More than 350 Christian conservatives rallied Tuesday at San
Antonio City Hall against a proposed gay-inclusive non-discrimination
ordinance.
According to the San
Antonio Express-News, the protest comes ahead of a Wednesday
6 PM public hearing on the controversial measure.
Rev. Charles Flowers, an African-American pastor, rejected
comparisons between the Civil Rights Movement and gay rights.
“While we love the people involved, we cannot allow their agenda
to stain the fabric, the tapestry, of the Civil Rights Movement,”
Flowers said.
“Ex-gay” activist Linda Jernigan, an African-American pastor
who has also opposed gay rights in her home state of Illinois, spoke
about her experience as a former lesbian.
(Related: Illinois
gay marriage foe Linda Jernigan claims millions have left
homosexuality.)
“I lived as a man even though God created me a woman,”
Jernigan told the crowd. “He transformed me into the woman he
created me to be.”
Bishop David Copeland told the paper that the ordinance's aim was
to silence opponents of gay rights.
“All humans deserve equal protection under the law,” Copeland
said. “The challenge is when it comes to dominance. That's
another issue, if there's a certain group dominating what another
group can and cannot say.”
Councilwoman Elisa Chan is facing pressure to resign over anti-gay
statements she made in the course of discussing the ordinance.
(Related: Elisa
Chan defends saying gays are “disgusting.”)