Fox Carolina
News
Group Uses Rally To Push For Gay
Rights
Another Group Protests Gay
Rights
October 9, 2007
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Faith In America, a
gay-rights group out of Raleigh, N.C., used candles and a message of acceptance
to rally support for gay rights in the upstate on Monday night.
The effort called “Seven Straight Nights for Equal
Rights” gained support after Sean Kennedy, a gay man, was killed outside a
Greenville nightclub in May.
“We stand here to say, ‘We stand with you,’” said
Jimmy Creech from Faith In America. “We want you to be secure and respected.”
Kennedy’s mother, Elke Kennedy, attended the event
at Piazza Bergamo.
“Almost five months ago we were here for a
candlelight vigil for my son,” said Elke Kennedy. “Then I was here to mourn him.
Today I’m here to celebrate his life and his fight for equal rights.”
Candles were placed throughout the plaza. The group
said each of the 1,138 candles represents an amendment, law or ordinance that
denies equal rights to people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.
While most of the people at the rally were there to
support gay rights, there was a second group nearby who protested the same idea.
Members of the Zachary Baptist Church gathered near
the rally to make their voices heard.
“I’m telling you what God says, that sodomites are
not going to the kingdom of God,” one of the protestors shouted.
Other clergy members who attended the rally voiced
their concerns.
“This is a demonstration of hate in the disguise of
religion,” said Creech, who was once a minister. “It makes me
sad.”
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