The Abuse Formula

NOM’s Ad Campaign Follows Conservative Tenet: Exploit Children

 

 

Maggie Gallagher’s National Organization For Marriage‘s ad spots airing this week in New York City and the state capitol, Albany, NY, may be new but are following an old formula, one that worked in California: exploit children.

You’ll remember, last month the Alliance Defense Fund admitted that it stumbled upon a formula that has worked for centuries, and worked well enough in California to convince fence-sitters to vote for Prop 8: scare people by saying children are at risk, in danger, in harm’s way, will be compromised, whatever sounds good. The new ads, similar in formula to those NOM released which reportedly cost Maggie $100,000, feature African-Americans and a “scary” voice-over that claims there are “consequences” to children if gay marriage becomes legal. The ad doesn’t spell out what those consequences are, leaving the listener to wonder or “fill in the blank”. No doubt, NOM is hoping the blank will be filled in with visions of child molestation and abandonment.

See NOM’s recent ad, “NY Consequences”, airing this week in NYC and Albany:

And NOM’s “Confused Children” ad from last month:

Perhaps the clearest voice in this battle comes from Michelangelo Signorile, who said in this CNN spot, kids are confused about why the sun is in the sky, have questions, need adults to be responsible and explain life to them.

Sounds better than exploiting them. At least, to me it does.