PORT WENTWORTH, Ga., March 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — The Family Research Council held a rally on behalf of the alumni this morning Port Wentworth, Georgia. police officer Jacob Kersey. Kersey was forced to leave his dream job as a police officer – with an otherwise immaculate record – after being pulled from duty and threatened with termination for expressing a biblical view of marriage on his personal Facebook account.
Kersey, along with the senior pastor of First Baptist Garden City Tommy DukeFirst Baptist Port Wentworth Pastor Paul Monginbishop garland hunt, Jody did (Former Member of Congress and Senior Advisor to the President of the FRC) and Mark Harris (Vice President of the Association of Churches & Ministries of the FRC) presented the petition signed by nearly 35,000 supporters of the FRC Port Wentworths city manager Steve Davis. Davis accepted the petitions on behalf of the city.
The congregation also prayed for Port Wentworth mayor Gary Norton who is currently in the hospital.
The petition called for Port Wentworth City officials publicly apologize to Kersey for discriminating against him because of his beliefs and violating his First Amendment rights.
Hice commented after successfully submitting the petitions:
“Today I asked along with nearly 35,000 Americans Port Wentworth City officials to respect and uphold the most basic of American freedoms, freedom of religion. We have asked city officials to apologize to Jacob and to stop fostering an environment of religious hostility towards their city employees. We look forward to holding on Port Wentworth Hold officials accountable and ensure they push through their much-needed reforms. Unfortunately, Jacob’s story is not unique, so for the First Amendment — and our First Freedoms — to thrive in every corner of this nation, we must double as Americans.
The petition reads as follows:
“Mayor Gary Nortoncouncillor Thomas Baerbecouncilwoman Gabriele Nelsoncouncillor Mark Stephenscouncillor Rufus Brightand city council Glen-Jones:
“We are writing to you with great concern at the treatment of the alumni Port Wentworth police officer Jacob Kersey. Jacob was severely abused by the Port Wentworth Police Department for its First Amendment protected, biblically accurate views. At a time of sky-high crime rates across the country, our communities should support our law enforcement officers. Instead, you punished Jacob for sharing the biblical view that marriage is a union between a man and a woman.
“That is religious bigotry. We won’t accept that.
“We ask the city to publicly apologize to Jacob for discriminating against him because of his beliefs and violating his First Amendment rights,” the petition concluded.
SOURCE Council for Family Research
