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04/12/2011

Marinelli for Courage Campaign: 'I know firsthand that anyone can change if they...see how...anti-equality work is affecting real people.'

 by Jeremy Hooper

Dear Jeremy, Last summer, I organized the 2010 “Summer for Marriage” Tour for the National Organization for Marriage (NOM). Over the course of 30 days, I traveled across the nation pushing an agenda that is at odds with our Constitution and our American values, and harmful to gays, lesbians, and their families. I’m writing to tell you that I now regret it. Last Friday, in an interview with the Good As You blog, I renounced my past and affirmed my support for civil marriage equality for gays and lesbians. You know why? Because during the very summer tour that I organized, I was forced to see gays and lesbians for who they really were: real people with real lives who were being hurt by the work I was doing. I directly credit the work the Courage Campaign -- and its supporters like you -- did in conjunction with their NOM Tour Tracker blog for playing an instrumental role in my change of heart. And that’s why I’m writing: to ask for your support in continuing the work they do, to make up for what I’ve done. Can you contribute $5 right now -- $1 for each of the past 5 years I’ve spent working against equality? Courage Campaign will use the money to make LGBT people visible to folks like me, as they did on that summer tour. I’m asking, Jeremy, because I deeply regret the work I did during the summer of 2010 and over the past 5 years as a whole. I helped curtail the rights of gays and lesbians in this country and I want to make up for all of that -- with your help. Throughout the summer tour, Courage Campaign’s Arisha and Anthony approached me several times. I remember sitting on a bench in St. Louis, Missouri alone with Anthony for a few minutes. It was then that I empathized with Anthony and who he was for the first time, although I did not tell him. I understood that my work wasn’t affecting faceless, nameless political targets but instead good people like Anthony who just wanted to participate in all that America is. I know firsthand that anyone can change if they could just see how their anti-equality work is affecting real people. I would like to thank you, the supporters of Courage Campaign and NOM Tour Tracker, for doing the legwork and putting in the time and effort to change my life for the better. Now I want to return the favor by fighting for full marriage equality. I’m writing to ask for your help so that you and Courage Campaign can help make up for what I’ve done. Your $5 contribution will help right those wrongs, and move more people like me towards the side of justice. I am truly inspired by the supportive messages I have received and continue to receive since I announced my support for civil marriage equality on Friday, April 8th. So many have shown me nothing but kindness and support. Now, we need to make LGBT people more visible to people like me. We need to have conversations with people of faith, people with deep-rooted hostility towards equality because of their upbringing. I’m being honest, Jeremy, when I say I’ve been there and we have a lot of work to do. If someone like me can be moved, I believe folks like Courage Campaign, and its supporters like you, can move anyone. Please chip in $5 today -- one dollar for each year I’ve spent with NOM -- and together, we can change more hearts one by one. Thank you for your support, and for all the work that you do. Proud to now stand with you, Louis J. Marinelli Formerly with National Organization for Marriage
Change more hearts and minds like Louis' [Courage]
***

**EARLIER: G-A-Y Exclusive: National Organization For Marriage tour organizer/Facebook moderator does startling about-face; Exposure to NOM could lead to unintended side effects [G-A-Y]

*ALSO: Michelangelo Signorile interviews Louis

*ALSO: NOM took its toll on Marinelli; Marinelli takes his opened eyes and mouth to Towle [Towleroad]

*ALSO: Louis gives us even more: NOM defector Marinelli: 'Are you going to let a handful of fringe Catholics...stand between you and the freedom to marry?' [G-A-Y]

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