The Campaign for Children and Families (CCF), a leading California-based conservative organization, ended their weeklong 15-city “Keep Your Hands Off Marriage” tour in San Diego on Feb. 19 at the San Diego County Administration building. About 30 supporters of the anti-gay group crowded on the front steps holding signs that read, “One man + one woman = marriage” and “Protect Proposition 22 – the People’s Vote”.

Pro-marriage equality supporters organized by the San Diego chapter of Equality California/Marriage Equality California (EQCA/MECA) showed up in higher numbers in silent protest of the event. A large group of same-sex marriage supporters and activists stood directly across from the CCF contingent holding signs that read “Equal Love = Equal Rights” and “We all deserve the freedom to marry”.

Three local TV stations and a handful of other journalists stood in the middle of these two groups to report what CCF President Randy Thomasson and four other speakers had to say in regards to protecting traditional marriage, what the Bible says and how homosexuality is “destructive.”

A media representative from the CCF refused to give the Gay & Lesbian Times press materials, which were handed to every other media contact at the rally. The Gay & Lesbian Times was told the CCF was “only handing out materials to the top stations.” When the Times mentioned the paper’s right to receive the press information, the representative refused and told the Times to go to their website to get more information.

Thomasson led off the rally attacking state Democratic politicians, commanding them to “keep their hands off marriage” and urging constituents to vote against Assembly Bill 19 (AB 19), also known as the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act. AB 19 would amend Section 300 of the Family Code to read, “Marriage is a personal relation arising out of a civil contract between two persons” rather than between “a man and a woman.”

Thomasson repeatedly referenced Proposition 22 in his speech. It added a provision to the Family Code providing that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California. Proposition 22, also known as the “California Defense of Marriage Act”, was ratified by a majority of California voters on March 7, 2000. It passed into law by a 23-point margin (61.4 percent to 38.6 percent), winning in 52 of California’s 58 counties, with the exception of the San Francisco metropolitan area.

“The politicians, especially the Democrat politicians, have no right to trash the democratic vote of the people,” said Thomasson. “If AB 19 is passed into law, we will no longer be a democracy because the vote of the people will become eliminated. We will have become a dictatorship.”

EQCA/MECA San Diego Chapter event coordinator Anthony White does not agree with Thomasson. “If the bill [AB 19] passes it will be done by a majority of 120 freely elected state representatives and signed by the governor, I would hardly consider that a dictatorship,” said White. “Furthermore, civil rights are not something that should ever be put up to a vote of the people; they are due all people fundamentally.”

According to EQCA/MECA and proponents of AB 19, Proposition 22 establishes an exception to the rule that prohibits California from recognizing same-sex marriages contracted in other states. Proposition 22 does not prohibit marriage between same-sex couples within California – such a prohibition already exists in Family Code 300 which was established by the Legislature and defines marriage under California law as between a man and a woman.

Thomasson also discussed religion in relation to marriage. “The big picture is God created marriage for a man and a woman. The people have affirmed this exclusive and essential institution and no Democrat politician has the right to throw the people’s vote in the garbage and make marriage no longer between a man and a woman.”

Assemblymember Lori Saldaña and State Senator Christine Kehoe were specifically targeted by the CCF for co-authoring AB 19. Thomasson urged voters to contact their Assembly member in the California Legislature and request that they vote against AB 19.

The CCF also had speakers from the African-American, Latino and Asian-American communities speak out against same-sex marriage. Former San Diego City Councilmember George Stevens cited the Bible numerous times to support his contention that same-sex marriage is morally wrong. He believes gays and lesbians should have equal rights in some aspects, but stopped there.

“Equal rights – I agree with you, but you have to put it all in the context of the Bible. I don’t want San Diego to become a Sodom and Gomorrah,” said Stevens during his speech.

Stevens said he felt threatened by laws passed which favor GLBT people. “We are speaking up today because we have lost so much. There’s more laws now that protect homosexuals than there have ever been in history,” said Stevens.

“You can’t provide insurance through the city and the county for your live-in assistant or your live-in lover. There’s something wrong with that,” Stevens continued.

James Hartline, a member of the “ex-gay” movement, also spoke at the rally lambasting the gay lifestyle. “I’ve been in the homes of hundreds of people that are involved in homosexuality, and I can tell you and testify that it is an extremely destructive life, and it is the epitome of hypocrisy, that people would ask the citizens, taxpayers and the hard-working people of San Diego and California to pass laws that would embrace that life that I know for a fact is so destructive,” said Hartline.

EQCA/MECA San Diego chapter leader Nadine Jernewall, who spoke with the Gay & Lesbian Times following the rally, said Stevens and the CCF were focusing too much of their effort on religious subtext.

“Not everybody in America is Christian. Not everybody in America believes in the Bible, and those that do, not all of them are hateful and hate gay people,” said Jernewall. “I don’t really think that all of the points that he was making are really that relevant to the discussion.”

Jernewall said the CCF and other anti-gay organizations continue to misunderstand what many in the GLBT community want from marriage. “We’re trying to get protections for our families and that message seems to get completely lost,” said Jernewall. “We’re just talking about civil marriage and that seems to really be the point that is getting missed in all these press conferences that they’re having.”