Thousands of New Jersey Residents Stand in Support of Traditional Marriage

by Sharon Soon | October 21, 2008 7:36 pm

At a time when politics seems to be almost completely occupied with the current financial crisis, thousands of social conservatives gathered Sunday evening in front of New Jersey’s State House in Trenton to let the media and legislators know that they weren’t about to let cultural issues get pushed to the backburner. Just less than two weeks ago, Connecticut quietly became the third state to legalize gay marriage[1], behind Massachusetts and California. In the meantime, gay rights advocate groups like Garden State Equality are working fervently to ensure that New Jersey will soon follow this lead.

For this reason, pro-family leaders and groups throughout the state have come together to show the public why the marriage should remain as it as throughout history as between one man and one woman. The second of two marriage rallies this month headed by the New Jersey Family Policy Council[2], this Sunday’s gathering featured the lovely, astute, and passionate Star Parker (author and founder of the Coalition on Urban Renewal and Education) as keynote speaker.

The left tries to paint social conservatives as bigoted and intolerant, but Parker explained with compassion that this is merely another one of their lies.

The left told me that I didn’t have to control my sexual impulses… the left told me that I could abort my unborn. However, sexual misbehavior has led to societal destruction.

We must be witnesses. We must love our neighbor as ourselves, but we must rebuke our neighbors in love as well.

There is an insistence to destroy not just marriage, but sexual integrity. And we have been silent. We have too many scriptural references to not know what’s going on.

We have to cry out that homosexuality may be legal, but it’s not lawful in the eyes of God.

It’s an extremely touchy subject, but Parker is words ring true. The welfare of society is at risk if our residents do not preserve the “traditional” values that brought us where we are today. Her message was received with enthusiasm as the crowd held up signs saying, “Marriage: One Man + One Woman” and chanted “Let the people vote!”

Tom Ciborski, State Deputy of NJ’s Knights of Columbus, urged supporters to sign the Marriage Petition at www.preservemarriagenj.org[3]. Demetrious Stratis, Esq., of the Alliance Defense Fund, warned of the dangers possible if gay rights activists have their way:

Overseas, in countries like Sweden, people who speak out against homosexuality are often charged with hate crimes.

Meanwhile, Greg Quinlan of New Jersey Family First, told of his previous life as an ex-gay who turned his life around, but understood living life as a homosexual.

We [proponents of traditional marriage] don’t hate anybody, but we love you enough to tell you the truth.

We must love a homosexual enough to stand for the truth.

This is a democracy – I want the right to vote!

This right to vote on the definition of marriage was brought to issue this August by Assemblyman Doherty, who has called for an amendment to the state Constitution that would let voters make the decision. [4]

Carl Crowe from the American Family Association made the important point that studies have shown over and over how the nuclear family – one with both a mother and a father – is the healthiest situation in which to rear children.

In a society that is blindly becoming more and more politically correct (without sense or reason), signs stating “save marriage” might not do much to show outsiders why social conservatives believe what we believe. But as each of the Sunday’s speakers made a point to emphasize, we must do what we do because we care about our communities – and we cannot be silent as we witness the values of our state and country being broken down.

It’s important to note the positive tone of the rally, which focused on compassion rather than condemnation, and unity rather than opposition. The message that brought these people together was not aimed at attacking homosexuals but at explaining why the covenant of marriage was ordained to exist between a man and a woman. This is the reason why studies have always shown that children raised with both a mother and father tend to live more stable, successful lives. If marriage is viewed as the foundation of a strong society, the sanctity of this institution must be preserved for our own good.

It was this message that brought a few thousand concerns citizens together at New Jersey’s state capital. And despite the chill in the October air, there was a sense of warmth among the rally-goers who had come to support a common cause. I am proud to have been a part of it.

Cross-posted at Conservatives with Attitude![5]

Endnotes:
  1. third state to legalize gay marriage: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,435881,00.html
  2. New Jersey Family Policy Council: http://www.njfpc.org/
  3. www.preservemarriagenj.org: http://www.preservemarriagenj.org
  4. an amendment to the state Constitution that would let voters make the decision. : http://www.gopusanj.com/wordpress/?p=2285
  5. Conservatives with Attitude!: http://www.gopusanj.com

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