When I first got in the car to track NOM’s “Summer for Marriage” bus tour, I knew my job would be to document NOM’s lies and the stories of people who showed up to support equality. I did so to change the hearts and minds of the American public watching, listening, and reading out there.
I never imagined we would change the heart and mind of one Louis Marinelli, our old adversary who proposed and masterminded the NOM bus tour in the first place. But today, Louis announced he’s supporting marriage equality – because of the experience he had on the NOM bus tour!
Together, we made a difference by confronting NOM and turning out supporters at NOM’s stops all over the country to change Louis’ mind. Can you chip in so we can change even more minds?
If we can change Louis’ mind, we can change anyone’s. Louis and our team sparred at nearly every location. He’s the same guy who said “homosexuality” is “immoral” and an “abomination”, that all “homosexuals” are single, that they have a shorter life span, that they only care about themselves, and worse.
Yet today, in an interview with Good As You’s Jeremy Hooper, he apologized for all of these statements, and said:
One of the last tour stops added to the itinerary was Atlanta and I bring this site up because it was in Atlanta that I can remember that I questioned what I was doing for the first time. The NOM showing in the heart of the Bible-belt was dismal and the hundreds of counter-protesters who showed up were nothing short of inspiring.Atlanta was where 254 equality supporters outnumbered just 20 NOM supporters, and I confronted Dr. Alveda King, Martin Luther King’s niece, about her hateful support for segregating people based on sexual orientation. Atlanta was the turning point for Louis, and we made it happen!
Even though I had been confronted by the counter-protesters throughout the marriage tour, the lesbian and gay people whom I made a profession out of opposing became real people for me almost instantly. For the first time I had empathy for them and remember asking myself what I was doing. If my transition from opponent to supporter of same-sex civil marriage was a timeline, Atlanta would be indicated by the first point on the line.
Can you chip in so we can create even more moments like Atlanta? We’ll use your money to continue producing stories like Ed and Derence’s to change hearts and minds, covering NOM’s lies, and fighting for civil marriage equality across the nation.
www.couragecampaign.org/changingheartsandminds
Thank you for your support. We’re making a difference!
Together for equality,
Arisha Hatch
National Field Director, Courage Campaign/NOM Tour Tracker
Courage Campaign Equality is a part of the Courage Campaign's multi-issue online organizing network that empowers more than 700,000 grassroots and netroots supporters to push for progressive change and full equality in California and across the country. To get involved in Courage Campaign Equality, visit "Testimony: Take a Stand" -- the first-ever fully searchable hub of LGBT stories to use for organizing.
To support our work to hold NOM accountable, please chip in what you can today:
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