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We Stood for Marriage PDF Print E-mail

By Stephen P. Hayford

On June 9, 2009, New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms held a Stand 4 Marriage rally on the East Steps of the New York State Capitol. The sky was overcast that morning, and the forecast called for thunderstorms. As I prepared to leave for the Capitol, I was praying that there would be no rain. I considered bringing an umbrella, but I decided against it.

The rally went very well. Senators Ruben Diaz (D – Bronx), Martin Golden (R – Brooklyn), and James Seward (R – Milford), Assemblymember Michael Benjamin (D – Bronx), New York State Conservative Party Chairman Michael Long and Bishop Hector Bonano of CONLICO addressed the crowd.

Chairman Long stated, "This issue is not going to go away. Those who would like to destroy marriage are well-organized, well-financed… [And] want to have nothing more than a secular society. We cannot let that happen." Chairman Long later stated, "As Chairman of the New York State Conservative Party, I pledge to you [that] I will not sign an authorization or an endorsement for any candidate in New York State…that votes to destroy marriage. They will not have the Conservative Party endorsement."
Senator Golden added, "We cannot and we will not stand for gay marriage here in the State of New York because you, the people, don’t want it."

Other speakers included national figures such as Tony Perkins of Family Research Council, Maggie Gallagher of the National Organization for Marriage, and Bishop Harry Jackson of the High Impact Leadership Coalition. It was encouraging to see multi-partisan, multiethnic support for the natural definition of marriage.

The Stand 4 Marriage rally was attended by New Yorkers from the Bronx all the way to Buffalo. Those in attendance were engaged, attentive, and united in their convictions about the institution of marriage. Following the rally, there were prayer gatherings at the four corners of the Capitol. Groups of people—led by pastors and NYCF volunteers—visited Senate offices on every floor of the Legislative Office Building following the rally. At one Senate office, a staffer mentioned that she could hear our rally from inside the building, which is a half-block away from the Capitol steps.

In the wake of the Stand 4 Marriage rally, there are many reasons why I am thankful to be part of the movement to protect and preserve marriage. Here are four of them:

  1. 1. God is in charge. Some may have stayed away from the Stand 4 Marriage rally because of the weather forecasts, which called for pouring rain and thunder and lightning. But there was no rain at the rally. This was an answer to prayer from the One who created the sun and rain. (Why did I think I would need an umbrella?)

    2. Marriage unites us. I saw African-Americans, Hispanics, Baptists, Lutherans, Roman Catholics (including a group of nuns), Episcopalians, Wesleyans, charismatics, and evangelicals on June 9—all standing together and speaking with one voice for marriage. Our theological differences do exist, but we agreed that marriage is to remain between one man and one woman.

    3. God’s people are willing to stand for truth, even when it’s inconvenient. After the rally, I had the privilege of having lunch with a lovely couple from Lockport, New York. This husband and wife team drove for five hours (each way) so that they could attend the rally. They left their house at 5:00 AM so that they could join with the rest of the attendees to stand for marriage. What a blessing and an encouragement.

    4. Every once in a while, something memorable happens. Although I heard many wonderful and eloquent speeches and prayers on June 9, the prayer that I will remember most was not one that most people heard. I accompanied Rev. Matthew Smith, from Auburn, New York, and about 35 others who visited each Senate office on the ninth floor of the Legislative Office Building. After we finished visiting the senators’ offices, we broke into small groups for prayer. I was in a prayer group with Rev. Smith and his son, who is a fifth-grader. Rev. Smith’s son piped up and offered a simple prayer—that God would stop the same-sex marriage bill from being passed and keep marriage between a man and a woman. His faith and trust in the Lord was an inspiring thing to see. I wish that each of our state legislators had that same childlike faith, and that same basic understanding of right and wrong.


The recent gridlock in the State Senate has made it impossible to vote on same-sex "marriage" legislation or other anti-life and anti-family bills, which is a blessing. Following a month long display of dysfunctional Senate gridlock, Governor David Paterson has appointed Richard Ravitch as Lieutenant Governor of New York in an effort to break the logjam and enable the Senate to return to work. Many people, including Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, believe that Governor Paterson’s attempted appointment of a Lieutenant Governor exceeds the authority granted to him under the New York State Constitution. In any event, if the Senate returns to some semblance of order, same-sex "marriage" legislation could be voted on at any time.

While the battle for human control of our State Senate continues to rage, we know that the Lord remains in true control of our state and its laws. "Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." (Isaiah 40:28-31)

Let’s keep praying against same-sex "marriage."

Stephen P. Hayford is a Christian attorney in Albany, New York. He is a member of the Honor Corps of the Alliance Defense Fund, a co-founder of the Coalition to Save Marriage in New York, and a volunteer with New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms.
Last Updated ( Friday, 21 August 2009 )