(Radio Iowa) – A parade in Ottumwa tomorrow (Saturday) will celebrate “traditional marriage” after the city council passed a proclamation saying that is a union of a man and a woman. Local Baptist pastor Travis Decker has been leading the effort and says he and others wanted the proclamation after a Pride month proclamation was passed in June. Decker says it celebrates one good thing and he won’t allow hateful messages in the parade.

(as said)“It’s not an attack on anybody. It is the promotion of something that we hold near and dear to our heart, and many people in the community do, and we just wanted to go out and have a fun time with it,” Decker says.

Ottumwa Pride leader Kristen Payne says the proclamation and parade sends a negative message of privilege to L-G-B-T-Q residents because heterosexual marriages have never been under threat.

(as said)“You’ve literally never had this taken away from you. You’ve never been in danger. You’ve never had your life, I mean, just for being who you are, put at risk,” Payne says.

Ottumwa Pride will host a brunch at downtown restaurant during Saturday’s parade. Ottumwa Mayor Richard Johnson said in a statement the proclamation was revised to be more inclusive. It was revised to acknowledge all legal forms of marriages in Iowa.