Derek McCoy, executive director of
Maryland Marriage Alliance, believes God is behind opponents of gay
marriage.
Maryland voters on November 6 will
decide whether a gay marriage law approved by lawmakers takes effect
on January 1 or is repealed.
McCoy made his comments during a panel
discussion on marriage at Values Voter Summit, which is sponsored by
the Christian conservative Family Research Council (FRC).
“If we choose to go home today and to
say, 'Well, I hope we win in November,' and let it be done, I think
you're sadly mistaken that that's not when we were born. See each
one of us were born in history for such a time as this. We know that
God did not make a mistake by having you here right now. He did not
make a mistake by having you in this time, in this season of your
life, where you are and where you are sitting,” he said.
“You can participate and help us to
get over the hump. You can participate and make a win in these
issues. We have to be a stopgate on these issues. We can't allow
and say, 'Well, that's just a liberal state, let it go.' No, we got
more of us than them. Trust me. It is more of us than them. And if
we understand it's more of us than them, then don't go home and sit
on the sidelines, and don't go home and be a couch-potato, then don't
go home and Monday morning quarterback, or say I'm not getting into
that foxhole today. No, you're born for such a time as this to get
in the foxhole, to get on the street, to get in the game and make
sure you are engaged,” McCoy added to cheers from the audience.
Also appearing on the panel were John
Helmberger, CEO of Minnesota Family Council, Carroll Conley,
executive director of Maine Family Policy Council, and Joseph
Backholm, executive director of Preserve Marriage Washington.
(Related: Joseph
Backholm: People support gay marriage to prove they are not bigots.)