Update - Press Conference

Religious Leaders and the Protect Marriage Coalition Leadership Unite against Vicious Attacks by Prop 8 Opponents
Friday, leaders representing the broad coalition of Californians who supported Proposition 8 called on leaders of the No on Proposition 8 campaign, in addition to Senator Diane Feinstein and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, to denounce the attacks against citizens who supported the constitutional amendment defining marriage as between a man and a woman.

"Amidst all this lawlessness, harassment, trampling of civil rights and now domestic terrorism, one thing stands out: the deafening silence of our elected officials. Not a single elected leader has spoken out against what is happening. Where is Governor Arnold Schwarzenengger while churches are being attacked? And where is Senator Dianne Feinstein while people are losing their jobs and grandmothers are being bullied by an angry mob?" said Campaign Co-Manager Frank Schubert.

The statement was made at the first press conference of the Protect Marriage coalition since election night when Proposition 8 was passed by California voters with 52.5% of the vote. In the past ten days, hostility has increased against people whose only offense was to exercise their right to participate in the political process.

Some of the outrageous activities include:

* In Sacramento, a musical theater director was forced to resign after he was blacklisted for contributing $1000 to the initiative;
* A Mexican restaurant in Los Angeles has been boycotted after a relative of the owner donated to the coalition;
* Numerous churches have had their property defaced;
* And an unknown white powder was mailed to several LDS temples and the National Headquarters of the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic organization that supported the campaign.

The leadership of the ProtectMarriage.com coalition, a group of interfaith religious leaders, community leaders from a wide range of ethnic groups, and approximately 500 supporters of Yes on Proposition 8 gathered in Santa Ana to voice their opposition to the increasing attacks and harassment against supporters of traditional marriage.

Speaking on behalf of the African American community, Pastor Ed Smith of the Zoe Christian Fellowship of Whittier said: "Marriage is important to members of all faiths and all communities, but an election was held, the outcome was fair and people throughout California should honor it."

"For 14 months, we have been called bigots and hatemongers and we have not retaliated against these unprecedented attacks," Pastor Jim Garlow said. "But we will not be silenced."

(ldsmag.com)

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