AFTAH Joins Texas Groups in Urging Gov. Abbott to Call a Special Legislative Session to Defend Texas’ Marriage Amendment

SCOTUS decision could negate a vote of 76% of Texas voters; Dr. Hotze: Gov. Abbott has been “AWOL” on defending Texas Marriage Amendment

Will Gov. Abbott act to defend marriage in Texas? Dr. Steve Hotze of Conservative Republicans of Texas presents letter signed by Texas pro-life and pro-family leaders to an aide to Gov. Greg. Abbott. The letter calls on the governor to call a special legislative session to defend Texas’ popular marriage-protection amendment–which could be negated by a Supreme Court ruling “nationalizing” homosexuality-based “marriage.”

The following is taken from an e-mail sent out June 4 by Dr. Steve Hotze, president of Conservative Republicans of Texas calling for a special legislative session to defend real (traditional) marriage in Texas from being redefined by the U.S. Supreme Court. The actual pro-family coalition letter is at the bottom of this post:

Urge Governor Abbott to Call a Special Legislative Session to
Defend State Sovereignty and the Texas Marriage Amendment

Sign Petition Below

June 4, 2015

Governor Greg Abbott must call a Special Legislative Session to defend the Texas Marriage Amendment and assert our state sovereignty!

During the recent Legislative Session, Republicans in the Texas House and Senate were blocked by the pro-homosexual Democrats from voting on legislation that would have defended the Texas Marriage Amendment. That proposed legislation, HB 4105, The Preservation of State Sovereignty and Marriage Act, had overwhelming support of Texas Republican State Legislators. In fact, 92 of 150 state representatives coauthored HB 4105. The Democrats were able to filibuster and throw up roadblocks to prevent this bill from being voted upon.

AFTAH President Peter LaBarbera with Dr. Steve Hotze, President of Conservative Republicans of Texas, in front of the Texas State Capitol building in Austin. Click to enlarge.

Republicans in the Texas House had to settle for a Legal Memorandum supporting traditional marriage and the Republicans in the Senate were only able to pass a resolution supporting traditional marriage, SR 1028. Unfortunately, neither of these has the force of law.

Your voice needs to be heard! You can still help make sure that this legislation is passed.
You need to act today! You are a part of the 76% that voted for the Texas Marriage Amendment.

Governor Abbott needs to hear from you now because he has been AWOL as Governor on defending the Texas Marriage Amendment. He refused to sponsor or speak at either one of the Defense of Texas Marriage Amendment Rallies. In fact Daniel Hodge, Governor Abbott’s Chief of Staff, tried to intimidate me into cancelling the Defense of the Texas Marriage Amendment Rally at the state convention. The first rally was held at the Republican State Convention on June 5, 2014 and the second one was held at the Texas State Capitol on March 23, 2015 which featured Chief Justice Roy Moore of Alabama. In contrast to Abbott, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz spoke at the state convention rally. Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and Attorney General Ken Paxton spoke at both rallies.

Encourage Governor Abbott to call a Special Legislative Session to defend the Texas Marriage Amendment and to advance state rights and state sovereignty which are guaranteed by the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”

1. Contact Governor Abbott and ask him to call a Special Session to defend the Texas Marriage Amendment. You can reach his office at (512) 463-2000. You can also send him an email: https://gov.texas.gov/contact/assistance.aspx Call and email key members of his staff at the following numbers:

• Daniel Hodge, Chief of Staff: (512) 463-2000
• Kim Snyder, Scheduling: (512) 463-7210
• Stacey Napier, Administrative Director: (512) 463-2000
• Luis Saenz, Appointments Director: (512) 463-1828
• Randy Erben, Legislative Director: (512) 463-1830
• Matt Hirsch, Communications Director: (512) 463-1826
• Amelia Chasse, Press Secretary: (512) 463-1826
• Kara Belew, Budget Director: (512) 463-1778
• Drew DeBerry, Policy Director: (512) 463-1778
• Jimmy Blacklock, General Counsel: (512) 463-1788

You can also copy their emails below and send them a single email by placing the emails in the cc field:

• Daniel.hodge@gov.texas.gov
• kim.snyder@gov.texas.gov
• Stacey.napier@gov.texas.gov
• luis.saenz@gov.texas.gov
• randy.erben@gov.texas.gov
• matt.hirsch@gov.texas.gov
• Amelia.chasse@gov.texas.gov
• kara.belew@gov.texas.gov
• drew.deberry@gov.texas.gov
• jimmy.blacklock@gov.texas.gov

2. Contact Lt. Governor Patrick and request that he encourage Governor Abbott to call a Special Session to defend the Texas Marriage Amendment: (512) 463-0001 and email him at dan.patrick@ltgov.state.tx.us.

3. Contact your Texas State Senator at https://www.txdirectory.com/online/txsenate/ and your Texas State Representative at https://www.txdirectory.com/online/txhouse/ and ask them to add their names to the letter requesting that Governor Abbott call a Special Session to defend the Texas Marriage Amendment.

4. Sign the ONLINE PETITION requesting a Special Session at http://www.crtpac.com

Results of Overturning the Texas Marriage Amendment and Redefining Marriage

Marriage is a God-ordained institution. “For this cause shall a man leave his father and his mother and cleave to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24)

The idea that homosexuals could be married is a ‘mirage.’ It is contrary to God’s moral order. It’s a counterfeit. It’s a lie.

This issue is not about equality, rather it is about redefining marriage. If the Texas Marriage Amendment is overturned permanently, then individuals, families, churches, schools and businesses would be coerced and compelled to recognize and affirm homosexuality and other perverse and deviant sexual relationships as morally and legally equivalent to marriage. The civil government would force us to accept, affirm and celebrate those who practice homosexuality. Minority status would be conferred upon homosexuals based upon their chosen, perverse sexual activity. To base minority status upon a sinful lifestyle is just absurd! Should minority status be granted to adulterers, pornographers, thieves or embezzlers?

It would be mandated that homosexuality be taught to children in the schools as normal and healthy. The children would be encouraged to experiment with homosexuality, so that they could be easily recruited into the homosexual lifestyle. The homosexuals are intent on creating a sexual revolution that will bring moral anarchy to our society.

If this occurs, then anyone who speaks out against homosexuality and deviant sexual relationships will be prosecuted for hate speech and hate crimes. This would violate the Constitutional rights of the majority of citizens to their freedom of speech and freedom of religion.

Homosexuals, who make up less than 3% of the population, are the flea on the tail that is wagging the dog.

If you do not think that this could happen in Texas, then it is vital that you educate yourself on what has occurred in Massachusetts since homosexual ‘mirage’ was allowed by the courts there in 2003. If you want to know what the horrendous, long term, adverse effects of legalizing homosexual “marriages” are, then you simply must watch this shocking 28 minute documentary, entitled What Same-Sex Marriage Has Done for Massachusetts. You may watch it online at http://www.massresistance.org/docs/marriage/video_2013/index.html.

This documentary reveals how radical and evil the homosexual movement and its agenda are. It demonstrates the dramatic legal changes that the homosexuals and their allies have imposed on every area of life in Massachusetts since 2003, when ‘homosexual mirage’ was legalized by the Massachusetts Supreme Court. It should be viewed by everyone who wants to take a stand and fight for God’s standard for marriage.

This is spiritual warfare. See Ephesians 6:10-20.

“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness.” (Isaiah 5:20)

State Sovereignty vs. Judicial Supremacy

There is nothing in the U.S. Constitution that gives the federal government or the federal courts any authority to impose homosexual ‘mirage’ on the states. Since the founding of our nation, family law has always been under the sole jurisdiction of the states. Any ruling to the contrary is illegitimate and must be opposed by Governor Abbott, Lt. Governor Patrick, Attorney General Ken Paxton, Speaker Straus and by our Texas Legislature. We must assert our state sovereignty guaranteed by the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

The U.S. Supreme Court is not the Supreme Being. We must oppose the concept of judicial supremacy when it violates not only our Constitution, but also God’s law. The Supreme Court only issues opinions. It has no power of enforcement. Colorado passed a law legalizing marijuana which violates federal law, but the feds do not enforce that law. Texas should not enforce a lawless Supreme Court ruling that legalizes homosexual ‘mirage.’

Texas is the last bastion of Christian and conservative thought, power and action in the nation. If Texas were to fall, then America would be lost to the socialists and the secular humanists. We must shift the momentum in the battle for the heart of America and lead a Christian and conservative offensive that will spread across America and defeat those intent upon forcing the homosexual lifestyle upon our state and nation.

This can happen if Governor Abbott will call a Special Legislative Session to assert Texas’ state sovereignty and to defend the Texas Marriage Amendment.

We are imploring Governor Abbott to protect the choice of 76% of Texans who voted for the Marriage Amendment in the Texas Constitution, Article 1, Section 32 which states that: “Marriage in this state shall consist only of the union of one man and one woman.”

Your voice needs to be heard! You can still help make sure that this legislation is passed.
You need to act today! You are a part of the 76% that voted for the Texas Marriage Amendment.

…

On Tuesday, June 2, 2015 conservative leaders met in Austin. They signed a letter requesting Governor Greg Abbott to call a Special Legislative Session. The letter was hand delivered this past Tuesday, to Daniel Hodge, Governor Abbott’s Chief of Staff.

The following leaders of conservative organizations in Texas signed the letter to Governor Abbott.

• Cathie Adams – Texas Eagle Forum
• Gregory Blume – Director, Conservative Republicans of Texas
• Carol Everett – The Heidi Group
• Jim Graham – Texas Right to Life
• Ann Hettinger – Concerned Women for America
• Steven F. Hotze, MD, President, Conservative Republicans of Texas and Campaign for Texas Families
• Peter LaBarbera – President of Americans for Truth about Homosexuality
• Tim Lambert – Texas Home School Coalition
• Terry Lowry – The Link Letter
• Jonathan Saenz – Texas Values Action
• Andrew Schlafly – General Counsel, Association of American Physicians & Surgeons
• Steve Toth – Former Texas State Representative
• Reverend Laurence White – Sr. Pastor, Our Savior Lutheran Church, Houston, Texas
• Jared Woodfill – Former Chairman, Harris County Republican Party (2002 – 2014)

The purpose of this Special Legislative Session is to pass legislation that would assert state sovereignty and defend the Texas Marriage Amendment. The legislation would prevent marriage licenses from being issued to homosexuals in the event the U.S. Supreme Court rules illegitimately in favor of homosexual marriage which is a ‘mirage’ because it violates God’s moral law. It is a counterfeit and a lie.

All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men and women to do nothing!

Rise up and defend Biblical marriage and Texas’s state sovereignty!

“Through God we shall do valiantly, and it is He who will tread down our adversaries.”
(Psalm 108:13)

Through God’s power, I am confident that we shall be victorious.

Forward this to your distribution list now. Share it with you pastor, and the leaders and members of your church and your friends.

Let’s press this battle to its successful conclusion!

Go to www.crtpac.com now to sign the letter to encourage Governor Abbott to call a Special Session on Marriage.

Please Donate Now to help us defend Biblical marriage and restore our nation to its Christian heritage at http://www.crtpac.com/donate.

Thanking you for having the courage of your Christian convictions, I remain, as always,

Sincerely yours for Constitutional liberties and the Biblical principles upon which they are based,

Steven F. Hotze, M.D.
President
Conservative Republicans of Texas
One Greenway Plaza, Suite 225
Houston, Texas 77046
713.526.3399
www.crtpac.com

Pd. Pol. Ad, Conservative Republicans of Texas

___________________________________

Text of letter signed by pro-family leaders requesting a special legislative session:

June 2, 2015

Dear Governor Abbott,

As widely publicized, there will soon be attempts to violate the Texas Marriage Amendment in our Constitution, despite its passage by more than 76% of Texan voters.

Several bills were introduced in the 84th legislative session to defend the Texas Marriage Amendment. Despite the support by a super-majority of legislators for marriage as the union of only one man and one woman, none of these bills to defend our Constitution reached the House or Senate floor.

We are not willing to give up on our obligation to defend the Texas Constitution. We trust that you support SR 1028, which recently passed by a bipartisan vote of 21-10:

‘WHEREAS, The Members of the Senate of the State of Texas do hereby affirm our sworn commitment to faithfully execute the duties of the office to which we have been duly elected and to uphold the Texas Constitution … ; and

WHEREAS, We solemnly proclaim that the institution of marriage is clearly established in Article 1, Section 32, of the Texas Constitution as a union consisting of one man and one woman …; and

WHEREAS, Traditional marriage is the bedrock institution of both our society and the success Texas has been blessed to experience since our admission as the 28th state within these United States of America; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 84th Legislature, Regular Session, hereby affirm the preservation of the present definition of marriage as being the legal union of one man and one woman as husband and wife and pledge to uphold and defend this principle that is so dearly held by Texans far and wide.’

A Legal Memorandum on Traditional Marriage, which contained similar language, was signed by 93 Republican State Representatives dated May 14, 2015.

We request that you exercise your constitutional power to call a special session for consideration of legislation consistent with SR 1028, to defend the Texas Marriage Amendment.

Thank you in advance.

Sincerely yours,

Cathie Adams – Texas Eagle Forum

Gregory Blume – Conservative Republicans of Texas

Carol Everett – The Heidi Group

Jim Graham – Texas Right to Life

Ann Hettinger – Concerned Women for America

Dr. Steven F. Hotze, MD, President, Conservative Republicans of Texas and Campaign for Texas Families

Peter LaBarbera – Americans for Truth about Homosexuality

Tim Lambert – Texas Home School Coalition

Terry Lowry – The Link Letter

Jonathan Saenz – Texas Values Action

Andrew Schlafly – General Counsel, Association of American Physicians & Surgeons

Steve Toth – Former Texas State Representative

Reverend Laurence White – Sr. Pastor, Our Savior Lutheran Church, Houston, Texas

Jared Woodfill – Former Chairman, Harris County Republican Party (2002 – 2014)