Protesters Surprise Senate President Birmingham

Protesters Surprise Senate President Birmingham

Seek Support for 'Protection of Marriage Act'

August 2001

Protesters surprised Senate President Thomas Birmingham last month when they surrounded him with signs in support of H3375, the Protection of Marriage Bill.

Birmingham was inspecting a cleanup project at Hardy Pond in Waltham with Sen. Susan Fargo (D-Waltham).

Before Birmingham could escape, one of the group from the Massachusetts Citizens Alliance followed the Senator to his car and asked him to talk to them. Birmingham reluctantly obliged.

Asked if he would support traditional marriage by supporting the legislation, Birmingham told the group, “I’m not convinced of the need for this legislation to tell you the truth. Now if there are arguments that need be made, if it even makes it to the Senate, I’d obviously entertain any of your views and opinions. But, right now I don’t see the sense of it.”

Asked by MassNews if he could still be convinced or had he made up his mind, Birmingham answered, “I always have an open mind. I think you have an uphill fight.”