Senatorial Square Off
Sen. Allen speaks at Court Square looking for re-election
By Kim Chi Ha, contributing writer
Posted on October 30, 2006

HARRISONBURG — U.S. Sen. George Allen, R-Va., spoke in front of the Rockingham County Courthouse in Court Square Friday, addressing the state constitutional marriage amendment to a crowd that had gathered, despite the drizzling rain.

The amendment, if passed this November, will define marriage strictly as a union between one man and one woman in the commonwealth of Virginia.

Louis Padilla, who had recently been re-employed by Cargill Foods after being fired for insubordination, addressed the crowd on his view of the marriage amendment before Allen took the podium.

Padilla, a supporter of the marriage amendment, had displayed a sign on his car that asked voters to vote for the marriage amendment this November. Cargill Inc. received complaints about Padilla’s sign and asked him to remove it. 

“I said I would try and make accommodations,” Padilla said. After a meeting with Cargill he covered the sign, but did not remove it. The following day he parked his car beyond the gates of the company, believing he was no longer on their property. He was fired soon after.

“It was a misunderstanding,” he said. “They wanted me to move my sign because they thought it was discriminatory and offensive to people.”

Citizens voiced their opinions on the proposed marriage amendment that will be on the Nov. 7 ballot. Supporters of the amendment carried signs that read “Vote Yes for Marriage,” and cheered when Allen ended his speech by saying, “I am voting for marriage between one man and one woman.”

A crowd of JMU sociology students against the amendment held a large multicolored banner that read “Love is Never Wrong.” Appearing in the middle of Allen’s speech, they caused a mild scene when proponents of the amendment moved to block their banner with their own “Vote Yes for Marriage” signs.

“We feel that marriage should be about love not sexuality,” JMU student Laura Anderson said.  How can the government decide who is allowed to get married when there is supposed to be a separation of church and state?” 

Victoria Cobb of the Family Foundation, a supporter of the marriage amendment, said, “It is common sense to know that every child needs a mom and a dad.  That definition is so important to the bedrock of our society.” Proponents in the audience cheered. 

Sociology professor Christine Robinson said, “I believe that Christian conservative organizations like the Family Foundation and the Valley Family Forum spread misinformation that causes real suffering to God’s children.”

After the speeches had long ended, supporters and opponents to the marriage amendment stood around speaking with one another about their views.

JMU students stood at the top of the steps displaying their banner. A man waved a sign from the steps that read, “God hates fags! Don’t let ’em get hitched!” Another man stood behind him with a sign that read “False Witness.”

Allen’s speech addressed the need to preserve the foundational values, which he believes are being threatened. 

“[They are] most threatened by people who strike down the pledge in our school and who strike down partial-birth abortion laws,” Allen said. “There is no more important institution in our society than the family.”

The senator said it is a “mission” to preserve “foundational values.”

“Our foundational values are most threatened by judges who don’t respect the will of the people,” Allen said.