MD Anti-Marriage Equality Leader Reveals Motives: Homosexuals are Freaks, Perverts?

A reader has forwarded Maryland Juice a disappointing article regarding marriage equality in the Free State. It used to be that you could openly make bigoted statements against LGBT individuals and nobody would blink. But as public opinion (especially among younger generations) shifts toward acceptance of homosexuality and LGBT rights, marriage equality opponents are increasingly pretending to be nice. That's why Maryland Juice decided to highlight new evidence indicating that Maryland leaders of the fight against marriage equality are still driven primarily by the hatred of homosexuality, and not the so-called protection of marriage.

Earlier this year, Maryland Senator Jim Brochin even noted that he switched from being a civil union proponent to a supporter of full equality after hearing some of the things opponents were saying. The Timonium Patch reported at the time:

Sen. Jim Brochin said Thursday he will vote in favor of a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage in Maryland. 

Brochin, a member of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee, said he was disturbed by testimony of opponents of the bill during a hearing Tuesday. 

"I walked into committee and what I heard from the opposition to the bill was appalling," Brochin said. "It was disgusting. I heard that homosexuals and same-sex couples were androids. I heard that they were pedophiles. I just heard hate and venom coming out of that hearing for eight hours." 

Previously, Brochin has opposed same-sex marriage bills. He cited use of the word "marriage" as a reason for his opposition.

Today, opponents are still claiming use of the word "marriage" drives their opposition. The American Independent gave one clear example from Maryland:

Plans to draw money and support from Maryland’s African-American churchgoers to fight next year’s marriage-equality legislation have moved forward.... 

The Rev. Errol Gilliard, Sr., of Baltimore’s Greater Harvest Baptist Church, is the leader of this religious coalition against gay marriage, presently called the Progressive Clergy and Laity in Action (PCLA). Gilliard told TAI that membership is currently up to about 75 people, made up of mostly of Christian clergy and non-clergy — and several attorneys — from Baltimore and surrounding counties.... 

However, Gilliard told TAI this week that the organization eventually intends to take up issues beyond same-sex marriage.... “We are not fighting the homosexual lifestyle,” he said. “We are fighting the attempt to redefine marriage.”

That legalistic description of the opposition's motive is called into question in the same article. The American Independent's reporter pointed readers to one of Mr. Gilliard's sermons from this August. She provides excerpts, which I copy below -- but I also provide the audio below, if you'd like to listen:

“And Paul says, ‘This thing called homosexuality is nothing more than a slap in the face of God.’ He says, ‘I got three reasons why homosexuality is wrong, because it’s listed among all the other sins. … He put it right there with adultery, right there with fornication, right there with … lying, right there with stealing.…’  John said, ‘If you’re guilty of offending one part of the law, you’re guilty of offending the whole law.’ … You can’t be a thief and not be a liar. … You can’t be an adulterer and not be a murderer. … You can’t be a fornicator without being a freak or a pervert.… 

Here’s the problem with homosexuality. It calls God a liar, from the beginning of creation. Because God made Adam and Eve. He made both male and female, and then God put Adam with Eve, not Steve and Stefan. Come on, not Eva and Erlene. … And then God said, ‘What I have joined together, let no man put asunder.’ If I put you together, don’t you let the governor, don’t let Obama … don’t let none of them separate what God –- same-sex marriage is wrong. It’s rebellion against God. And anytime you rebel against God, you are headed with a rendezvous in judgment.”

Listen to the full sermon below (the pertinent portion begins at 1:26 and it goes on for a few minutes):





I think I heard Rep. Elijah Cummings name in there somewhere, too. Boy is that a tirade! I hope that (as happened with Sen. Brochin) the public will see this anger and reject the claims of the messengers.