On June 19 of this year, the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) hosted its second annual \u201cMarch for Marriage\u201d in Washington, D.C. An article posted on NOM\u2019s website two days before the march expressed hope that the event would \u201cencourage each of us to continue standing up without fear in the legal, political, and cultural spheres to preserve marriage and every child\u2019s right to both a mother and a father.\u201d In an email to supporters sent out the same day, the national lobbying group Concerned Women for America (CWA) also promoted the march, saying that \u201cGod\u2019s model for marriage is under attack, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to stand for truth in this area.\u201d This urgent, battle-ready language is typical of conservative Christian rhetoric on the issue, which depicts gay marriage as a force that will debase American families, victimize children, and ruin the nation as a whole. Meanwhile, supporters of gay marriage portray groups like NOM and CWA as the real threats to the nation\u2019s values, its children, and its families. The pro-gay Family Equality Council recently filed an amicus brief in a Virginia gay marriage case, focusing on the children of same-sex couples and arguing that \u201cthe denial of marriage as an option for their parents affects their legal well-being, personal self-esteem, and sense of purpose.\u201d On both sides of the debate, activists and spokespeople identify themselves as \u201csupporters of marriage\u201d and portray their adversaries as dangerous forces, not only in terms of this issue but also in terms of Americans\u2019 well-being and the well-being of America.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
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