MFI Update
Following Scott Brown’s announcement that he was a candidate for U.S. Senate, pro-family donors, among others, helped get his insurgent campaign off the ground. Of course, it was Brown’s tremendous tenacity and the complacency of his opponent that allowed him to go from “Republican Scott Brown is also running” to “Scott Brown now leads Martha Coakley in the polls;” but without the early support, he would have been at an even greater disadvantage.
His stance on marriage was repeatedly challenged -- by the producers of American Idol when his daughter was a contestant, by local high school students, and by a lesbian Senate opponent in 2008 -- and he repeatedly refused to compromise his convictions. This is why pro-family activists stood by him throughout the years. This is why pro-family activists have faith he will hold fast to his convictions in Washington, D.C.
Scott Brown’s record of being a conservative led many to give generously in the early stages of his campaign. From the day the SJC thrust the issue of same-sex “marriage” into the limelight in 2003 to the present, Brown never wavered in his deeply held conviction that marriage is only the union of one man and one woman. He also spoke for the right of the people to decide if that were ever to change.
A changing tide or a single blip?
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Brown’s pro-marriage record
In 2004, Scott Brown chose to leave the state’s House and make a run for the state Senate seat vacated when the openly lesbian Cheryl Jacques left to take a leadership position at a national homosexual advocacy group. In the face of his opponent’s relentless attacks on Brown’s position on marriage, and despite the special election being held the same day as the presidential primary with John Kerry on the ballot, Scott Brown won. He went on to win a full term that November as well.
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ven before the late Ted Kennedy succumbed to cancer, there was discussion about who would replace him in the U.S. Senate. While some people had dreams of a conservative taking over for the “liberal lion,” no serious political insider would have been willing to make any such prediction. Scott Brown changed all that with a grassroots campaign based on people, a truck and a strong message of representing the values of the everyman and everywoman.
VOL. 17 - NO. 1
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Scott Brown and the Change in the Political Landscape
The question that many in the political world are asking is whether the Scott Brown victory is an indication of a real change in the political winds in Massachusetts, or was it simply a perfect storm of citizen outrage, an attractive candidate, and an epic failure of a Democratic campaign. We are of the opinion that it was a little bit of all those things. In 2008, several conservative candidates came within just a few points of winning seats in the state Legislature, falling short only because of the Democrat surge inspired by Barack Obama’s campaign. Most of these same candidates, along with many other new faces, are running this year in the hope
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“But a Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever.” - John Adams
VOL. 17 - NO. 1 2 Spring 2010
MFI on the Web
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s the recent successful elections of both Barack Obama and Scott Brown have shown, many secrets to success can be found on the Internet. Initially, an organization’s online presence was nothing more than a billboard listing events and addresses. But the Internet is developing rapidly and Web 2.0 has updated methods of communication. MFI is taking advantage of many of the new online vehicles to interact with concerned citizens across the Commonwealth. Facebook - Facebook allows MFI to tap into the more than 106,000 adults in Massachusetts who are declared conservatives. By becoming a “Fan” of MFI, you not only will receive alerts and links from MFI, but you can also help MFI grow by inviting your friends to join our page. YouTube - Organizations like MFI can avoid costly television time by spreading their message virally through sites like YouTube. MFI utilizes this medium through the bi-weekly “MFI:60 with Kris Mineau,” as well as speeches, testimony and other videos in striking highdefinition. Twitter - This social networking service allows users to post “tweets,” or quick-hit messages, of 140 or ferwe characters. Many tweets include shortened website links that direct other users to read an article, take an action, make a donation, etc. and can be spread virally as other users “re-tweet” MFI’s tweets.
Ane beyond ... MFI is currently developing several new online projects, including our own social network utilizing a platform called Tangle. This will be MFI’s very own facebook-style site where people create profiles and interact with other pro-family activists across the state. This network will be an invaluable tool for organizing lobbying efforts on a variety of issues and causes.
How to find MFI online ... Ation utet ad tat. Tionsequam nulla adionum esed tin estrud magna www.mafamily.org feugait veliqua mconum dolorting facebook.com/massfamily er si etum velit lut nostisi. Amet, quat. Comyoutube.com/MassFamilyInstitute my nis num essenis amet niat. Nulput twitter.com/MAFamilyAction
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of riding the same wave that swept Brown into office.
MFI and MFI Action, its political arm, will both be on the front lines this election season, though in very different roles. MFI will be ensuring that values voters are both registered to vote and educated. This will be accomplished with voter registration drives in churches and the publication and distribution of voters guides. MFI Action can be more proactive. Without the non-profit restrictions imposed by the IRS on MFI, MFI Action will address candidates who are opposed to our values, and endorse the candidates who stand with us. As always, the missions of both these organizations depend heavily on the financial donations of people like you. Please visit MFI at www.mafamily.org and MFI Action at www.mfiaction.org today and lend your financial support to the important work we are actively attending to each day. Opportunities to change the political trajectory that our state is on come very rarely. We can’t afford to miss this one.
Ryan F. Boehm Editor
Nancy Bradley & Hope Vassos Assistant Editors
MFI Update is produced by Massachusetts Family Institute, a non-profit, public policy research and education organization dedicated to strengthening the family and restoring traditional moral principles. MFI is supported through the generosity of our donors. © 2010 Massachusetts Family Institute
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Making a difference in 2010
Massachusetts Family Institute (MFI) is dedicated to strengthening the family and affirming the JudeoChristian values upon which the family is based.
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Candidates stand to learn lessons from the Brown campaign. The importance of the Internet is one, and articulating the right message another. In addition, they can learn that while there is no reason to lead with values issues, there is also no reason to compromise on them either.
Our Mission
Vol. 17 - No. 1
While Scott Brown led in his most recent campaign with pocketbook and kitchen table issues like taxes, jobs and opposition to government healthcare, he didn’t run away from his pro-family record. He never capitulated on samesex “marriage,” his website proudly stating this belief in traditional marriage. Martha Coakley painted him as a pro-life zealot, but the voters didn’t fall for her attack ads. Though maintaining a moderate stance on abortion, Brown has a record while in office that is decidedly pro-life.
MFI Partners
Magno fights school birth control program VOL. 17 - NO. 1
Last year, by a 4-2 vote, the Revere School Committee allowed a health clinic in the public high school to dispense condoms, birth control pills, birth control shots and even the notorious Plan-B “morning after pill.” Along with many other Revere citizens, Kathy Magno was stunned and outraged that the community-at-large, and parents in particular, had not been given an opportunity to weigh in on the matter.
Like members of the school committee, Magno is concerned about the growing problem of teen pregnancy. However, she believes that when policies like this one are decided by school officials and bureaucrats without parental input, the role of parents in deciding what is best for their children is greatly undermined. MFI was proud to honor Kathy Magno at last year’s MFI Banquet with a Citizenship Award for her courage to stand up and be counted in the best interest of our children.
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Together, the concerned parents and citizens voiced their opposition, only to be dismissed by school officials claiming the issue only troubled Catholics. Further outraged, Magno went into action and organized a letter drive in Protestant and Catholic churches, and more than 600 sent letters challenging the policy. Magno also helped organize a successful signature campaign to place an initiative on last November’s ballot which, though defeated, ignited a discussion that continues today.
(left to right) MFI President Kris Mineau, Kathy Magno, and MFI Chairman Walter Weld.
Spring 2010
Mass Future
Do you know a young Christian concerned about the direction our state is moving politically? Are they ready to become an agent of change in the Bay State? Tell them about Mass Future! Mass Future is a growing group of teenagers with traditional values and an interest in politics and policy that meets on a regular basis. MFI and the Coalition for Marriage serve as advisory organizations for this student-run group.
www.MassFuture.org
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Learns about the issues Meet conservative political leaders Gain networking opportunities Become acquainted with other young political leaders Gain course credit Work on campaigns Take trips to Beacon Hill Find internships Make a difference.
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