1. Mass. Governor issues Executive Order mandating acceptance of transgenderism by all state agencies, employees, contractors. Requires affirmative action for cross-dressers and immediate diversity training!

Late Wednesday afternoon, without advance notice and without fanfare, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick signed an Executive Order mandating the acceptance of "gender identity and expression" -- including transsexuality, cross-dressing, and related behaviors - throughout state government. The order also requires affirmative action in the hiring of transsexuals and diversity training for all state employees.
 

Radical from the start. During his campaign for Governor, Deval Patrick (right) participated in this homosexual and transgender forum at Harvard University.

We believe it's the most extreme executive order ever issued in the U.S.  Among the provisions of the executive order:

• The order affects all state agencies and employees, and also contractors and sub-contractors doing business with the state. However, it will technically only apply to contractors when new contracts containing this requirement are signed.
   
• "Gender identity or expression" will now cover a protected class of people similar to race, religion, sex, etc. However, that new term is not defined, which will likely lead to more abuse of the system by activists.
   
• Affirmative action for cross-dressers, etc. The order directs all state agencies to "develop and implement affirmative action and diversity plans" to "identify, recruit, hire, develop, promote and retain" cross-dressers and other members of "under-represented" groups.
   
• Mandatory diversity training on transgenderism, etc. The order states that "all agency heads, managers, supervisors, and employees shall attend mandatory diversity training within one year of the effective date of this Order. For future hires, such training shall be part of the standardized orientation provided to new employees."
  
   

  ABOVE: Likely transgender "diversity training" instructors. From left: "Ms." Lee Swislow, transgender specialist and Executive Director at Gay Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD); Jennifer Levi, transgender legal counsel at GLAD; Gunner Scott, head of Mass. Transgender Political Caucus.

   
• Tribunals to enforce the order. The order outlines various Orwellian-sounding tribunals set up to take an active role in enforcing the order and punishing those who don't go along. These include an Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity, the Massachusetts Commission against Discrimination, the Massachusetts Office on Disability, as well as the Governor's Non-discrimination, Diversity and Equal Opportunity Advisory Council. In addition, the order states that each Secretariat shall have a "Diversity Director" and each agency shall have a "Diversity Officer" to interact with the tribunals.
   
• Illegal attempts to include public schools, other businesses. The order states at the beginning that it only affects state employees and contractors. But one section (Section IV) goes on to state that all programs, activities, and services which are licensed, chartered, funded, or regulated by the state, including public schools, are also covered by to this order. This would affect businesses licensed or regulated by the state, or activities that get state funding, such as schools and institutions, and including state-funded activities run by religious organizations.
  
  However, the Massachusetts Constitution only gives the Governor direct power over state agencies and employees (and contractors via the contracts they sign with the state). Only the Legislature can exert control beyond that, particularly regarding requirements attached to funding. (That's why they are gearing up to pass the Transgender Rights bill again this year.) We suspect that this clause was put in by an over-zealous staffer and that the state would not attempt to enforce it to that extent . . . yet.

          See text of the Governor's Executive Order here.

Signed quietly by Governor, without notice

The Governor's move appears to have been closely coordinated with the homosexual and transgender lobby to coincide with the recent re-filing of a Transgender Rights and Hate Crimes bill in the Legislature. But it was also done without public notice, apparently keep photos and video of the event and those in attendance from circulating.

According to the Boston Globe, Patrick signed the order in a private ceremony "in his office attended by advocates and several transgender state employees." He did not list the event on his public schedule nor send out a press release afterwards. State House News reported that after the signing "advocates for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender rights roamed the capitol hallways hailing the decision, saying it would lay the groundwork for adopting legislation to expand protections for all transgender residents of Massachusetts." Patrick told the Globe that he signed the order "after being asked to do so by advocates."

Almost immediately, the Mass. Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus, MassEquality, and the ACLU blasted out emails to their lists celebrating their "victory."

This problem started with Mitt Romney in 2003

It was former Gov. Mitt Romney who opened the door to this madness.

In 1970, Gov. Francis Sargent issued an Executive Order with provisions to create equal opportunity in state jobs on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, age, and sex. It was then updated several times by Gov. Michael Dukakis, including the addition of veterans and disabled people.

Then in 2003, just months after taking office, Gov. Mitt Romney shocked the pro-family community by issuing Executive Order #452, which added "sexual orientation" to the list of protected classes in state employment. Ths officially elevated homosexuality to a "protected class." It was apparently done as a reward for the support he got in his election from major homosexual groups.

In the order, Romney also created the Governor's Diversity and Equal Opportunity Council as a tribunal to enforce his order more effectively. That council was chaired by the state's "Chief Diversity Officer" and included "members of public and private organizations" - presumably includng homosexual activist groups.

          Read Romney's Executive Order #452 here

          See all Mass. governors' Executive Orders here

Once the door was opened to including the behaviors associated with homosexuality in the state's official "protected classes," it was only a matter of time before it got to this point. And despite the fact that "gender identity disorder" continues to be recognized by the nation's mental health profession as disordered and possibly destructive behavior -- and not a "civil right" -- the politicians will continue to ignore that and submit to the homosexual/transgender lobby unless there is sufficient pubic outrage.

Prelude to newly re-filed Transgender Bill

This is unabashedly a prelude to passing the new version of the new Transgender Rights and Hate Crimes bill, which has just been introduced in the Legislature and is extremely radical. (Watch for our analysis of that bill, coming up.) It's a strategic move to begin slowly immersing us into the transgender/cross-dressing culture. The homosexual and transgender lobby has made it their top priority to push this agenda into the force of law this session. We've beat this the last two times, and it's going to be another big fight this time. (And if you don't live in Massachusetts, it will be coming to your state soon.)

The madness that state operations have become

Even in the context of current "political correctness" dogma, the Governor's Executive Order makes for a frightening read.

(Warning: Don't read it after eating or before going to sleep.) Between the weird, bizarre employment rules, diversity training, and requirements that contractors do business with politically-correct vendors, the document is a virtual house of mirrors of what's happened to our government. No serious business could operate that way. And beyond that, it's a zealous totalitarian-like attempt to force citizens to abandon their religious and moral beliefs in favor of the liberal secular creed. This is what our (newly raised) taxes will pay for.

IRONIC NOTE: At the bottom of all executive orders is the phrase "God Save the Commonwealth of Massachusetts."  We couldn't agree more with that plea.

What can you do now?

It's necessary now more than ever to stand up and be counted. If you want to volunteer to help confront the Legislature to stop the Transgender Bill (and pass good bills), contact us right away.

View our video [bathroom at Marriott] and report [Capone's] on recent events in Massachusetts illustrating the reality of transgender behaviors in public places.
 

2. Maryland activists lose first found of "gay marriage" battle. But big showdown in General Assembly still coming up.

The "gay marriage" bill in the Maryland legislature passed in the Senate committee on Thursday by a 7-4 vote despite passionate testimony and lobbying by pro-family forces. As we've reported, MassResistance has been working with activists with the statewide group ProtectMarriageMaryland to help.

The full Maryland Senate could vote on the bill as early as Tuesday. On Friday there will be another public hearing on the bill, this time before the House committee. If it passes that committee it goes before the full House. The Democratic legislative leadership is trying to fast-track the bill to be on the Governor's desk by the end of next week.

(One thing to note: the Republicans in the Maryland General Assembly are for real, not like the limp-wristed moderates in the Massachusetts Legislature.  Recently the Republican Senate Minority Leader was forced to resign his position because he suggested that he would support civil unions! They're willing to fight for what's right.)

This past Friday MassResistance hosted a conference call with pro-marriage activists across the State to strategize on what to do this week. Some good courses of action came out of that. We are also mobilizing over a hundred MassResistance activists in Maryland, besides the ones involved with the statewide group.

In particular, we are making sure they have access to our materials on the effects and horror of "gay marriage" on Massachusetts, especially how it affected the public schools. The David Parker case has been a real eye-opener, and also the deluge of hard-core homosexual materials that appeared in our schools after the court ruling opened the floodgates. One Maryland activist that at least one Senator has been brought to our side recently after seeing our materials.
 

Massachusetts connection. A pastor testifies before Maryland Senate committee holding up copy of King and King, homosexual book for children from the David Parker case in Massachusetts.
 

Although most of the mainstream media has been aggressively pro-"gay marriage," as usual, talk radio seems to be a holdout. Brian Camenker of MassResistance will be featured on a major Maryland drive-time morning talk show on Wednesday.

And added to that, the vitriol, profanity, and hatred from the homosexual community in Maryland directed at anything pro-family or pro-traditional has been quite vicious. Then there is the twisted propaganda that it's the pro-family side that's causing all the discord. All of this has had an effect on our side.

Unfortunately, too many politicians have also been propagandized by the emotional but illogical message that "gay marriage" is part of a glorious new civil rights movement and that homosexuality represents a class of people similar to race. Our experience has been that the politicians need to be confronted with the cold hard truths about how this behavior (and its activists) affect regular people.

Some of the Maryland activists are particulary articulate and unwilling to succumb to pressure to moderate their views.  Here is one of the activists who's been on our MassResistance conference call:

Here's a letter to the editor that the Washington Post published that says a lot about the sleazy tactics going on. We're surprised they published it.

Who's demonizing who?
Letter to the Editor - Washington Post

When I devoted an entire day to come to Annapolis and engage in a civil debate on the same-sex marriage bill on Feb. 8, I never envisioned receiving such an insensitive and denigrating response from any elected official as the one I received from Sen. James Brochin. Brochin mischaracterized everyone who spoke in opposition to the bill by saying, “witness after witness demonized homosexuals, vilified the gay community, and described gays and lesbians as pedophiles,” a quote The Post has now repeated in its Feb. 17 editorial, “Make Maryland a Free State.”

What I saw, however, were people from various walks of life showing compassion for the children of Maryland and defending the faith tradition of marriage that has built our society. I heard from people who have done extensive research in marriage make convincing arguments that the traditional family is the best environment for nurturing our next generation. I witnessed those in the African American community taking offense at the use of the term “civil rights” in reference to this bill, as they had endured severe oppression that gay men and lesbians have never experienced.

It is unfortunate that The Post has spread inflammatory rhetoric against opponents. This is serving to agitate many Maryland citizens who may already feel that their elected officials are not listening to them. In more than 30 states where there has been a vote on same-sex marriage, the people have consistently rejected it. These Maryland citizens are more than ready to sign a petition to get this issue on the ballot.

Robert Nelson, Gaithersburg

This fight can still be won. You can take action . .

We believe that "gay marriage" can still be stopped in Maryland.. It's still very close and our side is picking up some steam. We'll keep you informed. 

In the meantime, here are some Maryland Senators who need to be persuaded right away to do the right thing - NOT the wrong thing in this vote Tuesday or Wednesday.  Remember, everybody can make a difference.

TAKE ACTION:

1. Call the main phone number to Maryland General Assembly: 301-970-5000

2. Ask for the office(s) of:

Sen. Karen Klausmeier (D-MD-8th)
Sen. Jim Rosapepe (D-MD-21st)
Sen. John Astle (D-MD 30th)
Sen. Joan Conway (D-MD 43th - Baltimore)

3. Let them know that "gay marriage" is NOT part of any civil rights movement, and that you do NOT want that agenda brought into the public schools and throughout society.
 

3. Updates . . .

• Powerful new book! MassResistance's Amy Contrada has just published a blockbuster book that could have national implications. Watch for our announcement about it in our next email.
   
• GOProud booted from CPAC by Board. As we reported recently, several major pro-family groups boycotted this year's Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) over the inclusion of a radical homosexual so-called "conservative" group, GOProud. We've now been told by several sources that CPAC's Board of Directors has voted not to allow GOProud back next year, though, they're not officially announcing it right now. We should all consider this a victory!
  
  A good perspective is in this commentary by Star Parker in WorldNetDaily: "Gay conservative is an oxymoron."
   
• MassResistance bills before the Legislature. The House and Senate clerk's offices are still plodding along getting bill numbers for the new bills and gradually posting them on the website. We've never seen it go this slow. We'll have a full report as soon as we can. The good news: The Legislature can't do any damage right now, either!
   
• Fundraising update. In our Feb. 9 email we announced our goal to raise $14,000 to keep this operation afloat. Many of you have donated -- THANK YOU! We were able to dodge a serious bullet last week.
  
   

  We still have a lot to go. If you are concerned about what's happening in society, this is a way you can help do something about it.                  DONATE HERE Donations can also be mailed to: MassResistance, PO Box 1612, Waltham, MA 02454