A Talk with the Bronx's Lone Marriage Supporter

Written by John Horvat

June 16, 2011

Members of the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property (TFP) recently campaigned on the streets of the Bronx in favor of traditional marriage. As is our custom, our members gathered at busy intersections with signs clearly stating our position. As a means of engaging the motorists, signs ask them to “honk for traditional marriage.” Often overwhelming numbers do honk in a symphony of support that is impressive and encouraging. During this particular campaign in the Bronx, a man walked up to the members in the street with a very interesting story. He said that he had just past our campaign in his car. He had read the sign and had even honked his support. However, as he passed he had some doubts. So many people were honking that he feared that he had misread the signs. He turned around, parked his car and went to the campaign site to make sure he got it right. He was very happy to see that he had. He told our members that the reason for his doubt was that, despite the clearly visible message on the signs, he thought it was impossible that so many people had honked in favor of traditional marriage. The public pressure is so intense that he felt he was “the only person that supported traditional marriage in the whole Bronx.” Now he saw that thousands and thousands of his fellow New Yorkers in the Bronx thought like him. The story is highly revealing. New Yorkers and Americans in general, are feeling the pressure to adopt a politically correct position on this issue. The media is bombarding the public with news items about gay pride marches, rainbow flag raisings and celebrity endorsements for same-sex “marriage.” Pro-family events hardly get a decent mention. In the workplace, the schools and even the churches there is a steady stream of pro-homosexual propaganda that discourages anyone to speak out. Anyone who offers a contrary opinion risks being intolerantly labeled “intolerant” or being called a “bigot.” Thus, there is a silence around the issue since many reason it is easier to simply be silent than speak out. This silence manages to convey the idea that each traditional marriage supporter is alone. No one thinks like they do. One has to ask how many lonely other Bronx marriage supporters are out there waiting to find others who think as they do. That is why it is important that traditional marriage supporters speak out. Every protest in the streets shows just how false this impression is. Every referendum (now numbering 31) to enshrine traditional marriage in state constitutions shows just how unpopular the same-sex “marriage” message is. When marriage supporters are vocal, they will see amazing support. They will see that friends, neighbors and fellow citizens who they never imagined would favor marriage are on their side. If you have any doubts, ask the only traditional marriage supporter in the Bronx.