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As former GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum invoked “the Creator” and rallied same-sex marriage foes in Bellevue, supporters of Referendum 74 met in a Seattle church sanctuary Wednesday night to proclaim the rightness of marriage equality.
“We’re on the right side of history at this moment . . . He (Santorum) is on the wrong side of history. It is not the first time he has been there,” said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., who fought Santorum on reproductive rights and women’s health when bo
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As former GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum invoked “the Creator” and rallied same-sex marriage foes in Bellevue, supporters of Referendum 74 met in a Seattle church sanctuary Wednesday night to proclaim the rightness of marriage equality.
“We’re on the right side of history at this moment . . . He (Santorum) is on the wrong side of history. It is not the first time he has been there,” said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., who fought Santorum on reproductive rights and women’s health when both were members of the Senate.
Murray
“There have been Santorums who have stood in the way of every movement for equality in American,” Murray added. “This is a moment when we can show why we are a national model for inclusiveness.”
The rival events by supporters and opponents of Referendum 74 underscored how the faith community in Washington has split as the state prepares to vote on marriage equality in November.
At an earlier Family Policy Institute of Washington rally in Spokane, Santorum warned that gay marriage “will destroy and undermine the church in America.”
Catholic Bishop Joseph Tyson of Yakima, in a pastoral letter, argued last weekend: “We see that God willed marriage to be, at the same moment he created the human person as male and female.”
Yet, the banner behind the altar at the pro-74 rally read: “Seattle First Baptist: Marrying ALL couples since 1979.” It is one of many Seattle churches to welcome gay and lesbian couples and gay clergy, and support the rights of same-sex couples to marry.
Rick Santorum. Photo by Getty Images
Sixty-three former Catholic priests will proclaim Thursday their support for Referendum 74.
The religious right has minted campaign buttons that say, “I’m a Values Voter,” and Republican luminaries such as Santorum recently spoke to an annual “Values Voter Conference” in Washington, D.C.
King County Executive Dow Constantine, speaking at Seattle First Baptist, borrowed the term to describe his constituents. “Our voters are ‘Values Voters,’ progressive Values Voters,” he said. “We need to turn back the well-funded forces of bigotry with our positive message.”
Washington, in 2009, approved civil unions — the so-called “everything but marriage” legislation for same-sex relationships — by a 53-47 percent margin. A huge majority in King County carried the day: Referendum 74 backers hope its largest county will make Washington the first state in America to vote for full same-sex marriage.
Murray is illustrative of how public opinion in America has changed on marriage equality.
The senator voted for the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which denies federal spousal and survivor benefits to same-sex couples even though they have been legally married in the state where they reside. It also allows other states to refuse to recognize such marriages.
Murray has done a 180-degree reversal. “Right now, in the Congress, I am working to end DOMA once and for all,” she said.
Supporters have raised not only theological and civil rights, but economic arguments to bolster their cause.
“Marriage equality will bring millions of dollars in business and tax income to the state: What we have here is a perfect example of doing well by doing good,” Peter Aaron, owner of the Elliott Bay Book Company, said at Seattle First Baptist.
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