Oct 2 – Downtown Phoenix

Bankers and lawyers walked up and down the streets on lunch break. Most of the time, they walked together in groups of three or four. However, when politely offered a traditional marriage flier, they would pretend you didn’t exist. Many businessmen treated TFP volunteers like lamp posts, like glass pillars, refusing to even acknowledge a simple “Good morning. How are you?” Apathy, indifference or fear to reveal their stance on marriage to co-workers was clearly at play.

Although many pretended not to notice the TFP, they really did. “Have you ever been punched before?” asked a tall businessman with an angry voice in a stripped shirt, accompanied by two other businessmen. At least I had the solace of knowing I was being noticed. “Is that a manifestation of your ‘tolerance,’ the tolerance of those who advocate same-sex ‘marriage’?” The arrogant man sneered and crossed the street without punching me.

Meeting a Rosary Rally Captain
Lunch was brought to us by a generous Catholic gentleman who is also a Rosary Rally Captain in Phoenix. It was delicious. He told us how hundreds of people are expected to join the upcoming Rosary rally in honor of Our Lady of Fatima on October 11 and showed us photos of earlier rallies which were well attended by hundreds of local Catholics.

Two female counter-demonstrators showed up, holding signs promoting same-sex “marriage” and alienated potential allies by yelling in screeching voices, which sounded like fingernails running over a chalk board. A homeless beggar in a wheelchair was confronted by the two women. They wanted his support. After he rejected their request, saying that he opposed homosexuality, they lashed out and verbally harassed the wheelchair-bound beggar, who quickly rolled away for better company.

Shortly later, a pro-homosexual advocate threw a wad of wet toilet paper from the 10th floor of a nearby building at TFP members standing on the sidewalk below. We located the window from which the object was thrown and informed the security guard responsible for the building. She did not care and refused to take any measures.

“Extremists are people who wear suits!”
Before starting the afternoon campaign, we stopped for ice cream at a small Häggen-Dazs ice cream shop located in an upscale shopping center, apparently in the most affluent neighborhood of Arizona. As I mentioned before, even when we are not on campaign, we are still on campaign. Everywhere we go, people ask questions, giving us a great opportunity to explain the need to defend traditional marriage.

This time a middle-aged woman walked into the ice cream shop. Puzzled, she looked around. “Wow! You’re all dressed up. Why are you wearing suits? Don’t you realize this is Phoenix?” she asked nosily.

“Yes, it is hot. We are making a statement for modesty because we don’t like indecent fashions,” answered Mr. Cesar Franco. “Besides, when it’s hot, everyone feels hot. At least we look good.”

Her eyes got big. “Well, yes, you do look good,” she admitted. “So you really think people don’t wear enough clothes?”

“We are Catholic and we believe in modesty,” said Mr. Franco. “We are also touring Arizona, defending traditional marriage.”

“Wow,” she said. “So, you’re making a statement. I didn’t realize Catholics were so black and white. I don’t believe in good or evil. I’m Buddhist.”

Just then, a businessman with gray hair, wearing an impeccable pin-stripped suit walked in for a drink. “So he must be the kingpin himself, the leader of your group,” she assumed because of the man’s tasteful attire. “But you’re all so young. There so much ahead of you,” she said in a vane attempt to discourage the TFP volunteers.

“You know, the hippie generation of the 60s is dying out,” I said. There are a lot of young people like us. We are the future.”

Her eyes got bigger and she said: “Wow! But you are so extreme!”

“What do you mean by extreme?” I asked. Without hesitation, she responded:

“Extremists are people who wear suits.”

At this point, I couldn’t resist asking: “What do you think about people who have pierced noses, lips, tongs, and eyebrows and abundant tattoos defacing their bodies? Would you say that is a bit extreme?”

“Well…” (long pause), they have a choice.”

“Do we have a choice to wear suits? To you, bizarre body piercing is a choice, but wearing a suit is extreme,” I said.

“Well, it’s nice to see people fighting for a cause,” she admitted reluctantly, avoiding the question.

“Yes, but it’s better to see people fighting for the truth,” concluded Mr. Franco.

Later on, a man who had seen us earlier having ice cream at the mall passed by the intersection where we were demonstrating for traditional marriage. “Now I understand why you dress the way you do,” he said.

Lust is NOT love
One of the most common pro-homosexual slogans or “talismanic phrases” you hear from same-sex “marriage” supporters is “love is love.” Sometimes, we need quick answers to undo the sophisms of anti-family proponents such as this one, especially at traffic intersections. Mr. Kenneth Murphy thought of a good short rebuttal against the “love is love” fallacy: “lust is lust.” It works very well.

At the intersection of Camelback and 24th Street, we received lots of support, and some aggressions. On three separate occasions, objects were thrown at TFP volunteers from moving cars. The trend of “tolerance” – read “aggression” — experienced in California holds for Arizona too.

Where do you draw the line?
Another great short argument which usually stops pro-homosexual advocates dead in their tracks is to question the final goal of the homosexual movement: Where do you draw the line? Where will this end? Then it was civil unions. Now it’s “marriage.” What’s next? There are groups already advocating to legalize pedophilia. Where will the sexual revolution stop? How far will things fall before people wake up?

To pacify the homosexual movement, the terms “bride” and “groom” on California marriage certificates have already been deleted. Now, husband and wife are “Party A” and “Party B.”

Tomorrow, we plan to visit Arizona State University. Like most campuses, it is very liberal. Please pray for us and our safety!

Saint Joseph, pray for us!

If you want to help protect the institution of marriage, the family and future of America, please consider filling our van’s gas tank with fuel and keep us on the road for traditional marriage. So far we’ve traveled 8,142 miles for God’s marriage.

How to Support the Caravan
We’ve already traveled over 8,142 miles for traditional marriage and it takes some $107.00 to fill our van’s gas tank. Thank you for considering a gift to this cause. God bless you! If you wish to support this vital endeavor with a gift, please click below.