x
Breaking News
More () »

Groups For And Against Fayetteville Civil Rights Ordinance Hold Rallies

FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) – Two groups squared off on Tuesday (Dec. 2) in competing rallies over Fayetteville’s new civil rights ordinance. This comes aft...

FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) - Two groups squared off on Tuesday (Dec. 2) in competing rallies over Fayetteville's new civil rights ordinance. This comes after early voting on the ordinance began on Tuesday.

The groups Repeal 119 and Keep Fayetteville Fair each held rallies on Tuesday. Among the issues they discussed was whether churches have to perform same-sex marriages under Ordinance 119.

Jeremy Flanagan, a pastor at Pathway Baptist Church, said the ordinance threatens churches and ministers who decline to conduct a same-sex ceremony.

"No one should be required to do anything that violates their religious beliefs," he said. "That's the basis of our government and the reason our country was founded. The reason why people came to America in the first place was to have the freedom to practice their religious beliefs."

Lowell Grisham, a pastor at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, said the ordinance will not require church leaders to perform same-sex marriages.

"They are wrong, no pastor can be made to marry anyone," he said. "I have refused to marry my own perishners who are pledging members in good standing simply because I didn't feel like it was right for them to get married."

The two  groups' rallies happened on the opening day of early voting for next week's special election.

Ordinance 119 prohibits local businesses and entities from discriminating against employees and customers based on factors like race, religion, sexual orientation and gender.

The group, Keep Fayetteville Fair, supports the ordinance. They held a rally inside the E.J. Ball Building with several speakers including Pastor Grisham.

"Jesus said love your neighbor as yourself, and this is a way of loving my neighbor," Grisham said. "Discriminating against my neighbor is not love."

Repeal 119 meanwhile is against the ordinance. The group had its rally outside Restoration Church.

"A non-discrimination ordinance that discriminates against an already protected group is not one that I think our people should support," Flanagan said.

Only those who are registered in Fayetteville can vote in the special election. Early voting ends on Monday, Dec. 8.

Election Day polls will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 9.

Before You Leave, Check This Out