On Tuesday, while Rick Santorum speaks to Referendum 74 opponents at the Double Tree Hotel in Spokane, area clergy will be outside demonstrating their support for the legislation.
“We want the Spokane community to be very clear that there are people of faith in this city that are not afraid to be welcoming and inclusive and encouraging with all of God's children, and that’s a really important and loud message that we want to be heard tomorrow,” said The Rev. Paul Rodkey of Bethany Presbyterian Church.
The event, which some are calling a rally for love, is not a protest, Rodkey explained. He said it's a peaceful demonstration to show that not all religious people agree with Santorum's point of view.
Dozens of progressive faith leaders, from various religions, are expected to participate in the demonstration. The demonstration will begin at 11:15 a.m.
In conjunction with the rally, three billboards will be going up around Spokane that read, “People of faith support freedom to marry. Say yes to Referendum 74.” Sixteen faith leaders will be featured on the billboard, including Rev. Happy Watkins, Rabbi Tamar Malino, Revs. Andrea and Jim CastroLang, Rev. Paul Lebens-Englund, Rev. Alan Eschenbacher, Rev. Todd Ekloff, Lynda Maraby, Rev. Deb Conklin and Ven. Thubten Jigme, among others.
“Those in the photo are just a sampling of many others in the area who are behind the freedom to marry,” said Ekloff, of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Spokane. “The picture says not everyone's on same page here as the Santorum's of world who lump all religious people into one category.
His church, with the help of a Unitarian congregation in Seattle, are sponsoring the billboards. One will be downtown, one on the north end of town and one in Spokane Valley.
The Unitarian church welcomed its first openly gay clergyperson in 1969.
“Gays and lesbians have been part of our community for so long, of course we have to stand up for their equality in every way,” Ekloff said. “And in recent years we've been extremely devoted to marriage equality issues because it seems like something we can actually make happen.”
The Family Policy Institute of Washington explained on its website that they are bringing Santorum to Spokane because, “As a member of the United States Senate Santorum has argued forcefully against policies that undermine the family and weaken America's economic competitiveness. And now he comes to Washington to help our fight for marriage, life, and religious freedom.”
Members of the institute have refused to comment on Santorum's visit.
Sanotrum will be speaking at ticketed lunch event at noon.
