( CNN ) -- A national group opposed to same-sex marriage aimed to fight it by driving `` a wedge between gays and blacks '' and identifying `` glamorous '' Latino artists and athletes to advocate traditional marriage , according to newly released confidential memos . The strategies were among several pursued by the National Organization for Marriage ( NOM ) , which has actively campaigned against same-sex marriage efforts . The Human Rights Campaign , a gay rights organization , said it obtained the documents , part of a civil action in Maine , on Monday and published them on its website . `` This court-ordered disclosure shows NOM fighting a losing battle with strategy and tactics that are racially and ethnically divisive , filled with false political calculations , and out of touch with the majority of fair-minded Americans , '' Human Rights Campaign said in a statement . Most of the memos were written in 2009 . The president of NOM did not dispute the authenticity of the memos , saying in an online statement , `` Gay marriage is not a civil right . '' The memos highlight several efforts to fight same-sex marriage initiatives , which NOM contended were backed by the `` pro-gay Obama agenda . '' `` The Latino vote in America is a key swing vote , and will be so even more so in the future because of demographic growth , '' one NOM memo states . `` Will the process of assimilation to the dominant Anglo culture lead Hispanics to abandon traditional family values ? We can interrupt this process of assimilation by making support for marriage a key badge of Latino identity . '' Plans included Spanish language radio and TV ads , pamphlets and YouTube videos . NOM also targeted what it termed `` Democratic power bosses '' it claimed were inclined to put the interests of gay rights groups `` over the values of African-Americans . '' `` The strategic goal of this project is to drive a wedge between gays and blacks -- two key Democratic constituencies , '' another memo states . `` Find , equip , energize and connect African-American spokespeople for marriage ; develop a media campaign around their objections to gay marriage as a civil right ; provoke the gay marriage base into responding by denouncing these spokesmen and women as bigots . No politician wants to take up and push an issue that splits the base of the party . '' NOM argued `` gay marriage is the tip of the spear , the weapon that will be and is being used to marginalize and repress Christianity and the Church . '' The organization said Tuesday it was proud of its `` strong record '' on minority partnerships . Brian Brown , president of NOM , touted the group 's work with prominent African-American and Hispanic leaders . `` Gay marriage advocates have attempted to portray same-sex marriage as a civil right , but the voices of these and many other leaders have provided powerful witness that this claim is patently false , '' Brown said in a statement . `` Gay marriage is not a civil right , and we will continue to point this out in written materials such as those released in Maine . We proudly bring together people of different races , creeds and colors to fight for our most fundamental institution : marriage . '' NOM has been instrumental in the campaign to stop same-sex marriage laws , including Maine . Lawmakers there in early 2009 approved a measure legalizing such marriages , but voters in the state later that year passed a referendum to overturn the new law . An effort is currently under way to put a similar measure on the ballot this coming November . A coalition on Tuesday launched Mainers United for Marriage , which wants Maine to become the first state to win marriage for same-sex couples through a ballot measure . The release of NOM documents follows the successful 2009 efforts to overturn Maine 's same-sex marriage law . The court case came about after the Maine Ethics Commission opened an investigation based on a fund-raising complaint from Fred Karger of Californians Against Hate . He alleged financial backers of Stand for Marriage Maine were concealing their identities . NOM was a major contributor to Stand for Marriage Maine , a political action committee , documents showed . NOM , which refused to disclose the names of donors , eventually filed a lawsuit . It claims the commission had limited authority to investigate . Freedom to Marry , which supports same-sex marriage , blasted NOM 's tactics , as outlined in memos that were submitted for depositions . `` NOM has spent years working to drive wedges within communities across the nation , all the while claiming it does not 'hate ' anyone , gay or non-gay , '' said group President Evan Wolfson in a statement . `` Now exposure of NOM 's own strategy memos confirms that NOM will stop at nothing to push its agenda , pitting American against American , minority against minority , family members against family members . '' CNN 's Justin Lear , Phil Gast and Stephanie Gallman contributed to this report .
Group has campaigned against same-sex marriage . Memos sought a `` wedge '' between gays and blacks over issue . Organization also wanted traditional marriage to become a `` key badge '' of Latino Identity . Human Rights Campaign decries `` ethnically divisive '' efforts .