Morgantown residents showed up for a town hall meeting Wednesday to voice their support for a proposed referendum defining marriage in West Virginia.
Jeremy Dys, president and general counsel of The Family Policy Council of West Virginia, the group that sponsored the forum, said West Virginia voters should get the right to say how marriage is defined — not a judge or the Legislature.
"We believe it is a very important thing that we have the opportunity to vote on a marriage protection amendment in West Virginia," Dys said. "We're asking the Legislature to let you, the public, make that decision."
Dys said his group polled 10,000 West Virginians by telephone recently, without regard to religion or party affiliation, and found that 86 percent support the definition of marriage as one man and one woman. About 94 percent of those called, Dys said, said voters should get to make the decision on how marriage is defined.
Dys said Delegate Barbara Evans Fleischauer, D-Monongalia, is the chairwoman of the state House of Delegates' constitutional revision committee and has the power to move the bill on for consideration by the rest of the House. He said Fleischauer declined to attend the evening's town hall, noting that he'd hoped she would show up to hear the public's comments.
Dys said Fleischauer and Delegate Carrie Webster, D-Kanawha, are working together to make sure the issue is not put up for a public vote.
Fleischauer and Webster could not be reached for comment Wednesday night. Aides said they both were in committee meetings.
Dys asked supporters of the referendum to call Fleischauer and Webster, contact Gov. Joe Manchin and their state senators, and to visit his group's Web site at wv4mar riage.com for information.
Dys also opened up the town hall meeting, held at Christian and Missionary Alliance Church, to comments from the audience, telling them that he was recording their comments to send to Fleischauer. About 40 people attended the forum, about a dozen of which spoke.
Nancy Lough, of Morgantown, said she remembers when prayer was taken out of schools and said people need to stand up and be heard on the marriage issue before it happens again.
"I think it's such a shame we even have to worry about this, that a judge can change laws and there's even a question about marriage," Lough said.
Bonnie Barnts, of Morgantown, said she was disappointed that Fleischauer did not attend the forum.
"If the heat is too hot, get out of office," Barnts said. "We don't want someone who will not allow us the freedom of speech guaranteed in our Constitution."
Richard Sutler, of Morgantown, said marriage has been defined as one man and one woman for thousands of years and that shouldn't be changed. He said, however, that he has no objection to gay people being allowed civil unions and the same rights as married people, as long as it's not called a marriage.
Former Delegate Cindy Frich said she supports the definition of marriage as one man and one woman and said she tried to put through legislation of that nature during her time in office. Frich said West Virginians should get to vote it up or down.
"Barbara, put that bill on the agenda," she said.
Keith Ruckman, of Morgantown, said he doesn't believe in gay rights but does believe in human rights for gays.
Ruckman said, as a Christian, he'd fight for gays' safety, well-being, right to education, and their right to employment, but said he doesn't support their right to marriage.