MARIGOT:--- Over two hundred people gathered at the Collectivity of St. Martin on Saturday morning to protest against the same sex marriage that took place at 10:30am. Several of the protesters were dissatisfied with elected officials saying they could have refused to conduct the marriage of the two ageable men that tied the knot. Saturday's same sex marriage is the first to take place on the island, it is now part of the history of this French Overseas Territory.
The protesters said that first VP Guillaume Arnell should have resigned instead of performing the marriage of two people that are of the same sex. The bride and groom were sneaked into the Collectivity while the protesters gathered outside waiting to see the couple. Gendarmes had to secure the Collectivity to ensure that the two people were not injured by the protesters. At least one person flung a bottle which almost hit a Gendarme. When the couple left the Collectivity the protestors jeered and booed them as they entered a white vehicle that was waiting to take them to their reception.
The actions of the person who flung the bottle were condemned by the protesters who said that they were there to protest peacefully simply because they want to show the State of France that they were not in favor of what was taking place in their country. The protestors also said that the elected officials on St. Martin did not consult with people of St. Martin prior to the law being passed earlier this year. "We believe that the elected officials should have consulted with the people through a referendum but that too was not done."
Among those that protested were radio personalities and other well known people who said that marriage is meant to be between a man and woman and not two people of the same sex. They said by having a same sex marriage, marriage has been disrespected. However, marriage has been disrespected long before many of us were born. When a man and woman take a vow in marriage they vow to be with each other despite good or bad and in sickness and health. They also vow to remain sincere and true to each other yet we have married people that have extra-marital affairs, some with people of the same sex, they also have children outside of their marriages and it has been accepted by everyone. One of the protesters said that the soon the church will be disrespected by same sex marriages. Again, it must be noted that the church has been disrespected for years by the pastors that sleep with members of their congregation and when they tolerate hypocrisy by christening and or baptizing illegitimate children.