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Hundreds Protest Against Group in
Colo.
By JUDITH KOHLER, AP from the washingtonpost.com on the Web, May 3, 2005
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. May 1 -- About 500 people braved cold temperatures and
light snow Sunday to protest a conservative Christian group's campaign against
gay rights and same-sex marriage.
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Rem Orth, of
Colorado Springs, Colo., waves a placard in protest of policies against
same-sex marriage and gay rights outside the headquarters of the Christian
group Focus on the Family in Colorado Springs, Colo., Sunday, May 1, 2005.
More than 1,500 protesters were on hand despite the cold, snowy weather to
protest against the Christian organization.
(AP Photo/David Zalubowski) (David Zalubowski - AP) |
The protesters gathered in front of
the Focus on the Family campus, holding rainbow flags, multicolored balloons and
signs reading "God Loves Justice" and "Love Thy Neighbor." An American
Indian group played drums and some protesters sang "We Shall Overcome."
Focus on the Family, founded and led by James Dobson, has vigorously opposed gay
rights and same-sex marriages, urging voters during last year's election to vote
for President Bush and in favor of same-sex marriage bans that passed in 11
states.
"We are here to say, Jim, we love you enough to stop you from doing the damage
you are doing to families across the nation," said Mel White, executive director
of Soulforce, a national interfaith organization that supports gay rights.
Kendra Wiig, and her mother, Deborah Wiig, both of Denver, also challenged the
group's position.
"Although Focus says homosexuality is against families and against religion
there are a lot of loving families with gay mothers, daughters and sons," said
Kendra Wiig, who is bisexual.
Thomas Minnery, the group's director of public policy, said he watched the rally
from inside the headquarters. He denied that Focus delivers a message of
hate but reiterated the organization's belief that homosexuality violates
Biblical scripture.
"There are thousands of people who have left homosexuality, including some on
our staff. To say that one is born that way obviously flies in the face of
facts," Minnery said.
Dobson was not at the headquarters Sunday, Minnery said. He is traveling
on the East Coast this week and was expected to be in Washington, D.C., for the
National Day of Prayer events on Thursday.
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