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Ballot Initiative Filed to Preserve Traditional Marriage in D.C.
D.C. Residents Deserve the Right to Vote
Washington, D.C. - Today a coalition of pastors and community leaders filed with the D.C. Board of Elections a ballot initiative to define marriage in the District of Columbia as between one man and one woman.
The Stand4MarriageDC.com coalition that includes Bishop Harry Jackson, ANC Commissioner Robert King, Rev. Dale Wafer, Bishop James Silver, Rev. Anthony Evans, Rev. Melvin Dupree, Elder Howard Butler and Rev. Walter Fauntroy, filed the "Marriage Initiative of 2009" that would give all District residents the opportunity to vote on preserving traditional marriage in either November 2010 or as part of a special election.
In a simple one-sentence text, the Initiative reads "Only marriage between a man and woman is valid or recognized in the District of Columbia."
"The D.C. City Council has stated that their intention is to redefine marriage by going beyond recognizing homosexual marriage performed outside the District to advocating for them to be performed in the District," said Bp. Jackson. "This redefinition of marriage will permanently impact D.C. businesses, schools, social activities, and the family unit without the voice of the residents being heard. The initiative filed today would allow the people of the District to decide this important issue, not a 13-person panel."
"The City Council has had no consultation with community leaders, no public debate and no consideration of the views of the majority of D.C. residents," says Pastor Wafer. "Their actions have not only been disrespectful to citizens of the District, but outright undemocratic. This issue is too big to be decided in such an exclusive, haphazard and thoughtless way."
"The District of Columbia, with its nearly 600,000 residents, is unlike any other place in the world," said Rev. Fauntroy. "It is the seat of Democracy for the free world. It is unfortunate that its own residents are not allowed to participate in the democratic process."
The Stand4MarriageDC.com Coalition demands a vote of the people on this issue and will rally grassroots support for the initiative among D.C. residents who believe in traditional marriage.
For more information please contact Hayley McConnell from Shirley & Banister Public Affairs at 703-739-5920 or hmcconnell@sbpublicaffairs.com.
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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 1, 2009 |
CONTACT: Hayley McConnell Shirley & Bannister Public Affairs 800.536.5920/703.739.5920 hmcconnell@sbpublicaffairs.com |
D.C. Residents Deserve the Right to Vote
Washington, D.C. - Today a coalition of pastors and community leaders filed with the D.C. Board of Elections a ballot initiative to define marriage in the District of Columbia as between one man and one woman.
The Stand4MarriageDC.com coalition that includes Bishop Harry Jackson, ANC Commissioner Robert King, Rev. Dale Wafer, Bishop James Silver, Rev. Anthony Evans, Rev. Melvin Dupree, Elder Howard Butler and Rev. Walter Fauntroy, filed the "Marriage Initiative of 2009" that would give all District residents the opportunity to vote on preserving traditional marriage in either November 2010 or as part of a special election.
In a simple one-sentence text, the Initiative reads "Only marriage between a man and woman is valid or recognized in the District of Columbia."
"The D.C. City Council has stated that their intention is to redefine marriage by going beyond recognizing homosexual marriage performed outside the District to advocating for them to be performed in the District," said Bp. Jackson. "This redefinition of marriage will permanently impact D.C. businesses, schools, social activities, and the family unit without the voice of the residents being heard. The initiative filed today would allow the people of the District to decide this important issue, not a 13-person panel."
"The City Council has had no consultation with community leaders, no public debate and no consideration of the views of the majority of D.C. residents," says Pastor Wafer. "Their actions have not only been disrespectful to citizens of the District, but outright undemocratic. This issue is too big to be decided in such an exclusive, haphazard and thoughtless way."
"The District of Columbia, with its nearly 600,000 residents, is unlike any other place in the world," said Rev. Fauntroy. "It is the seat of Democracy for the free world. It is unfortunate that its own residents are not allowed to participate in the democratic process."
The Stand4MarriageDC.com Coalition demands a vote of the people on this issue and will rally grassroots support for the initiative among D.C. residents who believe in traditional marriage.
For more information please contact Hayley McConnell from Shirley & Banister Public Affairs at 703-739-5920 or hmcconnell@sbpublicaffairs.com.
Return to Latest News