Quotes from Press Conference 1. LifeSiteNews Editor-in-Chief, John-Henry Westen "In Ireland, churches face fines for not letting same-sex couples have ceremonies on church property," he said. "In France, negative speech against homosexuality is banned, and in the Canadian province of Quebec, parents are forced to teach their homeschooled children the government's sexual ideology." "Such laws, which are the next stage of the anti-Christian laws in Colorado, Washington, Oregon, and elsewhere in America, are not just harmful to religious people," explained Westen. "According to the Centers for Disease Control, men who sex with men have 44 times the HIV diagnoses of other men, and the rate of primary and secondary syphilis among MSM is more than 4-6 times that of other men. By controlling who is allowed freedom of speech, governments in other nations have caused great harm to public health and individuals who engage in same-sex sexual relationships." 2. CitizenGo English language division Campaigns Director, Scott Schittl “…Religious freedom isn’t just an issue for Christians in Muslim countries. As we all know too well, it is an issue for Jews, Christians and Muslims – and people of faith, generally, in the West – particularly as the West becomes more and more secularized. We have seen this up-close in our petitions, with, among others: the persecution of a bakery in Northern Ireland for refusing to decorate a cake, saying, “Support Gay Marriage,”; and, with florists and teachers here in the US who have unflinchingly told the truth about God’s design for humanity, even under threat of fines, prison, and job loss. Regrettably, this phenomenon is now rampant. We, conservatives and people of faith, must work like never before to reach out to our natural constituencies. And, we must make effective use of organizations who use the latest technologies to affect political, economic and moral outcomes in our interconnected society. Put in stark relief by the Supreme Court’s decision, I sincerely believe that there are huge numbers of people who are now, and who will be, in greater

and greater numbers in the future, wanting to engage with us, precisely because they are interested in their own religious freedom.” 3. Executive Director of the International Human Rights Group and the Latin American Bureau Chief for LifeSiteNews’ Spanish and Portuguese website, NotiFam.com, Gualberto Garcia Jones Statement in English: “…As a lawyer, I am shocked that the highest court in the land has definitively abandoned its role as arbiters of cases and controversies before them in order to become a super legislature of enlightened social engineers. And that is where we are today. There were many more cases which contributed to the legal and moral corruption of the United States, but this much is clear. Christian America is under siege by the forces of secularism. Kennedy is the new Blackmun, and Obergefell v Hodges is the new Roe v. Wade. There is no doubt that the advocates of same sex marriage will attempt to use the full force of the US Government to force Christians to secularize.” Statement in Spanish: “La decision de la corte suprema de revocar todas las leyes que definan el matrimonio como una institución entre un hombre y una mujer resulta trágica desde varias perspectivas. Como padre de familia me resulta trágico que desde ahora en adelante la enseñanza Cristiana que yo les voy a dar a mis hijos vaya a ser considerada como una forma de discrimnación. Como ciudadano me causa una gran preocupación que cinco jueces de la corte suprema que no fueron electos y que no responden a nadie se vean autorizados a anteponerse a lo que una mayoría de nosotros los ciudadanos de este país deseamos. Quien se creen que son estos jueces para decidir que es lo mejor para nosotros los ciudadanos? Como abogado me entristece ver que la gran tradición Americana de ser un país que se rige por las leyes y no por los caprichos de unos pocos se esta derrumbando. Y esto no es retórica, lo dicen los cuatro jueces que emitieron votos disidentes. Ellos califican esta decision como un asalto a la democracia, como una violación del derecho, como una decision sin

fundamento jurídico ni precedentes, como una distorsión del verdadero significado filosófico y jurídico de la liberad. Finalmente todos los jueces disidentes preveen que como la corte no debe y no puede solucionar cuestiones culturales, este tema va a permanecer con nosotros durante mucho tiempo como una division mas de nuestra sociedad cada vez mas fracturada. Finalmente, como Católico me avergüenzo al ver que un juez supuestamente Católico, el juez Kennedy es el autor de esta nefasta decision de la corte suprema. En resumen, la decision de la corte suprema va a causar represalias severas contra los cristianos que quieran seguir las sagradas escrituras. Pondrá en conflicto directo al gobierno con las comunidades cristianas, y perjudicara a la sociedad, al estado de ley, y mas que nada a las familias que van a sufrir una seria limitación a su libertad religiosa.” 4. Lepanto Institute president and founder, Michael Hichborn “Last week, the Supreme Court dealt a terrible blow to the Constitutional protection of the free practice of religion. There are already cases all over the country of businesses being sued or being forced to close down in states that recognize same-sex so-called ‘marriage,’ because they refuse to provide services for ceremonies that violate their religious beliefs. We are about to witness an explosion of such cases, but it won’t stop there. Same-sex couples will soon be knocking on the doors of Catholic Churches and Cathedrals, demanding that priests, bishops, and cardinals commit sacrilege by blasphemously conducting ceremonies mocking the institution of marriage itself. The Supreme Court has declared war against every Christian in America.” 5. Hugh Brown, the son of famed activist Judie Brown, who currently serves on the board of American Life League. “As Catholics, as Christians, we have practiced our faith for two thousands years. Marriage is defined by God as the union of a man and a woman. It is unchanging. It is an absolute. The whims and decisions of men and women who have abandoned reason who have abandoned common sense and decency does not change the truth of what marriage is.”

Several group leaders not present provided statements in support of marriage and liberty: 1. The Cardinal Newman Society Vice President for Program Development and the Director of Higher Education Programs, Bob Laird “While Five Supreme Court justices may have changed the legal status of same-sex marriage under the law, they have not and cannot change the essence and meaning of marriage as understood by every society in the history of man." "Our Catholic schools will not concede their rights to the truth about marriage. Regardless of discrimination or government coercion, faithful Catholics must continue to teach the Truth. It is our right as Americans, and our duty as Catholics.” 2. Right Wing News founder, John Hawkins “As Antonin Scalia noted in his dissent, the Supreme Court's ruling on gay marriage had nothing with the U.S. Constitution. Instead, five Supreme Court Justices substituted their own opinion for that of more than 300 million people. No American who cares about the Constitution, justice, or the rule of law could support this ruling. Since when do Christians lose their First Amendment rights if they start a business? Since when does “freedom of religion” only apply as long as you don’t own a bakery or take wedding photos? This is a country founded on religious freedom, and those rights don’t cease the moment someone walks out of doors of their church. The time to start fighting back is right here and now.” 3. Ruth Institute founder, Dr. Jennifer Robac Morse “The Obergefell decision tacitly declares that invented rights of adults take precedence over natural rights of children. The policy of the United States government will henceforth be to take sides with ‘intended parents’ in disputes with natural parents, and against the legitimate interests of children to their own genetic and cultural heritage. The Supreme Court has surreptitiously redefined parenthood as a side effect of redefining

marriage. This ruling shamefully robs children of equal protection under the law. The majority of the Court sidesteps these inevitable logical consequences of their decision. While we are appalled by this decision, we commend the courage and good sense of Chief Justice Roberts and Justices Scalia, Thomas and Alito. These far-sighted men affirm that each State may make its own policy with respect to the definition of marriage. In so doing, they stand up for the rights of children to know their own parents, and the rights of the people of the States to govern themselves.” 4. Professor Roberto Oscar Lopez and five other people raised by same-sex parents Professor Lopez is a professor of English at the University of California State Northridge, and is a member of the International Children's Rights Institute. Professor Lopez’s statement was co-authored by himself and five other people raised by same-sex parents who filed amicus briefs against redefining marriage with the Supreme Court: “Children of same-sex couples had serious standing in this case. Gay couples themselves might get a marriage rather than a civil union, but they are nonetheless able to get a divorce and change their identity to heterosexual again, if they feel so inclined. The right to a relationship with one’s own mother and father is more universal, lifelong, and fundamental than the right to marry, yet the Court has given an adult class the latter at the expense of the former for a group that truly needed equal protection and due process (children). The complete disregard for the research and testimony from children of gays in both the majority opinion and the dissenting opinions is as chilling as it is ominous. The Supreme Court will be haunted by the grievances of citizens forcibly estranged from their parents and deprived of their heritage because of this ruling, for decades if not centuries to come.” 5. Human Life International President, Father Shenan J. Boquet

“Let this be remembered as the day that it became official: The United States is no longer a nation of laws, but a nation of the will of the powerful. When duly passed state laws can be reversed on a whim, giving the government power to redefine an institution that preceded it by thousands of years, we are a deeply, and now perhaps irrevocably, broken nation. “With the same political powers who have been forcing this absurd redefinition of marriage now openly expressing their unwillingness to protect religious freedom, the stage is set for a cold civil war, with the battle lines running not from north to south, but through families, communities, businesses and institutions. This is not the first time the courts have rejected the law of nature and nature’s God, but it is perhaps the most flagrant such rejection, and it is time for Christians to realize that if they do not unite and fight now, that their very beliefs will be outlawed. “The government cannot redefine marriage, regardless of what some court or some law says. With peaceful and joyful hearts we affirm that it is time to fight, not to despair. This has only just begun.”