A Princeton-based group, the National Organization for Marriage, is targeting its message against gay marriage in California, one of two states that currently allow it, and a handful of other states that might consider it in the next few years. The organization, known as NOM, is leading the support of a constitutional amendment in California that would put an end to the same-sex marriages that have been allowed there since last month.

That's when they turned to a young conservative activist named Brian Brown. Brown, a former graduate student in history at UCLA who left because he wanted to dedicate himself to the conservative movement, had co-founded the New Jersey-based National Organization for Marriage less than a year earlier. His group's other founders include conservative columnist Maggie Gallagher and Princeton professor Robert George. . . .

"The stakes couldn't be higher," Brown said. "Both sides understand that."  Brown's group raised nearly $1 million in seed money. It hired professional signature gatherers, and, Protect Marriage Coalition members said, the coalition turned in more than 1 million signatures on April 24 -- three weeks before the Supreme Court issued its landmark ruling allowing same-sex marriage.

SAN DIEGO—Same-sex marriage advocates demanded Friday that Hyatt Hotels Corp. end its relationship with a business partner who is financially backing a California ballot initiative to ban gay marriage.

Counter-protesters gathered opposite the hotel driveway to voice their opposition to "Adam and Steve" weddings. "We don't hate anyone who has a same-sex attraction but we can't let them redefine marriage for the rest of us," said pro-life activist Vita La Fond, 59, who explained to passersby that she was holding a banner to do her part on behalf of traditional families. 

Brian Brown, California director for the National Organization for Marriage, defended Manchester's right to contribute to the initiative campaign. "People should be able to stand up and contribute for the common-sense idea of marriage," Brown said.

LOS ANGELES — A hotel owner’s $125,000 donation to support a ballot initiative banning same-sex marriage in the state has become a flashpoint, with opponents calling for a boycott of two of his hotels and supporters highlighting the donation in a fund-raising letter. . . .

On Tuesday, Brian S. Brown, executive director of the National Organization for Marriage California, a group supporting Proposition 8, sent out an e-mail message warning of the boycott, calling it a “bullying” tactic.

The California Supreme Court declined Wednesday to take an anti-gay marriage initiative off the November ballot. . . . "Even the court that found a constitutional right to same-sex marriage wouldn't back our opponents' effort to take away our right to vote," is how Brian Brown, executive director of the National Organization for Marriage, California described the ruling in an e-mail to supporters. "The people of California will have the final say on marriage."

Eight years ago, when an initiative to ban gay marriage was on the California ballot for the first time, Pastor Jim Garlow of the 2,500-member Skyline Church in San Diego barely mentioned it from his pulpit.

But same-sex marriage wasn't legal then. This time around, he said, will be different, and he hopes other ministers will agree.

On Wednesday, Garlow took a first step toward organizing clergy in the state, convening a conference call in which more than 1,000 ministers, most from evangelical congregations, discussed tactics for passing a fall ballot initiative that would amend California's Constitution to ban gay marriage.

Leading up to a November ballot vote, the fight over gay marriage is expected to be a passionate - and a very expensive - political campaign. Just as Barack Obama's campaign shattered fundraising records and changed the dynamics of political fundraising by finding new ways to weave supporters together through the Web, organizations on both sides of the gay marriage battle are rapidly adapting the Internet to raise money for big media buys this fall. . . .

 . . . Can we stop this societal suicide — possibly, but not if we can’t stop same-sex “marriage” in California in November 2008, and not without supernatural help.  Without the foundation of Religion and Morality that George Washingoton and the other founding fathers provided for us, there is simply no real hope for the future of this country.

"We wish these same-sex couples well, our beef is not with them, but with the judges who have the arrogance to rule that California's marriage laws the voters approved are somehow akin to racial discrimination," Brian Brown, executive director of the National Organization for Marriage-California, said in a statement.

"Our relentless focus is on passing the marriage amendment," said Brian Brown, head of the National Organization for Marriage-California. "Being on the streets doesn't accomplish our goal. We're organizing to pass it, and that's where all our energy is going right now."