'Stand for the Family' Rallies Featuring Dobson Conclude

By Katherine T. Phan, Christian Post Reporter Wednesday, October 06, 2004

Dr. James Dobson made his final two stops of the “Stand for the Family” rally tour in South Dakota, from Oct. 4-5, saying yes to traditional family and no to judicial activism.

Around 5,000 supporters showed up Monday for a rally in Sioux Falls, and on Tuesday, a crowd of 7,000 in Rapid City, greeted the founder of Focus on the Family Action, who is the host a daily broadcast which averages 200 million listeners a day from around the world.

Although Dobson fell off the stage, six feet above the ground, and had five stitches to a gash above his right ankle, he was well enough to speak at Tuesday’s rally in Rapid City, a local newspaper reported. Paul Hetrick, vice president of media relations for Focus on Family, said Dobson's vision was impaired by spotlights focused on him during his speech and he was not able to see where two platforms met when he walked across the dark stage.

Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, Wellington Boone of Promise Keepers and Gary Bauer, president of American Values and a former presidential candidate, also spoke alongside Dobson at both rallies.

When Dobson asked the crowd Tuesday if they supported, school prayer, placing the Ten Commandments in schools, reading the Bible in school, the Pledge of Allegiance and opposed partial birth abortion, thousands responded in thunderous applause.

But Dobson said these rights face threat from "imperious, arrogant, unaccountable and unelected judges who are trying to shove their opinions on us.”

He urged the crowd to take a stand for the family by opposing same-sex “marriage” but reminded them in spite of their stance, “every human being is entitled to dignity and respect, including those with whom we disagree."

Pro-homosexual advocates showed up to protest at both rallies.

The rally was sponsored by the Focus on the Family Action in an effort to increase Christian participation at the polls.

"If we sit this one out, we will get the kind of government we deserve," he said.