Thousands Attend NC Marriage Rally

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Thousands Attend NC Marriage Rally

Special Report - March 6, 2007
Thousands of citizens rallied outside the legislature in Raleigh today to call for lawmakers to allow a vote on the state marriage amendment. Observers familiar with similar events said this was the largest crowd they had ever seen on the Halifax Mall behind the Legislative Building. Bills similar to the 2007 Senate version of the bill, SB 13—Defense of Marriage, have been introduced each of the last three years, in both the House and Senate, but have been referred to a committee and have never come up for consideration in either body. A similar bill, H 493—Defense of Marriage, was introduced in the House today and a bipartisan group of 63 members of the House have signed on as co-sponsors—more than a majority in the 120-member House. If either bill passes both the House and Senate, it would call for a referendum of the people of North Carolina to vote on the amendment to our state constitution. The date for that referendum would be November 6, 2007, in conjunction with municipal elections.

The keynote speaker for today’s event was David Gibbs, Jr., president and founder of the Christian Law Association. The rally was coordinated by Dr. Ron Baity, pastor of Berean Baptist Church and president of the Winston-Salem-based organization, Return America.

Bill Brooks, president of the North Carolina Family Policy Council, commented on the rally: "We are extremely pleased that Pastor Baity and his organization have joined in the fight for a North Carolina Marriage Amendment. The thousands of citizens who attended the rally today represent but a small portion of those we hear from every day who want to see the General Assembly allow them to vote on a marriage amendment. Such an amendment is the only way the citizens of North Carolina have to protect marriage from being redefined by the legislature and the courts."