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WERG PRESS RELEASE
Mayday for Marriage Rally Set for March 8th
Thousands are expected to rally in Olympia on Tuesday, March 8th in support of authentic marriage, according to Joseph Fuiten, President of Washington Evangelicals for Responsible Government (WERG) and rally organizer. The event is scheduled to precede the Washington Supreme Court hearing on overturning the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). If DOMA is overturned, the court would presumably impose same-sex marriage on Washington State.
The rally has three messages for the Washington State Legislature and the Court: marriage by definition is between a man and a woman only; it is the birthright of every child to be raised in a healthy family by the child’s mother and father; and if the courts strike down the current legal definition of marriage, it will improperly usurp the role of the legislature.
The March 8th Mayday for Marriage Rally seeks to educate legislators and citizens about the importance of authentic marriage. Previous rallies included 20,000 at Safeco Field on May 1, 2004 in what was the largest political rally in Washington State last year, and another 250,000 in Washington DC on October 15.
The March 8th Mayday for Marriage Rally is being organized by WERG, an 11-year-old political lobbying organization in Washington State representing Biblical values. The organization has launched a major effort to contact and mobilize social conservatives, like-minded churches and others who support traditional marriage.
“We are organizing to keep a small but vocal minority of radicals from imposing their vision of homosexual marriage upon an unwilling society,” said Dr. Fuiten. “Even though the efforts began with Evangelicals, it quickly included a much wider aggregation of secular and religious voices.”
WERG has organized a direct mail and radio campaign to let people know about the rally.
NATIONAL PRESS RELEASE
Washington Citizens Take a Stand for Traditional Marriage
Plans for Third Mayday for Marriage Event Announced
REDMOND, Washington—2/XX/2005— Americans in support of traditional marriage have gathered at SAFECO Field, met on the National Mall in Washington DC and now plan to rally in Olympia, on the capitol grounds, Tuesday, March 8, 2005 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Conservative community leaders Dr. Joseph Fuiten, Dr. Ken Hutcherson and a host of other prominent speakers will lead participants that have heeded this “Mayday” distress call to protect traditional marriage.
The rally will occur as the Washington State Supreme Court begins hearing arguments on lower court rulings in King and Thurston counties that found Washington 's Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) to be unconstitutional. Should the Supreme Court agree with and uphold the lower court decisions, Washington could join Massachusetts as the only states in the nation to allow gay marriage.
“If we are going to change the meaning of marriage it deserves a debate and we should come to agreement as a society, “ said Dr. Joseph Fuiten, president, Washington Evangelicals for Responsible Government. “When the Washington Supreme Court hears lawyers argue about marriage, they should consider the recent “morals vote” cast by the majority of Americans and what that really meant. It is not just the fate of gay marriage that will be decided. If the court decides to impose its values on the rest of us, it will do so as a raw exercise of arbitrary power well outside the consent of the governed.”
Confirmed Speakers
Speakers at the Mayday for Marriage rally include:
Dr. Joseph Fuiten – Washington Evangelicals for Responsible Government
Dr. Ken Hutcherson - Antioch Bible Church
Issues around legal, societal and biblical aspects of marriage will be discussed, as well as ways for attendees to get involved and take a stand for marriage in Washington State . There will be music and worship along with keynote speakers.
“ Supporters of “gay marriage” hope they can gain through the courts what they cannot get through the democratic process – the right to marry,” said Dr. Ken Hutcherson, senior pastor Antioch Bible Church and Mayday for Marriage founder. “Washington State needs to take a stand on marriage just like 13 other states took a stand last year when voters overwhelmingly approved state constitutional amendments defining marriage as being the union of one man and one woman. “
This Mayday for Marriage rally in Olympia , Washington comes on the heels of a national event held last year in October where approximately 250,000 gathered on the National Mall in Washington DC to show their support for traditional marriage.
The Mayday for Marriage Olympia rally is open to all people. No admission fee required. For more information, visit
www.maydayformarriage.com
250 Thousand people took a stand for marriage at the Mall in Washington DC
Dr. James Dobson, Chuck Colson, Alan Keyes and Dr. Ken Hutcherson
to Lead Pro-Marriage Rally on Washington , DC
Mayday for Marriage Event Speakers Announced
REDMOND , Washington —10/5/2004— “ Mayday” is the
international signal word used as a distress call, summoning all available
resources to help. F rom noon to 3pm on October 15, 2004, conservative Christian
leaders Dr. James Dobson, Chuck Colson, Alan Keyes, Dr. Ken Hutcherson and
a host of other prominent speakers will lead the hundreds of thousands that
have heeded the marriage distress call to attend the Mayday for Marriage event
on the National Mall in Washington , DC .
“The institution of marriage is under attack. As Christians, we are obligated
to stand up for what God has ordained as the one and only union, between a
man and woman,” said Dr. Ken Hutcherson, senior pastor Antioch Bible Church
and Mayday for Marriage founder. “We're fighting to ensure marriage remains
biblically, historically and culturally defined as being between a man and
a woman. This event is a wake up call to America , its citizens and its leaders.
If we don't act now our great country will fall!”
Confirmed Speakers
Speakers at the Mayday for Marriage event include:
- Rabbi Daniel Lapin - Towards Tradition
- Alan Chambers - Exodus International
- Former US Ambassador Alan Keyes
- Dr. James Dobson - Focus on the Family
- Tony Perkins - Family Research Council
- Dr. Richard Land – Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern
Baptist Convention
- Rev. Samuel Rodriguez - National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference
- Anne Graham Lotz - AnGeL Ministries (Just give me Jesus)
- Dennis Rainey - FamilyLife
- Dr. Ken Hutcherson - Antioch Bible Church
- Chuck Colson - Prison Fellowship
- Bruce W. Fong, Ph.D.- Michigan Theological Seminary and College
- Phil Driscoll- Mighty Horn Ministries
- Dr. Stephen Newby - Worship Leader
Issues around legal, societal and biblical aspects of marriage will be discussed,
as well as ways for attendees to get involved and take a stand for marriage.
Dr. Stephen Newby, worship leader at Antioch Bible Church , will lead participants
in several musical and worship sessions between keynote speakers.
Why Should We Defend the Definition of Marriage?
Marriage has been the foundation and center pole of healthy families for centuries.
Changing the definition and in turn, the make-up of the family will put the
future health of our society at risk. Mayday for Marriage is a biblically-based
movement and the Bible is clear in establishing marriage as the union between
one man and one woman. Even outside the Christian community world religions
such as Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism also recognize marriage as between
a man and a woman.
The Mayday for Marriage event in Washington DC comes on the heels of a similar
effort held earlier this year in May, where over 20,000 gathered at Safeco
Field in Seattle , Washington to show their support for traditional marriage.
Similar events throughout the country have included the Mt. City for Marriage
Rally ( Johnson City , TN ); Mayday for Marriage Gideon's Posse Rally ( Huntsville
, AL ); and the Stand New England Rally
( Wachusett Mountain , MA ).
The Mayday for Marriage event is open to all people. No admission fee required.
For more information, or to register to attend (not required), visit www.maydayformarriage.com
About Mayday for Marriage
Mayday for Marriage is a non-profit organization formed by Puget Sound-area
( Washington State ) pastors to bring this country together and preserve the
definition of marriage as the union between a man and a woman. The organization
seeks to raise awareness of efforts by government officials to change the very
definition and in turn, the institution of marriage. The group is dedicated
to minister to all persons, and to strengthen marriages, families and the children
that depend upon them. For more information, visit www.maydayformarriage.com
The Official Book For “May Day for Marriage”
Dr. Dobson, bestselling author and former advisor to the Commission on Child
and Family Welfare, releases Marriage Under Fire , the first book to
present the Christian response to this politically pivotal debate during an
election year. “There has not been a time when the institution of marriage
faced such peril or when the forces arrayed against it were more formidable
or determined. The preservation of the family, and thus our nation, hangs in
the balance,” Dobson said. For more information on Dr. Dobson and how to purchase
this book visit www.marriageunderfire.com
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Contact:
206.618.2731
info@maydayformarriage.com
