Watch Video of the Rally at the end of this story
By L.A. Williams
Christian Action League
April 15, 2016
RALEIGH – Crowds who gather in the heart of Raleigh to bend the ear of lawmakers don’t often shout repeated choruses of “THANK YOU!” But that was the unmistakable message of some 1,000 people who gathered in front of North Carolina’s Historic Capitol on Monday to show their appreciation for the passage of House Bill 2, the much-maligned legislation which overturned Charlotte’s bathroom bill, an ordinance which would have deprived women and children the right of privacy in restrooms and locker rooms and forced business owners to embrace practices inconsistent with their deeply held beliefs.
“We are here today to say loud and clear that we believe the bill the Legislature passed and the Governor signed was the right thing to do,” said the Rev. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League. His organization, along with the North Carolina Family Policy Council and Return America, was part of a coalition sponsoring the event.
“We believe in common sense for North Carolina. We believe in common decency and virtue,” Dr. Creech said. “We believe, for the sake of our state and nation, that our governor and lawmakers have shown valor in standing up against the harmful tide of political correctness.”
Cheers and applause erupted again and again as more than a dozen speakers, ranging from well-known Charlotte businessmen David and Jason Benham to noted author Frank Turek, took to the podium to shed light on why they support HB2 and to challenge others, both inside and outside of government, to stand strong for the cause of freedom while protecting their families’ privacy and safety.
The rally was in part a response to what Dr. Creech called a “mammoth smear campaign” against HB2, the governor and lawmakers, a campaign that has led some companies to refuse to do business in North Carolina.
John Rustin, with the North Carolina Family Policy Council, said national groups like the Human Rights Campaign have used coercive tactics to strong-arm businesses into supporting their agenda.
“They will attack you and vilify you and organize a boycott against you,” he said.
N.C. Values Coalition Spokesperson Kami Mueller said she was tired of the “onslaught of negativity, bully, threats and intolerant tolerance,” especially as North Carolina is consistently ranked one of the top five states in the nation in which to do business.
Mother of three and small business owner Donica Hudson said she had had enough of “big business bullying” and was thankful for the “groundswell of outrage” against Charlotte’s misguided ordinance that led lawmakers to pass HB2.
Speakers pointed out the hypocrisy of PayPal’s recent decision to pull the plug on a 400-job processing center in Charlotte while doing business in nations where homosexuality is illegal and called out Attorney General Roy Cooper for his refusal to defend state law. But they spent more time thanking and praising state leaders for standing firm to pass the law.
Though portrayed in the media as controversial and discriminatory, HB 2 simply requires state buildings and public schools to designate bathrooms and changing facilities for use according to the biological sex indicated on a person’s birth certificate. It establishes a statewide policy regarding the use of and access to public accommodations in North Carolina so that individuals are not discriminated against because of race, religion, color, national origin or biological sex and establishes statewide standards in areas of employment and contracting.
A day after the rally and three weeks after signing the bill, Gov. Pat McCrory issued Executive Order 93 in attempt to clarify confusion surrounding the new law.
“We are deeply appreciative of the fact the Governor’s executive order maintains basic expectations of privacy people have when using the restroom. The executive order also keeps intact the right of private businesses to live and work according to their peacefully expressed beliefs. For his firm stance on these two matters, we commend the Governor and call upon him to remain strong,” Dr. Creech wrote in a statement released Thursday.
“However, expanding the state’s employment policies to include “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” via executive order was not something with which we can agree. Executive orders are not a proper vehicle for such changes.”
Even so, Dr. Creech said it is the response to the Governor’s executive order by the left that should cause great consternation.
“You will note they have no ‘live and let live’ approach. It’s clear they will never be satisfied unless every point of their radical agenda is forced on everyone,” he said. “The vilification, the name-calling, the misrepresentations, will continue, perhaps intensify, until no bathroom is safe and every voice of public moral objection is penalized, fined, or even criminalized by law. Large corporate entities, celebrities, major sports groups, etc. that ally with them should be cautious about inadvertantly supporting policies that put women and children in harm’s way.”
Video of Rally for HB 2
Part 1 – Executive Director of the Christian Action League of NC, Rev. Mark Creech, opens the rally with brief comments before introducing his group’s President, Jack Marshburn, to lead the crowd in the invocational prayer.
https://youtu.be/XLBBuBXhi2I
Part 2 – “Major Dave” Goetze, conservative grassroots activist and founder of the NC Chamber of Conservative Leadership, offers a brief comment before leading the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance.
https://youtu.be/2rCGgkoV9vo
Part 3 – NC Christian Action League Executive Director Rev. Mark Creech welcomes the crowd and gives an overview of the lineup of speakers on the agenda. Video shots give a complete view of the crowd size which is estimated at around 800, and the 50 or so demonstrators poised nearby.
https://youtu.be/F78bW3zhB2g
Part 4 – John Rustin, President of the NC Family Policy Council explains their support for HB2 in common sense terms.
https://youtu.be/AwG8QFulPao
Part 5 – NC Values Coalition Spokesperson and #KeepNCSafe Project representative Kami Mueller offered her perspective on HB2 from a woman’s point of view.
https://youtu.be/TxCLzK2QrQw
Part 6 – Former Reality TV show hosts, David and Jason Benham, joined us in Raleigh to share their perspective on the impact of HB2 on business and the importance of standing up for your personal values even at a cost.
https://youtu.be/HyrvVzOwZ7o
Part 7 – Donica Hudson and Donna Miller relate their personal experiences with public bathroom situations and how the Charlotte ordinance would have made it even more likely for them to be repeated.
https://youtu.be/Inld1vUi0kQ
Part 8 – State Senator Buck Newton explains why he shepherded the bill through the Senate, and takes exception with our Attorney General for not defending our laws and State constitution in the Courts.
https://youtu.be/4XwmmVH52vk
Part 9 – Rev. Mark Creech recognizes members of the General Assembly in attendance who supported the passage of HB2.
https://youtu.be/1ExKQfqkZzA
Part 10- Noted Author Frank Turek, host of the TV show “I Don’t Have Enough Faith To Be An Atheist” also traveled to Raleigh to stand in support of HB2, and offered his “common sense” approach to digesting these issues.
https://youtu.be/OUltRSHRMZ8
Part 11 – Andy Stokes, Sheriff of Davie County in NC elaborates on why the passage of HB2 was a good thing from a law enforcement and public safety perspective.
https://youtu.be/a_ecibs2hGo
Part 12 – Sheriff Sam Page of Rockingham County, NC explains some of the difficulties posed to law enforcement in enforcing an ordinance like the one in Charlotte and the negative effects it can have on their job of maintaining the public safety.
https://youtu.be/1J0ykmqd4Lk
Part 13 – Bishop Patrick Wooden, Pastor of The Upper Room Christian Church in Raleigh, NC comments on transgender behavior and Godly design.
https://youtu.be/vfQXHeR1CsA
Part 14 – Rev. Ron Baity, President of “Return America”, explains the religious nature of our founding values and how they apply to government policy on such matters.
https://youtu.be/7X95Q5Kappg
Part 15 – Bishop Harry Jackson Jr. of Hope Christian Church in Beltsville, MD traveled to Raleigh to stand in support of HB2 and explains why the LGBTQ movement is not the same as the civil rights struggle in our history.
https://youtu.be/LKXrBtGYtQw
Part 16 – Closing – Rev. Mark Creech offers closing comments and then introduces Richard Callahan, Secretary of “Return America” to offer the benedictory prayer.
https://youtu.be/x325n8ChYyo
Editor’s Note: The rally was a phenomenal success. The Christian Action League thanks all of its participants and the people who were present. A special thanks to Major Dave Goetze for making these videos possible.