March for Marriage: One Love, One LIfe, One Man, One Wife

For more than 2 hours, the crowd sweltering on the lawn in front of the U.S. Capitol had been hearing a steady attack on government and the courts for trying to redefine the old idea of traditional marriage as a union between a man and woman only.

Earlier speakers had intoned: "God doesn't bless America because America is great. America is great because God has blessed her. We have to make laws that make it difficult to walk away from what God has ordained."

Now it was time to move the group of about 2.000 demonstrators from the Capitol for a walk through the Washington DC streets to the Supreme Court to finish their day's actions.

But, as you might imagine, it is difficult to move such a group easily.

First, the organizers of the March for Marriage event had to unfurl the large banner with the message "Every Child Deserves a Mom & a Dad," which, held by several speakers, was to lead the group. Then, they had to position the crowd.

However, as the march got underway, it was quickly recognized that there was a problem.  "This is the quietest march ever," proclaimed one of the leaders. "Where are the megaphones?"

While event staff was sent to procure the megaphones, those in front tried a few feeble chants that failed to ignite the crowd, which stretched out all the way back to the Capitol lawn. Finally, the group tried a slightly off-key version of "God, Bless America." When the megaphones were produced, crowd exciters began their work.

"One man. One woman. One man. One woman" was followed by "One love. One life. One man. One wife."

Before leaving the Capital grounds, organizers had indicated that the group might encounter protesters supporting same-sex marriage. And they were right. On the street in front of the Supreme Court was a group holding its own huge banner proclaiming "Bigotry Disguised as Religious Liberty ... Is Still Bigotry." And on the sidewalks, blocking the way to the steps leading up to the highest court, were protesters displaying signs with messages such as "No one protests your marriages" or "Don't like gay marriage? Don't get gay married." There was even a character dressed as a Holy Bible with a sign offering "Use me not for your bigotry."

The March for Marriage leaders halted. They conferred. They decided to pray using the megaphones. The leaders knelt down. The group followed. News photographers and TV cameramen jostled to get in the best picture taking positions. First was a prayer in English. Then a much more spirited offering in Spanish. Both shared the idea that it was God's will that only men and women be united in holy matrimony.

Police approached the same-sex marriage supporters in the street. "If you don't have a permit, you cannot block the street," an officer said. "This is your 1st warning."

The banner holders quietly moved to join their fellow sign holders on the sidewalk. Meanwhile, as the prayers continued, a small group of traditional marriage supporters with their own hand-held signs claiming "Every child deserves a Mom and a Dad" were positioning themselves in front of their ideological opponents and their signs.

Finally, with the street cleared, the March for Marriage group made its way to the Supreme Court steps.
"Hallelujah. God is proud. God made the rainbow," one of the leaders with a megaphone proclaimed. After about 15 minutes the crowd dispersed, leaving only 2 pro-traditional marriage supporters and a slightly larger group of same-sex marriage advocates to engage in a vigorous, spirited, heated, yet peaceful debate on the idea of morality and marriage.

Mike Huckabee addresses rally

Prior to the march on the Supreme Court, the event's last speaker at the Capital, former Arkansas governor and current Fox News commentator Mike Huckabee, regaled the crowd with his version of that debate.

At the beginning of his remarks, he told the audience that his initial statement might surprise them. He said he agreed with Barack Obama in 2008 when Obama said that when it comes to marriage "God is in the mix."

"But now the president has changed," Huckabee said. "That can mean only 1 of 3 things: He was not telling the truth then; he is not telling the truth now; or God has revised the Book and only given a portion of it to the president."

"The government doesn't give us our rights. The government protects the rights that God has given us. We either have a civilization that is God-centered or that is me-centered,"he added.

Huckabee directed some of his harshest criticism toward the Supreme Court. "They are only the Supreme Court. They are certainly not the Supreme Being from whom all law emanates," he said.

Huckabee, whose name is still in the mix as a possible Republican candidate for president  in 2016, said judges and lawmakers "should mesh with the Constitution, not mess with the Constitution."

People have a moral responsibility to break unjust laws, he said. "We will be Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego. We will not kneel to Nebuchadnezzar," he concluded.

Signs, Signs, Everywhere There's Signs

Extra! Extra! Read All About It
Even More on the March for Marriage

Wow! Fox News host Mike Huckabee compares the effort to prevent LGBT people from having equal marriage rights to fighting against Nazi Germany. (from The Raw Story)

How are we supposed to reproduce in America if it's a man with a man and a woman with a woman is one question asked at rally. (from The Huffington Post)

We're not here to be anti-anything (from The Daily Signal)

Are the media all for same-sex marriage. (from The Daily Signal)

Religion motivates participants in anti-gay marriage rally. (from Think Progress)