and objective. Here, one must ask about the objective of Know Thy Neighbor. Under the misnomer of “marriage equality,” Know Thy Neighbor wants same-sex “marriage” legalized in Oregon. Yet, fresh off a campaign loss regarding a Constitutional Amendment preserving the definition of marriage in Oregon as between one man and one woman, Oregon’s community of alternative lifestyles is taking more desperate measures. The method here is to intimidate and scare Oregonians away from participating in their right to vote and speak their voice…