The names are the same. Family Equality Hawaii. George Soros. ACLU. Moveon.org. NARAL. Human Rights Commission. Tim Gil. Just to name a few.
These mega-wealthy donors and organizations have in recent years made significant changes to the strategy they rely upon to force their radical agenda through state legislatures. They’ve made the changes under the radar. They hope people like you, me, and others who share our values won’t notice.
That’s what makes their strategy so dangerous – it’s stealth.
These quiet changes are a big reason they’ve enjoyed so much success in recent years at the ballot box and in state legislatures across the county – including here in Hawaii. And they’re why Hawaii Family Forum’s (HFF) board of directors and I have made a critical change to our strategy. It’s a critical change we believe is required to address the growing threats posed to life, liberty, marriage and the family.
Thanks to your generous support and God’s amazing grace, HFF has accomplished a lot in defense of Hawaii families and the timeless values you and I share. It’s been a real blessing to stand with friends like you in defense of marriage as God intended, life God created, religious liberties God granted, and many other critical culture-defining issues.
What you might not know, though, is that the I.R.S. has restricted what HFF could do in those areas.
And it’s those restrictions that our opponent’s new strategy exploits.
Now, to be clear, the I.R.S. restrictions aren’t because HFF did anything wrong. The restrictions are simply standard I.R.S. rules governing all charitable organizations that operate as what’s called a 501(c)(3).
Let me explain. And, I apologize in advance for the legal-speak.
HFF is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. For perspective, your church is also a 501(c)(3). 501(c)(3) organizations are primarily educational and, as a result, donations made to them are tax-deductible. In exchange for that benefit, the I.R.S. places severe restrictions on what 501(c)(3) organizations can say and do when it comes to public policy.
Our opponents used to operate under those same restrictions…but not anymore.
In recent years, they’ve quietly adjusted their strategy so they could conduct their public policy battles through organizations that weren’t limited by the restrictions placed on 501(c)(3) organizations. Of course, that meant their supporters no longer got a tax-deduction for their contributions. But, it also meant the organizations could be much, much more aggressive in promoting their radical agenda. Unfortunately, the results speak for themselves. Their strategic change is paying big dividends.
Here is just one local example: Family Equality Hawaii recently raised $70,000 and has declared that it will be at the legislature next year demanding same sex marriage. Read all about right here on the front page of their website!