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Loading ...Reports from all over: Your Prop 8 protest stories
11.15.2008 8:31pm EST
Many of our readers attended the national Proposition 8 protests today. Here is a round-up of your posts from across 365gay:
NORTHAMPTON, MARose said: A friend and I stumbled across a pro marriage equality protest (anti prop 
in Northampton, MA. There was a moderately sized crowd (approx 100??) and several speakers, including a minister who’d performed many many marriage ceremonies since legalization here nearly 5 years go. The speakers were hard to hear from the back of the crowd, but the local Unitarian / Universalist church had a banner and many supporters and there were lots of placards – both pro equality and anti-prop 8 in content. One of the better ones said, “Can you believe we still have to protest this crap?” Great bunch of marching band drums and lots of rainbow umbrellas and a very vocal, happy crowd knowing they were helping in a nationwide effort. Did not see any local media.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT
freshee69 said: my husband and i went to the rally in salt lake city today and stood with thousands of our brothers and sisters to let our voices be heard. it was beautiful.
CHICAGO, IL
Ophidimancer said: I was there in Chicago when we took to the streets in a huge mass, chanting and waving signs. The turnout was amazing and more and more room had to be made for us. We totally dwarfed Dobson’s anti-rally and blocked traffic downtown for hours. Everyone stayed peaceful, at least the part of the crowd that I could see, even when people with anti-gay signs started picketing us, so that was good.
BOISE, ID
JD Morgan said: In Boise, ID (pop. 180,000) over 1,000 people showed up at Boise City Hall where speakers urged restraint to our anger and proposed that we forgive those who have trespassed against us. This protest was larger by far than our annual gay pride rally.
HOUSTON, TX
AR said: I attended the Houston rally today. It was very heart warming. However, I was deeply disappointed that more people didn’t come out for this. Ladies, you can come out in droves for a Melissa Etheridge concert or a Comets game. Where were you today?
KANSAS CITY, MO
Julia said: I attended the rally in Kansas City, MO. I am 65 years old and straight and had never attended this type of function before. I was very moved by the people and signs. I stood on the curb with the associate pastor of my church (MCC-KC) and held the church flag while across the street members of the ‘church of hate’ from Topeka, KS stood with the flag of our country on the ground under their feet and around their waist like a skirt. People passing in their cars either honked or gave a ‘thumbs up’ to us. I saw young people from GSAs in the area with their signs in support. One sign that I noticed said ‘I’m too old to wait for my civil rights’. A friend who is the mother of a gay son who was married in San Francisco went with me. We met another mother of a gay son who was married in LA just before the election. One of the speakers (a young man from GLISSEN) said that he had brought 10 straight allies with him (his co-workers). I am not good at estimating numbers of a crowd, but I’m sure there were close to 1000. I congratulate the organizers for their good work in bringing so many people together in such a short time particularly the people from the LGBT center in KC and PROMO.
Don said: I too was at the Kansas City Rally. Despite a cold day and an inadequate sound system the 1000 people did a great job of protesting our dismay yet not attacking anyone. I came with a 65 year old man whose partner of 40 years stayed home as he could not endure the cold and the standing due to arthritis. I was honored to be in their presence and call them friends.
My favorite sign was “I want my cake and to eat too!” superimposed over a wedding cake with same sex couple figures. Good job KC!
DENVER, CO
Michael said: Denver came out in mass – it was a beautiful day and every more encouraging at the throngs of people that came, chanted, and marched down 16th Street. I am proud of the gay community for coming together. For those naysayers that claim this will do little – our positive voice will do more than your negative one. At least we got up off the couches today to let the world know that we are not going to let them just VOTE away our civil rights. My hubby and I had our two daughters there, we spent a couple of hours last night making signs and talking about the significance of the rally. Our 10 year old was thrilled to be interviewed by the local media because of her “I love my gay dads” sign. If nothing more, the march left an impression on them and for that I am grateful!!!!
SAN FRANCISCO, CA
hugo said: This was amazing. I was in San Francisco. Truly inspiring. We’re gonna keep going. We need to take a more active stance, though. We’ve got to fight back and make our cases. Things will change. Just look at all of the people that came out in support for our cause. I’m VERY inspired and I can’t wait to see what happens in the future.
Reno Nevada amazed the country and itself by the 300+ people who showed up to Demonstrate against the passing of Prop 8 and demanding equal rights for not just married couples but for ALL GLBTQ citizens! It was inspiring to see gay, straight, black, white, everyone that is for equal rights! And not 1 anti gay protester in sight!! Reno is really the BEST biggest little city in the WORLD!!
Pink flu a great idea, but not on 1/20/09. The inauguration will get ALL the media coverage. Our efforts would go unnoticed and it may look like we are trying to detract from Obama.
The ‘day without a gay’ reminds me of the movie ‘Wedding Wars’ when all the gays across the country went on strike.
We had about 700 – 1000 in Baltimore! Despite the huge downpour we had 2 hours of pure emotion and protest. The crowd truly made an impact and a message of support from the state Attorney General didn’t hurt!
Greensboro, North Carolina had a crowd of around 250. We shouted and chanted and waved our signs at passing traffic and listened to several moving speeches. It was a great afternoon.
Orlando, Florida – 16 November 2008. The Join the Impact protest in Orlando attracted thousands of attendees in front of City Hall just after 1PM Eastern Time. The sounds of cheers and chants bounced between the skyscraping buildings and throughout the adjacent neighborhoods. Some residents reportedly heard the crowds as far as a half-mile away. Cars honked horns and passengers raised thumbs while driving through the Southeast traffic light of downtown Orlando lined with hundreds of cheering protesters waving rainbow flags and posters.
The audience received an overwhelmingly supportive voice from community leaders, the openly lesbian city councilwoman Patty Sheehan, and straight religious leaders, who vowed to continue same-gender marriages. Banners expressed discouragement with religious decisions that weren’t reflected in their dogmas and signs quoted their holy figures that would have voted No to the discrimination of a group of people.
Everyone there expressed in harmony that all protesters would continue to bring this topic to the forefront and fight for our future constitutional rights of equality. Doctor Martin Luther King and his wife Coretta Scott King were quoted several times and loud applauses erupted after speaker after speaker mentioned the successful election of Barak Obama. Patty Sheehan also mentioned that the Orlando council had voted unanimously for same-gender partnership benefits to city employees. The crowd cheered when told that Orlando cares for all of its citizens.
For more local coverage, visit Orlando Sentinel article: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/orange/orl-protest1608nov16,0,7301207.story
For local photographs, visit Facebook at:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=11667&id=1207863228&ref=mf
We were out in the cold rain in Portsmouth, NH too. I’d say close to 100 people gathered downtown including many straight folk. There were protest signs, and speakers, and lots of passersby honking car horns in support. My wedded lesbian friends in SF were thrilled to hear we were out in the streets on the East Coast and I’m moved that people spoke out across the country today. I hope we’ll all be gathering in DC soon!
There actually is a day like this organized called “A Day Without a Gay.” It will take place on december 10, 2008. You can look at http://www.adaywithoutagay.com or http://www.jointheimpact.com for more info.
Michael (and others) it’s already in the works – it’s December 10 – “Day Without a Gay” check the Join the Impact site
I was in Burlington Vermont, ours was small, as we got a late start, but it was a good solid kickoff for the start of the Revolution. We had a peaceful crowd, and several straight students from Vermont Law School held the “Vermont Freedom to Marry Task Force” Banner. Hopefully we are close to joining our Canadian, Connecticutt and Massachusetts neighbors in a state of equality.
I would change one word in the comment above mine – instead of saying “I can’t wait to see what happens next” let’s start thinking “I can’t wait to BE what happens next!” See you all again Jan. 10!
It’s actually happening…
“A Day Without a Gay” – An international Gay Out Sick Day!
http://daywithoutagay.org/
New York turnout was massive! Here is a link to my video (filmed from main stage):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IN69bvCYPM4
I think we should organize a “pink flu” day, when all GLBTQ persons and their supporters stay out of work/school to show our support for same-sex marriage/equal rights. Jan 20, 2009 would be a good day when our new president is sworn in and Bush leaves office!
Imagine we could nearly shut down the country…something that would effect so many services, close schools, univerities and large corporations.
What does everyone think? How can we spread the word?
I think we should organize a “pink flu” day, when all GLBTQ persons and their supporters stay out of work/school to show our support for same-sex marriage/equal rights. Jan 20, 2009 would be a good day when our new president is sworn in and Bush leaves office!
Imagine we could nearly shut down the country…something that would effect so many services, close schools, univerities and large corporations.
What odes everyone think? How can we spread the word?
I was in San Francisco and it was unlike anything I’ve ever seen or experienced in my life! I wish I could have felt what I felt today when the results on Prop 8 came in…or to even known I would feel this hopeful again! I have photos from the day at my website at http://www.sisterfriends-together.org