‘Community Appeal’ Against Same-Sex Marriage

June 28, 2017

More than 8,000 members of the Bermuda public have signed a “community appeal” against the recent same-sex marriage ruling, according to Preserve Marriage supporter Maxwell Burgess, with meetings to be held this evening at 5.30pm and 7.30pm at Heritage Worship Center; only those who signed the appeal are invited to attend.

Mr. Burgess said, “I want to thank the 8,000 who came out to sign and since we have closed stations, we have been inundated with requests from others who want to sign and be included. As a result, due to public demand, stations will reopen this week to allow more members of the community to sign the appeal.

“Stations reopen this week Thursday and Friday from 8.00am to 8.00pm and Saturday from 9.00am to 4.00pm in the West: Calvary Gospel Chapel, 18 Middle Road Southampton and Sound View First Church of God, 75 Sound View Road, Sandys; in the Central area: Heritage Worship Center, 59 Dundonald St., Hamilton and The Evangelical Church, 1 Mission Road, Paget; and in the East: The “Old” St. George’s Youth Center, 23 Water St., St. George’s.

“Also First Church of God North Shore has volunteered their location from 9.00am to 7:30pm on Thursday and Friday.

“I am happy to say the public response that the community appeal has generated appears to have led to both the Human Rights Commission and Mark Pettingill withdrawing their claim for their legal cost to be paid by third parties, meaning members of this community who have supported Preserve Marriage.

“However, Mr. Pettingill and the Human Rights Commission still want to force Preserve Marriage to pay their costs in an apparent attempt to make Preserve Marriage bankrupt, which is to silence them, which will in turn, silence the voice of the community. I cannot sit by when Mr. Pettingill stated three years ago as Attorney General that no one would sensibly try and bring same-sex marriage to Bermuda because the law was in place, and then three years later he is the one who does it.

“Neither can I sit by and allow the Human Rights Commission to spend tax payer dollars to fight to bring same-sex marriage when the European Convention, which applies to our Human Rights Act, has ruled in over six cases that it’s not a human right. This is disingenuous at best.

“We all know that Preserve Marriage has been a tremendous benefit to our society. They have continued to educate us about this debate every step of the way. It is the government that should pay for this case and should have appealed, because the government should represent the will of the people.

“The people of Bermuda have spoken: over 14,000 in the referendum, over 3,000 on the grounds outside of Parliament last month, and now with more than 8,000 who have signed the community appeal in a 48-hour window. We cannot allow intimidation to force a culture upon on our children that the people of this country do not want ,under the false pretense of human rights.

“It is apparent that the public is now well aware of what’s going on with regards to the Charities Commission. We know that one of the key advisors to the current Attorney General, who has decided to ignore the people and not appeal this case, is also the Chairman of the Charities Commission.

“The Charities Commission, which is appointed by the Government, have denied Preserve Marriage charity status stating they are our now ‘unlawful’ and alleging that they are ‘more of a detriment than a benefit’ to society. Their status was denied even before the time to appeal had passed.

“What’s also interesting to note is that the Charities Commission approved charities that fought for same-sex marriage, when same-sex marriage was unlawful! I believe this proves a biased agenda.

“Additionally, the educational work Preserve Marriage has done to help inform people of the benefits of traditional marriage, and the work they’ve done to help promote traditional marriage has been overlooked. No matter what one believes about marriage, it is impossible to deny that Preserve Marriage met their mandate as a charity.

“This decision demonstrates how personal views on marriage have influenced those within the Charities Commission who support same-sex marriage. Preserve Marriage was invited as an intervener to assist the Registrar’s Office that was being sued by Mr. Pettingill and the Human Rights Commission to bring same-sex marriage to Bermuda; however, the Charities Commission comes under the Registrar’s Office.

“If they were not a benefit to society and a detriment, why did the Registrar’s Office allow them to intervene for them? It is very concerning that persons who support traditional marriage are being treated like this by the Charities Commission and the Human Rights Commission, entities that should represent us all regardless of our views.

“It is for these reasons that I feel obligated to lead the charge for the community to appeal. It is now obvious that the agenda of a few is attempting to override the will of the country as a whole. Preserve Marriage has fought to preserve marriage in Bermuda; now it’s time for the Bermuda to fight to preserve marriage.”

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Comments (10)

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  1. sandgrownan says:

    Utter scum. you ought be ashamed of yourselves. Disgusting. Come and ask me for support you ignorant pricks.

  2. Reuben says:

    It is a sad thing to see these people so desperate to force their religion on others, they can’t just leave it alone even though it does not directly affect them.

  3. Skeptical says:

    Can we get another petition or appeal to leave the decision right where it is, right where it belongs and in the right!!! Anyone who is gay should not be voting for the PLP who are hell bent on removing the rights of others. Anyone voting for Wayne Furbert better not be gay or have friends, family members or acquaintances who are gay. Shame on all of you!

  4. Shari-Lynn Pringle says:

    Yawn… Wake me up when they have at least 35,000 verifiable signatures. And when the sky starts falling in and life as they know it comes to a screeching halt because two consenting adults got married.

  5. Hmm says:

    If you don’t like Gay you don’t have to be Gay. Leave everyone else alone. Why would you want to restrict someone’s rights based on who the loved. Oh wait straight people have a great track record on marriage. Presever Marriage was a thinly hidden hate group. Nothing more.

  6. Cow Polly says:

    8,000 votes out of a population of 60,000+? Guess the other 52,000 either support gay marriage or couldn’t give a rats arse either way.

    Not a majority vote no matter how many times you try and say others Preserve Marriage now pay your lawyers bills and go away.

  7. Rebecca P says:

    Well if they are going to cite the Euro Commission they need to be transparent and tell the whole story

    “The ECHR reiterated that under article 1 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (the Convention) there is no right to marry for same-sex couples. (Id. ¶ 191). However, the ECHR held that the Convention imposes positive obligations on Member States of the Council of Europe to offer legal alternatives to such couples, either in the form of civil unions or registered partnerships” taken from a ruling in 2015 in Italy.

    I would argue ” the educational work” of preserve marriage is one sided.

  8. Seriously says:

    Oh get over it. Bunch of backward thinking hypocrites. Why do you care so much about something that has no affect on you whatsoever!? This is the 21st century. Equal rights for everyone!!!! So much hate. It’s pathetic.

  9. Wha.. says:

    It does have an impact when my children constantly get confused and ask why two men are having sex when its not taught in school as a normal behavior. If its not normal why do it and dont say because animals do it, as i have heard that argument. Animals eat each other and do a whole bunch of other things..so we should follow animals now..so should schools start teaching health class regarding gay relationships and how two men have sex amd encourage little children to be with the same sex…its sick!

  10. Wha.. says:

    No thanks. I will stick with the law of nature..pole and hole. Not pole and pole!