'Homosexuality is a behavior. Not a civil right': The anti-gay marriage billboard that's striking a nerve

  • Billboard in Dearborn Heights, Michigan, has photos of an African-American man and a face covered in rainbow colors
  • 'Born black' is under the picture of African-American man and 'Not born this way' is under rainbow-covered face
  • Restrain the Judges, group sponsoring advertisements, says the billboards are about 'protecting freedom of religion'
  • More billboards are expected to pop up in Flint, Lansing and Grand Rapids
  • Ad comes as Supreme Court justices consider legalizing same-sex marriage across the United States 

By Kelly Mclaughlin For Dailymail.com

Published: | Updated:

Gay marriage opponents have sponsored billboards across Michigan as the Supreme Court justices consider legalizing same-sex marriages across the United States. 

The billboards, carried out by conservative groups nationwide, are turning heads across metro-Detroit with their message, 'Homosexuality is a behavior. Not a civil right'.

People have been stopping their cars and taking photos of the billboard in disbelief of the message that overlooks the road in Dearborn Heights. One passerby said it was 'disgusting'.

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A billboard has been put up in Dearborn Heights, Michigan, by gay marriage opponents with the message, 'Homosexuality is a behavior. Not a civil right'

A billboard has been put up in Dearborn Heights, Michigan, by gay marriage opponents with the message, 'Homosexuality is a behavior. Not a civil right'

The billboards feature a photo of an African-American man with the phrase, 'Born Black' and a face covered in rainbow colors with the phrase, 'Not born this way'

The billboards feature a photo of an African-American man with the phrase, 'Born Black' and a face covered in rainbow colors with the phrase, 'Not born this way'

'I was just so dumbfounded that I had just seen this,' one man told WDIV. 'It's extremely upsetting to me that somebody would go that far out of their way even though they know they're going to offend a specific demographic or group.'

An electronic advertisement features the message along with two photographs: One of an African-American man with the phrase 'Born black' underneath, and another of a face covered in rainbow colors reading 'Not born this way'.

The latter message is a reference to Lady Gaga's hit song 'Born This Way,' which became an anthem in the gay community.  

Mark Gurley, spokesman for Restrain the Judges, the group who sponsored the advertisements, said the billboards are not intended to read as anti-gay messages.

'The issue here doesn't have anything to do, at the end of the day, with the gay community,' Gurley told WDIV. 'It has everything to do with protecting freedom of religion.'  

Each billboard also includes a website, restrainthejudges.com, a website urging for the preservation of marriage between a man and a woman. 

Each billboard also references biblical passages and forwards viewers to RestrainTheJudges.com, which encourages internet users to send personalized restraining orders to Supreme Court justices

Each billboard also references biblical passages and forwards viewers to RestrainTheJudges.com, which encourages internet users to send personalized restraining orders to Supreme Court justices

The billboard was put up as the Supreme Court justices consider legalizing same-sex marriages across the United States

The billboard was put up as the Supreme Court justices consider legalizing same-sex marriages across the United States

Sponsors of the Restrain the Judges campaign include Faith 2 Action, Americans for Truth about Homosexuality, Judicial Action Group, American Family Association of Pennsylvania and Conservative Republicans of Texas.  

The website asks visitors to mail a personalized restraining order to the Supreme Court and all members of Congress, according to the Detroit Free Press. 

The letter reads: 'We the people of the United States affirm our right to self-governance and hereby issue a Restraining Order to the United States Supreme Court and our Federal Courts who would attempt to further usurp: The sovereign vote of the American People. Our State Constitutions. 

'The sacred institution of marriage between one man and one woman. Our Constitutionally protected First Amendment rights.' 

Mark Gurley, a spokesman for Restrain the Judges, said that the billboards don't 'have anything to do' with the gay community, but instead are about protecting freedom of religion

Mark Gurley, a spokesman for Restrain the Judges, said that the billboards don't 'have anything to do' with the gay community, but instead are about protecting freedom of religion

Users have to pay to send the restraining orders and can send in bulk up to 544 personalized letters.

'In order to prevent the Roe v. Wade of Marriage, we must act now,' the sponsors state. 'The issue is urgent, and time is short.' 

The ads, which cite Genesis 2:24 and Matthew 19:5 from The Bible, are expected to appear in Flint, Lansing and Grand Rapids in the near future, according toMLive.   

Attorney Dana Nessel, who is representing two Hazel Park, Michigan, nurses who had a same-sex marriage heard by the high court, said the billboards might be a last-ditch effort by gay-marriage opponents. 

'It's the last gasp of the bigots,' Nessel told the Free Press. 'They cannot accept that same-sex marriage could be legal soon everywhere. They just want attention. And the way they get attention is through their bigotry and their hate and their cruelty.'   

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