Freedom to Marry and Freedom Oklahoma have launched a new 30-second television ad that will run across the state of Oklahoma over the next week as part of its public education campaign to build support for marriage equality.
The ad features the Cuyler family and focuses on Ed Cuyler, a retired Army colonel who served in the Army for 12 years, with 22 years in the Army reserves. Cuyler is a recipient of the Purple Heart and the Distinguished Flying Cross for rescuing five soldiers. He and his wife, Robbie, have been married for 36 years.
In the TV spot, Ed Cuyler talks about why marriage matters to his daughter Deedra and her partner Amber, who are raising three young children in Lawton, a rural town about two hours south of Oklahoma City.
“Here in Oklahoma, we value family. When Deedra told me she was gay, as her dad, I was worried because I wanted to protect her. When Deedra met Amber, I realized she could have a family. Only marriage means the ability to take care of your family,” he says.
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In January, a federal judge ruled that Oklahoma’s ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional, and last month, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit heard oral arguments in the case.
A ruling is expected in this case — and a similar 10th Circuit case from Utah — within a few months.
