A vigil in Tampa brings home importance of marriage equality

A vigil in Tampa brings home importance of marriage equality

While the world’s attention was focused on the U.S. Supreme Court cases surrounding California’s Proposition 8 and the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act, residents in Tampa Bay and its surrounding communities brought the message of marriage equality home March 26.

Light The Way Tampa Bay was a vigil outside the Sam. M. Gibbons U.S. Courthouse on North Florida Avenue that featured several speakers discussing the importance of allowing same-sex couples to marry. The event was organized by GetEQUAL FL and endorsed by several organizations, including MCC Tampa, Living Faith MCC, Pride Tampa Bay, Get Equal and the ACLU of Florida, to name a few. The vigil was held in conjunction with similar events across the nation. Currently, nine states and Washington D.C., allow same-sex marriage.

“When you pass those orders it creates this controversy; this conflict with every other single state,” Juan Sousa-Rodriguez of the Florida Immigrant Coalition said. “You can’t grant citizens equal rights within one state and deny them those same rights in another state. So immediately after these cases are resolved, they are going to have to figure out how resolve the patchwork if someone goes on a road trip across the country their rights will change nine times. They won’t be able to hold that up for more than a year. There will be so many lawsuits that the entire system will shut down.”

A handful of anti-gay protesters attended the event, but that didn’t dampen the spirits of those supporting marriage equality. John Ransom, pastor of Living Faith Community Church of Dunedin, told WMNF news that citing scripture as a way of oppressing LGBT rights is an incorrect interpretation.

“Jesus himself never said anything about homosexuality – not one word,” Randsom said. “And yet he reached out to all that were oppressed; all who needed healing. So, today I feel confident that Jesus would run to homosexuals for the amount of oppression and putting down and marginalization that we’ve endured over the centuries.”

He told the crowd that shifting opinions about the LGBT community and same-sex relationships have helped fuel the progress of marriage equality in the United States.

“Our opponents are in the minority right now,” said Ransom, who also spoke to the crowd. “Gay marriage is not a threat to straight marriage.”

Speakers old and young took to the microphone, including 13-year-old Tyler Meagley, who wants to see his two mothers’ relationship be recognized by the government.

“Marriage should be seen as a bond between two people who love each other,” Meagley said. “My two moms mean the world to each other. And I mean the world to them. Gay people aren’t some poison. If we don’t fix this right now, we’ll be bigger idiots.”

Organizers described the vigil as a show of solidarity, not a protest and not a demonstration.

“History is in the making and it is time to bring America into the 21st century,” said Jarrod Scarbrough, who helped promote the gathering on Facebook. “Let’s give people hope and create change by using the voice of the people. Call on our veterans, back to the days of MLK, Harvey Milk, Cesar Chavez, Alice Paul and many other allies and advocates who have fought to create change through action – this is a grassroots movement.”

Scarbrough told the crowd that supporters of marriage equality must be patient and remain optimistic.

“The arch is starting to bend towards us - towards equality,” Scarbrough said.

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