The Catholic Church’s “Marriage Unique for a Reason” page has posted a round-up of various bishops’ disappointed reactions to the marriage equality victories in Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, and Washington this week. The Church was one of the single biggest funders of the anti-equality campaigns and a partner in all four states. These reactions reveal how Church leaders continue to condemn homosexuality and ostracize same-sex families while simultaneously claiming not to discriminate. As Cardinal Dolan indicated this week, they remain committed to fighting equality moving forward:

Bishop Richard Malone (formerly of Portland, Maine): “I trust that those who voted for such a radical change did so out of concern for our brothers and sisters who struggle with same-sex attraction.”

Archibishop William Lori (Baltimore, Maryland): “[We need to] redouble our efforts to defend marriage, to preach about what marriage is, and to help people understand it as a unique relationship that does not discriminate against anyone, but is for the good of children and for the good of society.

Maryland Catholic Conference: “The ballot language they encountered masked the fact that this law does not simply assign civil benefits to gay and lesbian couples, but drastically dismantles in our state law the fundamental family unit of mother, father and child.”

Minnesota Catholic Conference: “Our position on the amendment was never ‘anti’ anyone, but ‘for’ marriage. We continue to emphasize that everyone, including those with same-sex attraction, must be treated with charity, dignity, and respect.”

Archdiocese of St. Paul/Minneapolis: “The Church’s public advocacy of support for the Minnesota Marriage Protection Amendment has always been rooted in our commitment to advance the common good for human society. [...] We will continue to work to strengthen marriage, and defend it against all forms of its weakening, for the good of all society.”

Archbishop J. Peter Sartain (Seattle, Washington): “I am disappointed that so many voters failed to recognize marriage between a man and a woman as the natural institution for the permanent, faithful covenant of love for a couple, for bringing children into the world, and for nurturing and educating those children. This change in civil law is not in the best interest of children or society.”

Though the Catholic Church strives to create a society where same-sex couples simply do not exist, they will increasingly have to co-exist with a nation that recognizes and welcomes these families into its communities.

Senator-elect Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)

In no uncertain terms, this year’s election was a sweeping mandate on LGBT equality. Forgotten is 2008′s bittersweet realization that though Barack Obama had won, California’s Proposition 8 had passed. Instead, this election’s returns show a new America poised to move forward and ensure that sexual orientation and gender identity are never barriers to freedom and security. Here’s a glimpse of just how sweeping the victory is for the LGBT community:

Maine

Maine’s voters have approved marriage equality with 53 percent in favor and 47 percent opposed, a complete reversal of the 2009 people’s veto of the very same law. Victory in Maine demonstrates the incredible power of personally connecting with voters, as advocates spent everyday since the 2009 loss canvassing to reach out. It is a significant milestone, because it is the first state to extend the freedom to marry entirely through a grassroots effort: voters brought forth a petition and then voters approved it. Conservatives cannot point to judges or lawmakers and somehow claim that the people did not have a say.

Maryland

Maryland also approved marriage equality by a 52-48 margin, proving that efforts to drive a wedge between the gay and black communities will not succeed. Like in Maine, the people had the opportunity to weigh in, and they weighed in on the side of equality and validating the legislature’s decision to pass same-sex marriage. This is also a significant win for Gov. Martin O’Malley (D), who championed this legislation all year long.

Washington [UPDATED]

UPDATE: As of Wednesday afternoon, victory has been officially declared in Washington for marriage equality!

This morning, Washington’s Referendum 74 is still too close to call, but with the votes coming in so far, it is leading 52-48. Given Washington’s victory in approving everything-but-marriage domestic partnerships in 2009, there is reason to be optimistic that its voters once again sided with equality.

Minnesota

Though Minnesota does not have marriage equality to embrace yet, the 51-48 defeat of its marriage inequality amendment is a significant victory. Opponents have boasted that in every state where voters have the chance to limit marriage to opposite-sex couples, they have done so, and Minnesota breaks that record. In addition, Democrats won control of both chambers of Minnesota’s legislature, ensuring that there will not be future attempts to enshrine discrimination in the constitution anytime soon.

LGBT Candidates

Yesterday was an historic victory for openly LGBT candidates, and the next Congress will break records for its significant out contingent. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) will become the first LGBT member of the Senate. Mark Pocan (D-WI) will fill her House seat, joined by fellow newcomer Sean Patrick Maloney (D) of New York. In addition, Reps. Jared Polis (D-CO) and David Cicilline (D-RI) won re-election. A projected winner remains to be called in the House races for Mark Takano (D-CA) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), but they are both leading in the polls so far and could add to the record-breaking LGBT caucus.

(UPDATE: Mark Tokano has declared victory.)

One out candidate who did not win was Massachusetts Republican Richard Tisei, though this does not necessarily represent a loss for the LGBT community. Incumbent victor John Tierney (D) is a dedicated ally to the LGBT community who does not bear the same risk of further empowering conservatives who would act against equality.
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Tomorrow, four states will have the opportunity to weigh in on the question of marriage equality, three of which will have the opportunity to embrace the freedom for the very first time. All four campaigns have had fierce efforts both for and against, with millions of dollars spent on ads. As election day approaches, here is a final look at what the campaigns have been saying to the public in Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, and Washington.

Opponents of marriage equality have run fairly uniform ads across four states, largely because the National Organization for Marriage has been the primary source of funding in every one of those campaigns. Most of these ads have relied on misleading claims that individuals who would prefer to discriminate against same-sex couples as victims. Others rely on the false threat that schools will suddenly teach young children about sexuality. One of NOM’s final ads compiles all of these lies into one clip that attempts to scare voters about the “broken promises” of marriage equality. Despite these very negative scare tactics, NOM’s last ad paints opposing equality under the veneer of love and respect for gay people. Watch the Minnesota version of this underhanded ad:

Meanwhile, the state campaigns for equality have actually run very independent campaigns, featuring individuals who live in the state rather than imported scare tactics:
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Preserve Marriage Washington (PMW), the campaign against Referendum 74 to approve marriage equality in the northwest state, apparently felt the need to buy friends to look like a relevant player. Washington United for Marriage (WUM) researched some conspicuous activity on the anti-gay group’s Facebook page and found that its growth was marked by huge sudden spikes in “Likes” corresponding with days the “most popular city” supporting the page was in a foreign country.

The first spike took place between August 20 and 22, when PMW jumped from about 2,500 Facebook fans to over 10,000. During the same time, the most popular city was New York City, then finally Makati, Philippines. Shortly thereafter, Facebook started cracking down on fake “Likes” and PMW suddenly lost 4,000 fans. Since then, there have been three additional spikes, corresponding with apparent popularity in Chemnitz, Germany; Bangkok, Thailand; and Vilnius, Lithuania. Every spike had a similar drop-off days later as Facebook weeded out the fake fans. In total, the group has tried to add 16,000 fake “Likes” since August (click to see full-size):

WUM campaign manager Zach Silk pulled no punches in calling out PMW’s blatant dishonesty:

SILK: It’s probably not surprising that the same group that distorts the truth and tries to confuse voters would go so far as to buy their supposed ‘grassroots’ fan base and violate the terms of Facebook. Clearly, our opponents don’t give a hoot about the truth. It’s just hard to believe that people in Southeast Asia or Northern Europe care all that much about Referendum 74 in Washington.

There does seem to be a fair correlation between a campaign’s honest advocacy and the support that it garners. The Approve 74 campaign showed what a normal progression of Facebook support looks like:

The campaigns against marriage equality in Maryland, Maine, Minnesota, and Washington are all running some variation on an ad featuring David and Tonia Parker, a Massachusetts couple who in 2005 objected to their kids learning in school that same-sex marriages existed. Conservatives regularly highlight David Parker as a victim to scare voters, but his story is told in incredibly misleading ways.

There is a big difference between mentioning that some kids — including students in the class — have same-sex parents and teaching about same-sex sexuality. The former is what happened in schools, but the latter is what the Parkers claim they objected to. In fact, David Parker so objected to the use of materials including all families that he appeared at the school to protest and refused to leave, forcing an arrest for trespassing. Parker then sued and a federal judge dismissed his complaint, saying that schools are “entitled to teach anything that is reasonably related to the goals of preparing students to become engaged and productive citizens in our democracy.” Parker has since become an outspoken enemy of LGBT equality; Jeremy Hooper has a round-up of his various interviews, in which he calls homosexuality a disease, claims that gay people “use” and harm their children, and urges schools to promote harmful ex-gay therapy.

Parker responded to Hooper’s clips to make one clarification about whether homosexuality is a “disease,” choosing instead to describe it as an “addiction” that people are “drawn in” to:

PARKER: I could have been more clear about the “disease” correlation. If you really listen — I was led down this thought path unprepared — and went reluctantly and clumsily. Let me clarify — I believe that engaging in homosexual conduct becomes more addictive with practiced frequency until a person “feels” like that’s “who they are.” It shouldn’t be contriversial [sic] that a “sexual feeling” has a physiological addictiveness — when something “feels good” to a person — psychologically, they are compelled to do it more. I also believe that intense love for the same gender is NOT “homosexuality” — as is commonly understood. I also, VERY strongly believe that sexuality is fluid — especially when young. And, I do not look down on persons with same-sex attraction; my worldview informs me that ALL of humanity has urges and temptations  — and the more you “give in” the more you are “drawn in.” I hope you except [sic] the authenticity to genuinely put forth my clarification, though, I know this is not an explanation that you will embrace.

David Parker does not have any known psychological qualifications to inform his positions, which is likely why his understanding of homosexuality in no way aligns with what all professional social science organizations have been saying for decades. Given that many consider addictions like alcoholism to be a disease, his clarification here is a distinction without a difference. He clearly sees gays and lesbians as disordered and troubled and not worthy of respect in society, which is why he has no problem serving as a spokesperson against equality at every opportunity.

Watch a mash-up of the Parkers’ ad as it’s running in all four state campaigns, with comparisons to fear-mongering ads of the past:

With the first pro-marriage equality President’s reelection vote and four states’ referenda coming up in less than 40 days, the ad war over equality is heating up. ThinkProgress has put together a handy guide to some of the misleading and false claims that you’ll see on the airwaves from now until November 6th.

First up, an advertisement from “God Said,” an anti-Obama group whose avowed goal is splitting African-American voters from the President:

Aside from its nakedly theocratic appeal and false implication that religious African-Americans uniformly oppose equality, the ad’s basic contention is that gay couples can’t fulfill the biblical mandate to “be fruitful and multiply.” Ostensibly that would also mean sterile couples who adopt children shouldn’t be able to get married either, but thankfully this highly literal view of Biblical marriage is by no means universally shared among people of faith.

The next ad, from Washington State’s anti-equality group PreserveMarriage, picks up on the theme that gay families aren’t real marriages:

Of course, it is about equality: civil unions are a separate-but-unequal solution that fails to provide full equality for LGBT couples. Moreover, the ad’s suggestion that equality has led to the legal persecution of anti-gay churches is not only false, but also a means of shifting the debate away from the rights owed to LGBT Americans as free and equal citizens.

The final ad, from Maryland, goes all-in on the “equality hurts children” argument:

There is no credible evidence that same-sex parenting hurts children and a wealth of evidence suggesting it doesn’t.

The transparent weakness of the arguments in these ads against marriage equality helps explain the massive swing in public opinion over the past few years — anti-equality advocates simply have nothing persuasive to say to the majority of Americans who solidly support marriage equality.