The Right Wastes No Time Responding to Gay Marriage in Wash. State

Even though many celebrated Washington state's Gov. Chris Gregoire signing the same-sex marriage bill into law, there were plenty of anti-gay marriage groups and supporters who were in a tizzy about the milestone event.

Only a few hours passed since Gregoire signed the bill, but opponents filed Referendum 73 (R-73), which could challenge the newly passed law. Joseph Backholm of the conservative and anti-gay marriage organization, Family Policy Institute of Washington, filed the referendum, the Washington newspaper, the Olympian reported.

Backholm said that his organization is part of the Preserve Marriage Washington campaign, which also supports R-73. The campaign also consists of, Concerned Women for America, Stand for Marriage Washington and the National Organization for Marriage.

"They will be involved. They will be in the leadership," Backholm said. "They've been involved in other states. He added that the definition should be voted upon.

Another anti-gay marriage Washington group, Stand for Marriage Washington, voiced their opinion by posting a message on their Facebook. The status update asked citizens to sign petitions to overturn the gay marriage bill.

Moments after the governor signed the bill, GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum visited Washington and said that the state's approval of same-sex marriage is "not the final world," the Associated Press reported.

"I encouraged them to continue the fight," Santorum said. "There are ebbs and flows in every battle, and this is not the final word."

Santorum said that the legalization of gay marriage "waters down marriage" at a time when divorce rates are high. He also said that America will experience "social consequences", such as high prison rates, more people dropping out of school, more government spending and higher poverty rates.

"There are legitimate reasons that people have to want to have to change the law, and there are legitimate reasons that people have to want to keep the law in place," the former Pennsylvania senator said. "If you keep it at that level, don't make it personal, make it about what is best for society, then I think we'll be fine."

The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) said it would also support the referendum, the conservative right wing website Life Site News pointed out.

"NOM will not stand by and let activist politicians redefine marriage, the bedrock of civilization, without voters having a say," said NOM president Brian Brown on Jan 23. "Just as we mounted a People's Veto in Maine and were responsible for qualifying Proposition 8 to the ballot in California, we will make sure that voters in Washington have the ability to decide the definition of marriage for themselves."

When Life Site News reported about Washington's governor singing the marriage equality bill into law, several of its readers were furious and left comments on the article. One reader wrote, "Praying for strong faith and faithful Christians under this potential persecution. May God have mercy on us as the US turns its back on Him. Save us, Lord!" Another said, "I'm confident that the citizens, with NOM's help, will be able to push this back into the sewer from which it was dredged. And I'm hopeful that this blatant mandate for sodomy will result in some meaningful house cleaning in the legislature this November."

Free Republic, another consecrative right website, also had several readers who were outraged about Washington becoming the latest state to recognize same-sex marriage. "PERVERTS are NOT Equal to normal decent citizens. Not now not ever......" one person wrote, while another said, "How the new 'marriage' vows should begin: 'Queerly beloved, we are gathered together with the approval of Satan and in this company of weirdos to join together in unholy deadlock these two perverts.'"

Gay and lesbian couples will be able to legally marry in Washington starting on June 7.