Preserve Marriage: ‘We Do Not Condone Sign’

June 13, 2017

Preserve Marriage said they would like to thank people for “exercising their democratic right to be heard” at the demonstration on May 25th, and said “much attention has been paid to a highly offensive poster brought by a demonstrator,” and explained that the demonstrator covered up the most offensive part after being challenged about it, and said that in “no way does the spirit behind that sign represent Preserve Marriage and we do not condone it.”

The group said, “Preserve Marriage would like to thank the Bermudian people for boldly exercising their democratic right to be heard at the peaceful demonstration on Thursday, May 25th. Over 3,000 in attendance sent a clear message about our concerns for marriage and family in Bermuda.

“Preserve Marriage delivered a 30-minute address over the loudspeakers carefully detailing not only our stance but, importantly, the approach behind it.

“This included how we do not tolerate hate speech toward anyone and the fact that the LGBTQ community are our brothers and sisters whom we love as equals and friends. Little to none of what was said has been reported on.

1-hour live video replay of demonstration on May 25th, the video is 360° so you can use your mouse to move around the scene, and it also includes the audio of the address mentioned above

“Unfortunately, much attention has been paid to a highly offensive poster brought by a demonstrator with claims that the message met with our approval and that no one from Preserve Marriage or its supporters challenged him.

“The exact opposite is true. We were deeply saddened to see the poster and the demonstrator was challenged at least five times by PMBL leaders and nearby supporters alike.

“He simply refused to take it down until, after further challenges, he agreed to cover the most offensive part of the sign with one of our printed signs [see below picture]. In no way does the spirit behind that sign represent Preserve Marriage and we do not condone it.

Preserve Marriage Bermuda June 2017

“This is an emotional debate for many. We believe we can conduct it with decency and respect and will continue to do so.”

click here same sex marriage

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Comments (61)

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  1. nerema says:

    Only took them three weeks.

    • Proud Bermuda Onion says:

      What a load of BS coming from a bunch of hypocrites!

    • Hmmm says:

      exactly what I was thinking…

  2. Yes,yes says:

    Well done preserve marriage. You worked hard to ensure a healthy debate and protest .As stated you asked the gentleman to remove They asked not once but many times to take it down and finally covered it.
    Well done.

    • Mike Hind says:

      You can’t have a debate with people who refuse to engage and use lies and misinformation to make their point.

  3. Yahoo says:

    It took you almost 3 weeks to come up with this? Too late. Your bigotry is still showing…

  4. Good show of Bermudian solidarity.
    We must not allow all of these _____ to come into our country and do whatever they want to to justify THEIR way of life.

    • Mike Hind says:

      I know, right? These American hatemongers, trying to force their hateful way of life onto us like they did in Uganda. It’s sickening.
      Bermudians must stand up and say “NO! We do not accept discrimination! We believe in equality!”

      That IS what you were talking about, right?

      Because the equality side? We’re talking about Bermudians trying to gain equal access to rights and ending baseless discrimination against citizens of this country.

    • Mike Hind says:

      When you talk about people coming to Bermuda to do whatever they want to justify their way of life, are you talking about America preacher Tony Evans, who Preserve Marriage are bringing in to “encourage all”?

    • McGooner says:

      You mean “not allow all of these Christian bigots who ignore the greatest commandment Jesus gave – (love one another as I have loved you) into our country.” I agree. I mean, after all, who would be so arrogant to think they know better than Jesus? Not you, SURELY, #have some backbone??

  5. Ok says:

    Glad to see you were quick to respond….

  6. wondering says:

    almost a month later?

  7. Onion Juice says:

    The people have allowed this to happen because you are WEAK. Same with de airport deal, so know you know how indigenous people felt centuries ago when their land and culture were threatened by invaders.

  8. Know it All says:

    Only 3 weeks to speak about it. Got it.

    • HW says:

      how about you focus on the issue and the truth.

      • Mike Hind says:

        The issue is that Preserve Marriage wants to deny people equal access to rights and they have yet to offer a defendable reason to do so.
        They simply haven’t said WHY we should continue this discrimination.
        THAT is the issue.

  9. hmmm says:

    “This included how we do not tolerate hate speech toward anyone and the fact that the LGBTQ community are our brothers and sisters whom we love as equals and friends. Little to none of what was said has been reported on.

    So if you recognize people as your equals then you must be OK with them being married as your equals.

    When are you going to wake up to yourself !!!!!

  10. Johnny says:

    What did the sign say? If he held the sign for all to say then I think we should all see what he really thinks to form our own judgment

    • Toodle-oo says:

      You really need to trawl the web with bigger net than you’re currently using.
      It was all revealed 11 days ago and generated much feedback.

    • BermyGirl says:

      It said “2 B**** Boy Can’t Get Married”

      • Mike Hind says:

        Which, of course, is factually incorrect. By law, they can!
        Thank goodness!

  11. aceboy says:

    You love them as equals and friends, but you are TELLING them they can’t get married.

    OBVIOUSLY they are NOT your equals. Why say stupid things like that?

    • Stella Groove says:

      Agreed. If they are truly your equals, you’d treat them as such. And why did it take so long to speak up on the issue of the offensive poster?

      Preserve Marriage = No credibility, no tolerance, no love and no respect for your ‘equals’.

    • HW says:

      you seem to be completely confused. just because we’re all equal does not mean I have to agree with everything you want to do.

      • Mike Hind says:

        No one is asking you to agree with it.
        They just want equal access to rights. You and I have nothing to do with it!

  12. Sean says:

    At the very least, they should be commended for the statement. I thing very few religious based hate groups would denounce someone they had gathered in their ranks. If the truly wanted to make a meaningful statement they would have ejected the person instead of saying just hide the offensive part.

    • Tiger says:

      How do you propose they eject someone on public grounds?? I’LL wait. The same freedom of speech you have to make remarks is the same freedom of speech the guy was exhibiting…though offensive. Its hilarious tell them they should not discriminate, but if someone is doing something in their presence that they dont agree with they should discriminate and eject them? Ok I get it. Only discriminate when its convenient. Thanks.

    • PBanks says:

      PM ought to admonish those who use those derogatory phrases right then and there, not just throw a fluffy press release weeks after the fact. Too many PM supporters feel perfectly okay using such offensive language on an every day basis.

      • HW says:

        Any such language is disgusting and unnecessary.

        Sadly there are people on both sides of this issue who carry on that way.

        However the distinction is that the Preserve Marriage leaders have always condemned such language.

        • Mike Hind says:

          Since when? They constantly use offensive language and have never condemned it!
          This post is an outright fabrication.

      • HW says:

        Did you even read the press release? The very thing you’re criticizing them for is actually what was done. Were you at the event?

        • Mike Hind says:

          I was. And I saw a lot of people patting this guy on the back and smiling at his sign and showing approval for it. What I didn’t see, not once, was anyone on the PM side showing any sort of disapproval towards him.
          They are rewriting reality, as usual.

          • HW says:

            Complete and utter nonsense and lies from you again Mike. You seem to do this often and believe if you speak boldly enough, you’ll be believed.

            In any event, this picture is clear evidence of just 1 of several PM members who confronted him. Just because you failed to see it, doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.

        • PBanks says:

          I sure did, the very first part that caught my attention was the date stamp of “June 13, 2017″, hence my prior comment about doing it right away instead of three weeks later.

    • HW says:

      It’s public property. How do you propose we should have done this?

      also, if what you’re saying is true then can you please advise how they should have also ejected a bunch of the members of the LGBT community who were shouting profane, hateful threats at us in front of children and the elderly.

      • Mike Hind says:

        When? When were they doing this?
        Show proof of this accusation or admit that it is the hateful lie that it is.

        Shame on you. Show an ounce of integrity. Show some honesty.

        • HW says:

          There are many people who encountered it. I didn’t videotape it. What’s interesting is how you claim people hate those in the SSM community simply for upholding their convictions for what they believe is best for society. It’s hate to you because you say so, apparently.

          However when people share experiences they had you demand evidence or deem it an outright lie. In addition to some of the hateful language spewed by SOME (definitely not all) of those present, feel free to scroll through the many blogs and comments over the last few months and you’ll see some of what I’m referring to.

          In fact, feel free to look on your own FB page to see…

      • bdaboy says:

        “hateful threats ”

        Aww, poor baby…the purpose of your entire clan is to prevent equality for all Bermudians….I hope you’re hurt, I’m glad you know you are hated by a large percentage of the population. I’m also happy that you will burn in hell….the bible says so.

  13. Cow Polly says:

    “This included how we do not tolerate hate speech toward anyone and the fact that the LGBTQ community are our brothers and sisters whom we love as equals and friends”

    If you love them as “equals” then surely you want them to receive all the benefits you receive including security for their families and loved ones? Guess what, they can only get that if they can get MARRIED!!!!!

    PM are a bunch of hypocrites

  14. Reuben says:

    Meh, a load of bull but what ever.

  15. Let there be hope says:

    To bad this same group does not use that same energy to fight gang violence. Something that is far worse with our young men killing each other, instead of poking their noses in other peoples business, people who just want to be with the person they love.

    • PBanks says:

      Yeah, you’d think that of all the things to destroy and damage the family unit, gun and knife crime would be of significance. But somehow, gay people getting marries represents the premier threat to heterosexual unions and the children of such unions. Figures.

  16. Mike Hind says:

    It absolutely DOES represent Preserve Marriag. It was the perfect sign for them. Cowardly, offensive and didn’t say anything remotely true.

    • MPP says:

      LOL! Objectivity fail.

      • Mike Hind says:

        how is this a response to my post?
        Did I say something untrue? Show us what it is.

        And who says I’m objective? I stand VERY firmly on the side of equality and fairness and against baseless discrimination.
        That’s not objective.

        Or is this just another hit-and-run post from you, where you post something ridiculous and then disappear like a coward?

        • Mike Hind says:

          That’s what I thought. Another PM supporter with nothing to say and nothing to add to the conversation.

  17. Curious says:

    It is interesting to note that this issue is going to become a political campaign issue as stated on a Bermuda radio station today.

    In addition, Preserved Marriage appeared very uncomfortable with disclosing donations to their cause and begs the question – why the secrecy around donors and donations?

    It would be helpful if all donations in the past two years for both Preserved Marriage and OUTBermuda became public, including all donation made through the Friends of the Bermuda Community Foundation that provided US tax payers a potential tax deduction for donations to these Bermuda causes.

    Transparency and publication of all charitable and political donations would be helpful as we build a more civil society.

  18. Coffee says:

    That sign , caused major problems ! For who ? LGBT or Preserve Marriage ?

    • Mike Hind says:

      Why does that matter? It was offensive and held by a PM supporter.

  19. John says:

    There is no government Wayne won’t be tabling any crap in July time to get married folks find your self a same sex partner this PM nonsense is bull crap and bermuda at its most ignorant and PM spend the money on bringing in a theologian and for Gods sake educate yourselves on the Bible………. I mean embarrassed eh eh

  20. Slipnut says:

    And you wounded why we haven’t moved forward. Lol

  21. Cris says:

    yes, two Bermudas. One holding us back one human right at a time. And the rest watching the world pass us by again. Between the phobias and the utter ignorance of a small group of people in our Island, I wonder sometimes of the people that advocate such hate knows how much this hurts their own family members, O wait everyone in their family conforms to the same ideologies and falls to the same deities. more rum

  22. Sage says:

    Preserve Marriage lot are a bunch of sheep.

  23. just wondering says:

    the PM mantra – “We are not bigoted or prejudiced – its just that if you are gay you don’t have the same rights we do!”

  24. Joe says:

    do they still have radio?who listens to that these days ?….. the ole timers

    • PBanks says:

      to be fair people can stream the broadcast online these days. So it’s not exactly a relic just yet.