Exploiting fear of gay marriage is profitable

Sadly, disgustingly American conservative groups have found manipulating the fear of gay marriage a potent tool for bringing in the bucks. John and Jane Q Moron would forego a few evenings at Red Lobster than let it be seen that sapphists and sodomites can share their lives with fidelity and harmony.

[Rev. Donald E. Wildmon of Tupelo, Miss] meeting gave birth to a concerted campaign for a constitutional amendment blocking gay marriage that some Christian conservative leaders say is helping revitalize their movement. It is giving them a rare opportunity to forge potential alliances with African-American and Hispanic churchgoers. And it promises to reopen the flow of financial contributions to their advocacy groups that had slowed to a trickle when Republicans took over Washington.

Damn, when Rev. Wildmon got started long ago I thought he was just a fringe loony who'd fizzle out. Instead he evolved into a major force for born-again evil.

"Things have not gone well in the past couple of years," said Paul M. Weyrich, chairman of the Free Congress Foundation. "The movement had not been gaining members, it has not been winning battles, with the exception of the pro-life issue, and those were marginal battles. This issue has come along and it appears to be turning things around." ...

But some in the movement believe opposition to gay marriage could make for even more effective direct mail — the financial lifeblood of most advocacy groups — than their other great cause, the fight against abortion. "Abortion has never been a strong direct-mailer," said Richard A. Viguerie, founder of American Target Advertising and the dean of conservative direct mail.

For decades Viguerie has proven that no one knows more about what will motivate the bigoted to open their wallet. Never thought you were that scarey, did you?

David D. Kirkpatrick, The New York Times: Conservatives Use Gay Union as Rallying Cry

Also: Republicans will win because Americans are backward