Vows to Take a Stand...

In early May, Mary McCarty from DDN posted a great article that quoted Rev. Mark Pridmore on his thoughts about the same-sex marriage ceremony that occurred this past weekend at Courthouse Square, "Vows to Take a Stand."  The ceremony that pronounced the couples "forever joined in holy matrimony" was symbolic in nature, as well as a political stand against the state law passed in 2004 that prohibited the legalization of gay marriage.

The festivities were a really exciting site to see, giving witness to diversity in so many ways - with people peacefully voicing their opinions from both sides.  And while the few protestors made some ugly comments when the pride parade began at Cooper Park, by the time the parade reached Courthouse Square, the nay sayers were quite subdued... perhaps because the crowd of spirited and joyful people completely ignored them.  The level of security was very high - with substantially more police officers on site than hecklers.

Pictures and the quotes from the presiding reverend tell a much better story of the event than I ever could... so here they are.

"They feel a hunger for justice.  And they are feeling a hunger to make a public statement and to make it so openly: This is who I love and there is no law in the world that can change that."

"...It's time for us to take a stand, because the longer we stay silent, the more it looks as if we consent to the powers that be."

(A few hecklers) "...are hardly enough to detract from the solemnity, or the joy, of the ceremony that will be the first of its kind in Southwest Ohio."

"The thing that determines the sanctity of marriage is the presence of God, not the gender of the people of God."