'Until the bitter end'

COEUR d'ALENE - A rally in support of Gov. Butch Otter and Attorney General Lawrence Wasden in their efforts to keep same-sex marriage illegal in Idaho was held in front of Sower Bible Bookstore Friday evening.

Dozens attended the hour-long event, listening to speakers discuss traditional marriage and Idaho's future.

With prayers, a Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag and several "amens," speakers discussed the recent developments regarding the legalization of same-sex marriage in the Gem State.

The rally was organized by former North Idaho College trustee and former Idaho state representative Ron Vieselmeyer.

A U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling Tuesday paved the way for gay marriage in Idaho; however, Otter and Wasden swiftly moved to seek an emergency stay of the ruling. U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy temporarily blocked the appellate court ruling from going into effect.

"We're not real happy about it, but on the other hand, we've got a governor that's fighting for us and he understands, along with the attorney general, the Constitution - and he's going to fight until the bitter end to win this situation," Vieselmeyer said. "Win or lose, according to the dictates of the legal system, we're always going to win this because we serve the supreme judge of the universe."

One lone protester stood across the street from the rally, holding a sign encouraging love over hate. Speakers, including Vieselmeyer, Reach America leader Gary Brown and Rep. Eric Redman, assured the crowd that the sanctity of marriage and personal freedoms are at the core of this issue, not hate.

"When I moved to Idaho, I was told this is the land of the free and the home of the brave, and I hope that will always be true for this state," said Jim Korver of Post Falls. "It's a God-given blessing, I would call it."

Korver read a statement from Otter to the crowd, which discussed preserving the freedoms of Idahoans and protecting the Idaho Constitution.

"I think it went pretty well," said Janelle Sladek of Coeur d'Alene. "It seemed to have a decent amount of support that came out for it and some good speakers; I liked what they had to say. I appreciate what the governor's doing."

Kim Cooper of Post Falls attended the rally because she is passionate about the issue and concerned about how current rulings will affect kids and their futures.

"God's original institution of marriage is true and just," she said. "We have distorted it and perverted it and because of that, families have been fragmented. We have parents that are pursuing pleasure and children are being left behind in the dust. We have a family member raising someone else's children because they chose a different style of life and we are loving these children back to wholeness, but they are still struggling with being left, being abandoned."

She said the love of a mother and father cannot be replaced, and when that love is placed elsewhere, children suffer and experience identity issues.

"Instead of being productive and independent and strong contributors to our community and to our country, they are just trying to find out who they are, and they're going to look wherever they can to try to be whole again," she said. "They may choose to try another lifestyle, they may choose drugs, they may choose alcohol, they may choose whatever to find out who they are."