May 17th - the historic day Massachusetts defiantly became the first state to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, African American pastors across the nation geared up to battle the oft-used rhetoric that equates gay-rights to civil-rights. As part of the effort, black clergy in the East Coast convened at the Capitol to support traditional marriage. A bigger rally is scheduled for May 22 in Arlington, Texas, and smaller grassroots efforts began among African American pastors across the fifty states today.