Anti-Gay Group Wants Special Rights

We're not gonna fill out any stinkin' paperwork!

Yes, you read that correctly! The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) doesn't want to have to fill out a bunch of forms just to bash gays.

A group that opposes same-sex marriage sued the Rhode Island Board of Elections, saying it wants to run ads in the governor's race and other contests but doesn't want to have to comply with state campaign finance laws.

The National Organization for Marriage said in a federal lawsuit that it should not be forced to report its expenditures or comply with spending limits or bans that are required for political action committees. The group said it shouldn't be considered a PAC because it's not controlled by a political candidate and does not spend the majority of its money on Rhode Island's political races. It says the rules for PACs are burdensome and interfere with free speech.

"You have to negotiate the myriad regulations that apply, and for a lot of organizations, it's just not worth it," said Jeffrey Gallant, a lawyer with the James Madison Center for Free Speech, which is representing the group. "These laws are a deterrent for free and open speech in political matters."

Gee ... that's too bad!

It's common place for anti-gay groups to claim the LGBT community wants "special rights" -- you know, like liberty and freedom. The right to marry the people we love, or not get fired from a job simply for being gay.

Now it seems it's the ANTI-gay group wanting the SPECIAL RIGHTS. Everyone else has to play by the rules, but NOM seems to think there should be an exception for them. After all, filling out all that paperwork is hard!

Rhode Island is one of two New England states that does not allow same-sex marriage.

Mike Healey, a spokesman for the attorney general's office, which is representing the board of elections, declined to comment Monday but said the National Organization for Marriage has filed similar suits in other states.

Gallant said the organization's lawsuit was supported by a recent blockbuster U.S. Supreme Court decision that freed businesses and unions to directly spend money on federal elections.

U.S. District Judge Mary Lisi has scheduled an in-chambers conference on the lawsuit for Thursday.

NOM isn't a business or union, it's an advocacy group, so let's see how Judge Lisi rules on this.