Thousands to Rally Against Gay Marriage in Connecticut

Over 10,000 Christians, Catholics and pro-family advocates will gather at the step of the Connecticut Capitol on Sunday, April 24th, to rally against the state’s recently-passed civil-unions bill.

Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell on Wednesday signed into law a bill that will afford same-sex couples in the state many of the rights and privileges of married couples. The bill was passed to her desk after the House then the Senate passed the measure; the law takes effect Oct. 1.

While the House measure specifically defined marriage as between one man and one woman, critics of the bill said civil union would essentially undermine the institution of marriage altogether. .

“We know that the people of this state understand that civil-unions legislation is merely a stepping-stone to full same-sex marriage,” said Brian S. Brown, president of the Family Institute of Connecticut Action (FICA).

FICA will be holding the “Rally for Marriage 2005” event on Sunday to let Connecticut voters know who supported the controversial bill.

“On Sunday we will make clear that the people of this state did not want to undermine marriage through civil-unions legislation,” said Brown. “We will now fight in unity to protect the word marriage and to ensure that Connecticut voters know who did and did not vote to undermine marriage. Governor Rell and many of our legislators have betrayed their constituents and the institution of marriage by passing this bill."

Speakers at the afternoon event include: Bishop LeRoy Bailey, leader of First Cathedral Church of Bloomfield, one of the largest African-American churches in New England, Bishop Jay Ramirez of Kingdom Life Christian Church of Milford, and Bishop Daniel Hart of the Catholic Diocese of Norwich.

For more information on the rally, visit: www.ctfamily.org .