March For Marriage 2014

This is family policy matter program is produced by the North Carolina family policy Council of profamily research and education organization dedicated to strengthening and preserving the family, and often the studio hears John Rushton, president of the North Carolina family policy Council, keep doing it his way. Profamily policy matters. It is a pleasure to have Joseph Grabowski would Joseph his communications director for the national organization for marriage. Born in Washington DC. Joseph is with us today to talk about the 2014 National March for marriage scheduled for June 19 in Washington.

We will be talking about this event.

While it is so important and how you can get involved and help spread the word Joseph, welcome to the program I got thanks for having me.

What were delighted to have you ever National March for marriage was held in 2013 with a significant turnout in Washington tells about that event and about the 2014 March for marriage. What's the purpose.

And what do you hope to achieve well in 2013. As we look forward to the hearing cases of Perry versus Hollingsworth and US versus Windsor which were the two cases challenging California's proposition eight and the Defense of marriage act and federal level.

We decided that with a lot of the pundits talking about this as being a potential Roe V Wade type decision for marriage type case we were really inspired by the example of the March for life, which is sort of the E response to that famous decision in Roe versus Wade in 1973 that has of course made such an impact on our culture and it brings hundreds of thousands of people to DC every year on the anniversary of the decision so we wanted to do that on the day of the hearing and that's what we did on March 26 of last year we gathered at the national Mall several thousand strong, and I really just stood up and solidarity to show that to try to speak to the court that there are still countless Americans throughout the land to still value and treasure definition of marriage is the union of one man and one woman, and they did not want the court to take their votes, their voices away from them with regard to that. Unfortunately, in our opinion, those decisions that were handed down eventually. Last June were not the Roe V Wade of marriage we we still have a fighting chance in the courts because the court declined to find a constitutional right to same-sex marriage, and indeed they affirmed the fact that the states do have the right to make their determinations about marriage for themselves. Unfortunately, since then we haven't seen local judges in federal district judges responding to that decision with the sound reading of of what justice can Kennedy wrote in his decision and so were going back on the anniversary or near the anniversary of those decisions being handed down and were gathering again on June 19 in front of the capital to send the same message to the court that millions of Americans and dozens of states have gone to the polls voice their opinion that marriage is the union of a man and a woman and by the court's own logic.

Those decisions should be upheld and respected because that is the right of citizens to have a voice in this most crucial matter, which is really such a basic institution in our society. We can't leave it to the politicians and the courts to decide that matter for us while I completely agree. I couldn't say it better than you did how important this event is how important it is for us to stand up for traditional natural marriage and make sure that all voices are heard and that our elected officials note and consider, especially as the citizens through the act of voting have added the definition of marriage is a union of one man and one woman to their state constitutions. Now, in addition to the national organization for marriage. A number of other national groups and organizations are helping to promote and sponsor the motive for marriage Joseph. If you would total about about these other groups that involve really. Our goal is to pound as wide a coalition as we can around this event and so we have gathered together really a respectable list of cosponsors and there's more coming in by the day.

These are well-known organizations such as the Heritage foundation family research Council Manhattan declaration are good friends. The coalition of African-American pastors marriage unique for a reason which is the United States conference of Catholic Bishops initiative for the protection and defense of marriage alliance defending freedom and and several others.

So these well-known groups are coming together because this is a value that all of our our supporters and members support so crucially, and we recognize that it is a public policy matter, it's not a matter of private religion or private opinions. It is a good for society that we uphold and sustain marriage is the union of one man and one woman, Joseph, in light of escalating attacks on the definition of marriage across the United States. Would you say that we need a National March for marriage.

Now more than ever before, and if so why I would absolutely say that and I think another reason why I would offer is something that should hit home, much to the citizens of North Carolina, who went to the polls as recently as 2012 to decide this matter and did so with an overwhelming majority favoring marriage being defined as the union of a man and a woman that both that voice that opportunity that was given to those voters has the chance of being stolen away by a radical judge who decides that the will of one man can override the will of the people of of a given state and the stakes are just simply too high for us to sit back and watch what the courts are going to do. We need to stand up in the public square show that were not afraid to speak out on this issue also show what diversity and how broad and wide to the support is for traditional marriage. That's why were trying to bring together as many organizations and as many great speakers as we can to the capital grounds. On the 19th to show the court that this is not a debt issue. This is still alive public debate and we don't want the court to make the same mistake that the court made in Roe V Wade in 1973, which was rule to legislate from the bench and put an end to a very active public debate with disastrous social consequences of the over the ensuing generations.

Well, it seems that the implications of the issues before the court and what will as we fully expect will ultimately make its way up to the United States Supreme Court, almost issue of marriage. But the implications are for broader than that. Also, the implications with respect to religious freedom because once marriage is stricken, as we have known it in wall in our culture for thousands of years religious freedom will certainly be next to go.

And so, the implications are all significant. Is there really a broader agenda.

Are there other issues and values that participants in the mortal marriage will be standing for as well. Really one of our main points in one of our main slogans for the marches that kids deserve mom and a dad and that that I think best encapsulates the reason the people take the time to to do what we do and to stand up for marriage day after day in the fight. This fight because once you legislate and law that marriage is a genderless institution. Once you redefine it.

That trickles down and every quarter of society, it trickles down into the way people are able to do business at the Christian business owners to trickle down down to what can be taught in our schools to our children don't think society can afford to communicate the message to the next generation that moms and dads are insignificant in entry interchangeable. You can replace that with parent one and parent to we believe that men and women. The two complementary has a humanity and in the beautiful arrangement reflected in the Merrick marital act that this is the only union that produces naturally of its own accord a new life for new for new generation. We believe that those men and women also bring different strengths in different roles to them.

Parenting enterprise.

We believe moms and dads are important and essential and we want to want to show how many Americans still agree with that of fundamental and really common sense value that moms and dads are special and that every child deserves that unique love that they get from their own mother and their own father about the hope of a lot of or listeners will decide that this is something that they want to participate in its extremely important and they want to join with all of these other individuals and groups in Washington DC on June 19 but if they are unable to it.

Is there a way that they can participate in the March for marriage from their town were they may be. If they're not able to get to Washington DC. There certainly is and were promoting something called the virtual marker marriage and what that entails is first want to tune in on on the look on the web and watch the speeches from from the capital were to have some kind of live streaming out there so the people will either simultaneously with the rally or shortly thereafter be able to tune in and hear the great remarks that are speakers are making were very excited that a featured speaker at the March will be Gov. Mike Huckabee. So really those speeches are not to be missed.

But in addition to doing that were encouraging people to take our logo they can shop online for marker marriage dear like T-shirts and signs and organize their own rally. If if they're unable to make it a habit in the church basement or have it in front of their own local City Hall if they're able to do that or visit their own local federal representatives local office and lobby for marriage. On that day and sent pictures into our website so that we can show not only are we gathering thousands and thousands of people together in our nations capital for this great event, but there's also people joining us remotely, who can't be there all across the country because this is a national concern.

It's not easy politics. This is the grass roots that are coming together to support traditional marriage on this day for those who do attend in Washington. Will there be opportunities for them and information to help them go to speak with their elected representatives about this issue and also other activities that they can participate in absolutely right after the mark itself for having the March program which lasts from 11 AM to 1 PM at the capital grounds followed by a march to the Supreme Court and after the March disbands in front of the Supreme Court were providing an opportunity for people to participate in the first ever Mac national marriage lobby day, and if they visit our website which is marriage March.org will find information about that they can sign up and will set up the meetings will have people there to guide them to the appropriate meeting places in the offices will be given.

Talking points and questions to ask of their elected representatives so absolutely it's an opportunity for people to come and to speak truth to power in a very unique way that they might not have otherwise excellent tone. Are you expecting hopefully it's going to be enormous and we want to do everything that we can to encourage folks across our state and across the nation to participate. But what is your hope and desire as well as the turnout for this event will relay your hope and desire is come one come all you know I II would be a weatherman if I was trying to predict that far in the future and and what what's gonna come out because of course there's so many extenuating circumstances, and we know it's difficult for people to get the buses together and become to come in the middle of the summer for a day like this. But we're encouraging people to really make the commitment and to prioritize it because it is so worthwhile and so important to do so. So at this point we we don't really have a realistic expectation of what the numbers will be but we know that will be a growth upon last year and people can check out our website and see photos of last year's March and I think the numbers that turned out last year surprised everyone. So were expecting to be pleasantly surprised even more so again this year.

Well, one way that people can ensure that a great crowd of like-minded folks are there is to simply go and participate be a part of it and participate in the March for marriage. So we we certainly want folks to do that for some ways that our listeners can help spread the word about the upcoming mortal marriage them and get involved in encouraging others to participate as well. That's a great question on our website. Again, if you get a marriage March.org there's a tab called participate and if you click that there are all kinds of downloadable resources, flyers, the people can hand handout or hang in there church order.

Give added a meeting of the group that there associated with.

We have options there that they can change their profile picture on Facebook on Twitter or in their email so all kinds of things like that to help us spread the word were also publishing a video next week which we really want to go viral. It's kind of a trailer if you will, for the March remarriage and you should really get people excited. Get the heart pumping and get them interested so we ask people to sign up@marriagemarch.org and to wait for news updates and when they get that update about that video. Share it like crazy on social media so that we can get as many people informed about the said event as possible right unfortunately will just about out of time, but let me repeat the website for listeners arguments marriage March.org again marriage March.org and I just want to encourage everyone out there to visit the website reserve that date on your calendar to get up to DC and participate do everything that she can to encourage your family members, friends, church and others to engage in this as well would certainly is is the most important issue that we could be dealing with in our culture today and we just want to really implore everyone to participate in the March remarriage will Joseph Grabowski, thank you so much for being with us on family policy matters and for your work with the national organization for marriage and your efforts in preparation for the 2014 March remarriage, which again is scheduled for June 19 in Washington DC. Thank you so much you family policy matters. Information and analysis, future North Carolina family policy Council join us weekly discussion on policy issues affecting the family. If you have questions or comments. 919-0708 visit our website and see family.1