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Some Right-to-Life Chapters Add Opposition To Gay Marriage To Mission

Another Right-to-Life chapter in Ohio is making opposition to same-sex marriage a core part of its mission. For Ohio Public Radio, WKSU’s M.L. Schultze has more on what some see as a change of course and others see as a logical extension. 

Lake County’s Right to Life chapter has joined its neighbor in Cleveland in amending their mission statements to include opposition to gay marriage. Both chapters say children have a fundamental right to be raised by their mother and father.  Jacqui Fetsko of the Lake County group says her organization must push for the ideal. But she says even a single parent raising a child is preferable to a gay couple adopting and raising that child. 

JF:  At least a child would get a good gender formation. It’s more natural. … We are a Christian organization and we do believe gay relationships are contrary to God’s plan for man and woman.

Fetsko and the head of Cleveland Right to Life chapter, Molly Smith, both say that the issue is key to what politicians their groups will support.  Republican Sen. Rob Portman, who been rated high on anti-abortion issues, recently announced his support for same-sex marriage after his son announced he’s gay.
Smith says that’s a deal breaker.

MS:  Because it’s all part and parcel of the same issue—if he’s going to support same sex marriage, that is against our mission statement.

Fetsko says it’s also a matter of trust.

JF:  His child comes out that he’s gay, so he going to support gay marriage. If he had a daughter that had an abortion, would he start to support abortion?

Cleveland Right to Life put out a release announcing Lake County’s change. It claimed, “Many politicians in Ohio are working to influence various affiliates to not make this change in their mission. These politicians are in for a very big surprise.”  But reservations about the changes also have been expressed by Mike Gonidakis, head of Ohio Right to Life. Gonidakis did not return a call for comment, but told The Daily Beast a few weeks ago that Portman retains Right to Life’s support. He also said his group has succeeded in changing public policy because it has remained “laser focused … on our mission to protect the unborn and end abortion.”

Polls show a slight majority of Ohioans now support same sex marriage.

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