As the Rhode Island Senate prepares to
debate a gay marriage bill, proponents on Monday released two ads
online.
The measure cleared the House in
January, and Senate leaders have pledged to debate the issue before
the end of April, possibly as soon as next week.
Rhode Islanders United for Marriage
released two ads on Monday.
“These ads are coming at a critical
time and augment the unprecedented grassroots campaign that is
actively engaging Rhode Island voters with their senators all across
the state. The ads focus on two important perspectives – the real
impact the freedom to marry has on all loving, committed couples,
friends and neighbors, and the appropriate protections Senate Bill 38
includes for faith communities, who will continue to make decisions
about who is eligible to marry in their tradition,” said Ray
Sullivan, Rhode Islanders United for Marriage campaign director.
“We're making a significant investment with this ad campaign
through targeted online ads on local and national Websites, YouTube
and elsewhere. We are proud to tell these unique, Rhode Island
stories.”
One ad features the story of Martha
Holt Castle and Patty Castle, who married in Massachusetts recently
and are raising a son, Tobin.
“Marriage is the ultimate commitment
that you can make to the one you love,” Patty says in the ad. “And
we really want our son Tobin to grow up in a place where our
commitment is recognized.” (The video is embedded on this page.
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In the second ad, Father Edmund Harris,
a pastor at the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany in East Providence,
speaks in favor of making Rhode Island the 10th state to
allow gay and lesbian couples to marry.
“As a priest I'm already empowered to
decide which couples I'm going to marry,” Harris
says. “Senate bill 38 provides the same kinds of protections
for all faith communities in Rhode Island.”