Gay Rights Protest Set For Nuptials

Gay rights activists plan to demonstrate outside Gov. Charlie Crist's wedding to Carole Rome this month.

The group Impact-Florida has called on its members to gather in pink T-shirts outside First United Methodist Church of St. Petersburg on Dec. 12 to "congratulate" Crist and Rome while their wedding takes place inside. The demonstration will continue outside the wedding reception at the Renaissance Vinoy Resort in downtown St. Petersburg.

"After the positive congratulatory observance, there will be a candlelight vigil close to the Vinoy in downtown St. Pete to mourn the loss of gays' right to get married," the group's Web site states, referring to the gay marriage ban that passed by ballot initiative in November.

Crist endorsed Amendment 2 before its passage. It needed 60 percent of the vote to become part of the state Constitution; it got 61.9 percent.

Impact-Florida spokeswoman Lorna Bracewell said the event will be peaceful and respectful. The group hopes for 1,000 protesters.

"Our goal is to celebrate the governor's and every Floridian's fundamental right to marry," said Bracewell, a singer and songwriter from St. Petersburg. "Our theme is going to be, Congratulations Governor - When I Can Get Married?"

Bracewell, who voted for Crist in 2006, said she does not blame Crist for the amendment's passage. "But our organization sees in his wedding an opportunity to illustrate the unfairness and the injustice of Amendment 2."

She was surprised when Crist endorsed the measure and said she would not vote for Crist again. Bracewell and her partner of three years entered into a domestic union in May 2007.

John Stemberger, president of the Florida Family Policy Council, which led the charge to pass Amendment 2, said the activists "ought to be ashamed of themselves" over protest plans.

"It's just extraordinarily bad taste," Stemberger said. "Irrespective of politics and what you think about the man, this is his and his new bride's special day. It's very upsetting to me that they would take advantage of that and turn it into some kind of political thing."

Crist's office did not respond to a request for comment.