Subscribe to Breaking NewsRuby-Sachs: Rally for love in Chicago
The Chicago rally for gay marriage started as a quiet gathering in Federal Plaza. The gay men’s chorus sang a few songs and a number of speakers from the city and visiting from California spoke about the importance of fighting for civil rights.
But then the crowd started yelling “march!”
The organizers hadn’t even applied for a permit to march in the streets, but after the chants became louder, they began an impromptu walk towards Michigan Ave. (The main shopping thoroughfare downtown). At first the police kept the crowd on the sidewalks but soon people started spilling into the streets.
After half an hour of walking, the police started blocking off streets and by the middle of the march, cars were at a standstill and the magnificent mile was full of people holding rainbow flags and chanting “yes we can.”
It was thrilling, inspiring and truly a proud moment. First, because the police didn’t arrest the protestors in the streets. Second, because the small rally turned into a huge march that extended over a mile from front to back and filled the entire width of one of Chicago’s widest avenues.
This was not a march about Proposition 8. It was a march about full civil rights, marriage on the state and Federal level and all of the benefits that come with those rights.
Mercedes, there has been talk about using the privileges and immunities clause to counter DOMA. The problem is that, legally, there is no fundamental right to marriage which makes it hard to prove that a right has been abridged. Check out this decision from the Washington court: http://www.courts.wa.gov/newsinfo/content/pdf/759341opn.pdf
Exactly. Glad you had a great experience. Do you think the issue of Gay Marriage could be a claim under the Privileges and Immunities clause in additin to the Equal Protection claims?
Also, to the point of dignity and second class citizenship. I read the Domestic Partnership Law in California and one of the ways to terminate the Domestic Partnership is for one of the Partners to get married. I think that about sums things up.
So sad I wasnt there
I planned on going and everything. Guess I was 2 excited n left my purse n someones car ugh! Gald 2 hear it was a GREAT n POSITIVE turn out. Will here b anyomre anytime soon?
I was there in Chicago and it was exhilarating!!! It was amazing to see that many people coming out, stopping traffic, and yelling…Equal Rights!!