DES MOINES — The west steps of the state Capitol saw around 400 conservative activists Tuesday, mostly dressed in red, criticizing gay rights supporters and calling on the Iowa Senate to pass HJR 6, which would set the stage for Iowans to vote on a constitutional ban of same-sex marriages.
The “Let Us Vote” rally was organized and promoted by The Family Leader, a conservative organization led by former Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Vander Plaats. Speakers included Rev. Keith Ratliff, a Des Moines Baptist minister, and Pastor Cary Gordon, the Sioux City pastor who drew controversy for violating his church’s nonprofit tax status by promoting the ousting of the Iowa Supreme Court justices.
Former Alabama Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore spoke as well, who once wrote in a high court opinion that homosexuality is “detestable and an abominable sin.”
Moore lost his seat as Alabama chief justice in 2003 for commissioning, placing and then refusing to move a monument of the Ten Commandments at the judicial building. He also unsuccessfully ran twice for Alabama governor as a Republican.
Moore noted the irony of his support to oust high court justices, after he was ousted himself, but stood by his decision at the time to go against the order to remove the Christian monument. He, as well as other speakers, repeatedly called for a government defined by Christian principles, and lamented the idea of same gender marriages and families.
“No society is prepared to deal with the problems arising out of same-sex marriages; child abuse, adoption, divorce, foster care, alimony, and the list goes on and on,” Moore said as the crowd nodded in agreement and called out in support.
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