NOM Strategist Now Supports Gay Marriage

Louis J. Marinelli, the National Organization for Marriage’s former tour organizer, says he now supports civil marriage equality for LGBT people.

Marinelli, who was known for railing against the LGBT community via Facebook and Twitter posts has now posted a statement on his blog saying:

Having spent the last five years putting all of my political will, interest and energy into fighting against the spread of same-sex marriage as if it were a contagious disease, I must admit that it is hard for me to put the following text into words let alone utter them with my own voice.

Whether it is an issue of disbelief, shame or embarrassment, the one thing that is for sure is that I have come to this point after several months of an internal conflict with myself. That conflict gradually tore away at me until recently when I was able to for the first time simply admit to myself that I do in fact support civil marriage equality.

Marinelli says he eventually realized that he was “surrounded by hateful people; propping up a cause I created five years ago, a cause which I had begun to question” and that he “aimed to extend an olive branch” by way of erasing disparaging comments and banning the people who posted them.

Once you understand the great difference between civil marriage and holy marriage, there is not one valid reason to forbid the former from same-sex couples, and all that is left to protect is the latter.

Indeed Christians and Catholics alike are well within their right to demand that holy matrimony, a sacrament and service performed by the Church and recognized by the Church, remains between a man and a woman as their faith would dictate. However, that has nothing to do with civil marriage, performed and recognized by the State in accordance with state law.

My name is Louis J. Marinelli, a conservative-Republican and I now support full civil marriage equality. The constitution calls for nothing less.

NOM Strategist, Louis J. Marinelli, Declares Support For Same-Sex Marriage [HuffPo]

National Organization For Marriage tour organizer/Facebook moderator does startling about-face [Good As You]