Can gay-marriage opponents overturn New York's law?
A conservative group has a complex, Hail-Mary plan to reverse the Empire State's groundbreaking new same-sex marriage law

Many conservatives greeted New York's historic push to allow same-sex marriage with a yawn. Some even pushed for its passage. But now, a vocal bloc on the Right is fighting the law, which will take effect in late July. On Tuesday, Brian Brown, the president of the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), unveiled a four-year, three-phase plan to reverse the same-sex marriage law in New York. Could it ever work?
Yes, with time and effort: Here's the plan, says Brian Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage. First, we'll target the four Republican "turncoat senators who made promises to their constituents on marriage and then voted the opposite way." Also, in November 2012, we need to make sure New York "voters remember how they were betrayed on marriage," and "elect pro-marriage majorities" in both the state Senate and Assembly to approve a marriage amendment. By November 2015, we can put a ballot initiative on marriage before New York's voters. It won't be easy, but we can do it.
"Reversing SSM in New York: The campaign begins"
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The Right can try... but failure is inevitable: No doubt, NOM will attract plenty of cash for their anti-equality fight, but it won't be enough, says David Badash at The New Civil Rights Movement. "The nascent, 4-​year-old anti-​gay group will need to come up with more than fake polls, lies... and robocalls to turn the tide of public opinion in New York." It's going to get ugly, but ultimately, same-sex marriage is here to stay in New York.
"Can Maggie Gallagher, NOM get the NY Same-Sex marriage law repealed?"
This is just a last, desperate gasp: NOM's plan just isn't realistic, says Kyle JL at An Enduring Vision. The Right won't be able to push New York's state Senate and Assembly into the anti-gay-marriage column. But even if they succeed in getting an amendment on the ballot, New York voters would never pass such a thing. "NOM suffered a brutal defeat in New York, and it's only a matter of time before such defeats become more and more common."
"NOM releases 'Three Phased Strategy' to defeat marriage equality in New York"
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Book reviews: 'The Thinking Machine: Jensen Huang, Nvidia, and the World’s Most Coveted Microchip' and 'Who Is Government? The Untold Story of Public Service'
Feature The tech titan behind Nvidia's success and the secret stories of government workers
By The Week US
-
Mario Vargas Llosa: The novelist who lectured Latin America
Feature The Peruvian novelist wove tales of political corruption and moral compromise
By The Week US
-
How to see the Lyrid meteor shower
The explainer A nice time to look to the skies
By Devika Rao, The Week US
-
The JFK files: the truth at last?
In The Spotlight More than 64,000 previously classified documents relating the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy have been released by the Trump administration
By The Week Staff
-
'Seriously, not literally': how should the world take Donald Trump?
Today's big question White House rhetoric and reality look likely to become increasingly blurred
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK
-
Will Trump's 'madman' strategy pay off?
Today's Big Question Incoming US president likes to seem unpredictable but, this time round, world leaders could be wise to his playbook
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK
-
Democrats vs. Republicans: who are the billionaires backing?
The Explainer Younger tech titans join 'boys' club throwing money and support' behind President Trump, while older plutocrats quietly rebuke new administration
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK
-
US election: where things stand with one week to go
The Explainer Harris' lead in the polls has been narrowing in Trump's favour, but her campaign remains 'cautiously optimistic'
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK
-
Is Trump okay?
Today's Big Question Former president's mental fitness and alleged cognitive decline firmly back in the spotlight after 'bizarre' town hall event
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK
-
The life and times of Kamala Harris
The Explainer The vice-president is narrowly leading the race to become the next US president. How did she get to where she is now?
By The Week UK
-
Will 'weirdly civil' VP debate move dial in US election?
Today's Big Question 'Diametrically opposed' candidates showed 'a lot of commonality' on some issues, but offered competing visions for America's future and democracy
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK