July 24 was a very hot Sunday in New York City, but it did not deter the tens of thousands who came out across the state to voice opposition to New York's newest law. Pushed through by Governor Andrew Cuomo, the marriage "equality" law seeks to redefine marriage beyond the traditional and long-standing union of one man and one woman. Opponents say that the search by homosexuals for acceptance through marriage equality is seen, at its core, as biologically impossible and so an unreal notion, moral issues notwithstanding. Marriage is more than a word and same-sex "marriage" is more than an oxymoron; it poses a danger to the structure of society as we know it.
Maggie Gallagher (below) from the National Organization for Marriage www.nationformarriage.org prepares for an interview as marchers line up for blocks along New York City streets. Maggie has been a courageous voice of reason and education on the subject for years. Thank you, Maggie!
The men amd women who came out in the sweltering temperatures were peaceful but united in their message. The mostly Hispanic and African-American contingent gave voice to the fact that their majority voice was not sufficiently or honestly represented when the Governor pushed the same-sex "marriage" legislation through Albany's chambers for the benefit of the small, but powerful LGBTQ lobby. The "religious exemption" did not molify those who understandably doubt that a political promise to protect religious conscience objections would stand unchallenged or would not be trampled as surely as the basic institution of marriage was itself. This political panacea to silence objections is seen as nothing more than a temporary pacifier to achieve political ends because the "exemption" has already come under attack as "protected bigotry". The voters present this day in NYC and elsewhere say that the monies and promises that changed hands to change the minds of opponents to supporters of SSM will cause more than one politico to lose at the ballot box in November and in 2012.
Constituents walked the streets singing hymns and chanting "Let the people vote!" suggesting that a fair and true reading of opinion on this issue would confirm that only a small percentage of citizens of the State supported this radical change in the marriage law, with all its social repercusions.
The Rev. Isaias Rosario of the New York Hispanic Clergy Organization is pictured above.
The rallies across the State including Albany, Buffalo and Rochester, were sponsored by several groups that included the National Organization for Marriage, the New York Hispanic Clergy Organization, LetThePeopleVote.com, and several other religious denominations. One group noticeably absent were organizing representatives from the Catholic Church. Archbishop Timothy Dolan has blogged about his disappointment with the law at blog.archny.org/. Senator Rev. Ruben Diaz, the only Democrat Senator to vote against SSM, marched with the crowd and spoke after the large crowd walked peacefully from Third Avenue to Dag Hammarskjold Plaza near the U.N., the site of the rally.
Several media outlets like Channel 2, and Channel 11 (above) and the New York Times covered the event, but you had to look hard to find it covered in depth on-air or in print, other than on the Internet. The clock below at the start of the march marked the hour (3 p.m.) historically known in Christian religious circles as the hour Jesus died. Ironically, this was the hour chosen for the same-sex "marriage" ceremonies to begin.
The Hasidic community were strongly represented throughout. They are shown above at the rally site where they displayed several signs with calls to conscience and fiscal responsibility. The shofar (ram's horn) used in Jewish religious cememonies is seen below.
The New York City police were out in force and they were outstanding. The well-trained officers kept order and allowed the flow of pedestrian and car traffic. New York City's Finest efficiently cordoned off the very small, but hugely offensive and well-known "Westboro" representatives from the general rally's participants and organizers, who went out of their way to periodically announce that they were there to support traditional marriage and not denounce homosexuals.
If you go to the NOM website at www.nomblog.com/11797/ you will hear some of the rally speakers including Rev. Diaz and also Maggie Gallagher and Brian Brown of NOM. Follow their arguments and efforts to overturn this blatant attempt to ignore the will of New York State voters. We need courageous educators on this issue. It's past time to understand and get involved folks!