Washington DC March Draws Rainbow of Supporters for Traditional Marriage

The following is a letter from James Gavin, president of the Universal Peace Federation (UPF) USA.

The temperature was cool, but the sun was shining brightly on everyone as we marched for marriage down Constitution Avenue and up to the steps of the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C.

I walked with Tom Cutts the Executive Director of the American Clergy Leadership Conference (ACLC) and thousands of others holding signs that said “Every Child Deserves a Mom and a Dad.” When we reached the Supreme Court, on both sides of the street were gay marriage supporters shouting out for equal rights of same-sex couples, while the marchers shouted out for the rights of children to have a mother and a father.

Ms. Maria Vargas, a Universal Peace Federation (UPF) leader in New York, was on the frontline of the march with State Senator Ruben Diaz (NY), who brought 32 buses of marchers from New York. “The gay demonstrators blocked our path as we marched in front of the Supreme Court, and we had some tense moments before we were able to pass,” Vargas said.

Rev. Bruce Grodner brought a van-load of clergy and other march for marriage supporters in from New York. He said, “We left at three in the morning, but I would not have missed this for the world. What a great spirit, and what a great cause to march for the rights of children to be raised by a father and a mother.” We estimate there was a mass of more than 15,000 gathered on the National Capital Mall.

Many members of the Family Federation for World Peace from the Washington, D.C. area participated as did UPF Ambassadors for Peace and ACLC clergy who came in from all over the East Coast. These included Mrs. Diane Abendroth of Bowie, Maryland, Rev. and Mrs. Levy Daugherty of Norfolk, Virginia, Rev. Mrs. Michael Jenkins, Mr. Pierre Tardy from Pennsylvania and many others who were marching, singing and supporting the march. We marched back to the Smithsonian area of the Mall where the stage was located and were inspired with great music and a diversity of speakers who spoke about the rights of children to be raised by a mother and a father.

There were young adults, women, clergy, politicians, Black, White, Asian and Hispanic speakers who spoke out for the sake of children. One member of the clergy told the audience: “Children are safer when a man and a woman are in the house, children are better educated when a man and a woman are in the house, when a man and a woman are in the house, poverty is lessened, when a man and a woman are in the house, kids don’t go to prison; when a man and a woman are in the house, there is less domestic violence.”

Sen. Diaz said “I’m a Puerto Rican, I’m Black, I’m a Democrat, I’m a Senator, I’m against abortion, I’m against same-sex marriage, and I won the last election with 89 percent of the vote. A woman said that the other side never mentions children but that’s the entire reason government is involved in marriage to begin with. Brian Brown, [president of non-profit National Organization for Marriage], asked the rally to stand for the civil right of children to have a mother and a father.

“Don’t give up on us young people; the media says we don’t exist, well I do exist, and I believe in marriage between a man and a woman,” said a young woman on the speakers’ platform.

Marchers watched a moving video of an 11-year-old Minnesota girl who spoke recently at a committee hearing before the Minnesota state legislature. She told the committee: “My mom couldn’t live without out my dad, and he couldn’t live without my mom. What parent don’t I need: my mom or my dad? I hope you see every child needs a mom and a dad, please don’t change our laws to say otherwise.”

My belief is that this is just the beginning of a great debate for our children to have the right to be raised by a father and a mother. I hope the Supreme Court leaves it up to the people of the United States to decide this issue. It is important that all of us who value the importance of our children and grandchildren being raised by a man and a woman stand up and be counted on this most important issue of our day.