San Diego, Los Angeles Prop. 8 protests draw 10,000 each

[Bluebear]

SAN DIEGO -- As many as 10,000 people took to the streets in San Diego and similar numbers marched in Los Angeles Saturday to protest passage of an anti-gay marriage ballot initiative, authorities said.

Demonstrators began marching through central San Diego at noon, according to police Sgt. Diane Wendell. The event lasted about 90 minutes and was peaceful, with no arrests.

The march in the Silver Lake area of Los Angeles began at Saturday evening and lasted about four hours, said police Sgt. Jake Bushy. No incidents were reported as demonstrators marched down Sunset Boulevard carrying signs and waving banners.

The demonstrations were the largest of several marches that followed Tuesday's passage of Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages and overturning the state Supreme Court decision that legalized such unions in May. A candlelight vigil in Laguna Beach Saturday evening drew about 1,000 people and police reported no incidents.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1110ap_gay_marriage_marches.html

[Maat]

1. Beloved Daughter (12) and I marched in the San Diego parade.

We support the GLBT community and civil rights!

In Solidarity,

[Bluebear]

2. Love and thanks to you, Maat

[Maat]

3. Thanks for the pat on the back.

:hug:

I'm down now, Bluebear. We were going to have a meeting about our future plans re fighting Prop. 8 at V's house. I don't want to go now, after I received a few emails from my GLBT friends. V's a local activist, and is in our PFLAG chapter (Parents, Family, Friends, of Lesbians and Gays; he's gay; I'm a straight supporter. We have our local Progressive Democrats of America supporters, PFLAG and Unitarian-Universalist supporters (I'm in both orgs). We are in 'the Bible Belt of Southern California' - the Inland Empire (Riverside County). Certain individuals just want to 'back off, develop our community, leave the Mormons alone, and concentrate on World Aids Day.' I wrote this email in response (see what you think):

My email:
V -

It's (Maat). Maybe you need to tell me if I should come tomorrow night or not. I spent this past Saturday marching with my daughter in the march in San Diego. I will continue to march with those guys - for they have told me that they will not return to sitting in the back of the bus. Many straights, including those in Progressive Democrats of America and members of Unitarian-Universalist churches, have been in all of the marches these past few days. This is a civil rights fight.

No one has ever secured civil rights by saying 'Pretty please!' and being nice (and 'not alienating people'). It has never happened in U.S. history. I'm a veteran of civil rights fights. Many years ago, probably before you were born, I fought for a female's legal right to manage community property. Prior to that, the husband controlled anything designated as community property, including a woman's paycheck. I also was one of the first women to see to it that I was treated fairly as an accountant in aerospace, teaching men how to address me properly, rather than as 'Honey.' We won both battles by defining how we would be treated, and by defining what would happen (legally and economically) to those who treated us unfairly (and we made sure those underlying laws were in place).

While I understand some of our compatriots' desire to develop our community and meet peacefully, focus on World Aids Day, and yada-yada, that's their choice. It's not mine. I will help with all of that, but I'm also going to continue going to the marches (even if they are out of this area). Some will be peacefully 'targeting' Yes-On-8 supporters. I also will forego buying products and services from those who contributed to the Yes-On-8 campaign. I will stay within the law, of course, exercising my First Amendment rights. I also plan to donate to (and raise money for) the legal fight (www.lambdalegal.org and www.invalidateprop8.com). Backing off of the civil rights fight is just not my thing.

I don't want to come tomorrow night and hear a bunch of crap about 'not alienating anyone.' Trust me. There are some bigots in my family. Kissing their butt does nothing. Telling them that my GLBT friends are not going to remain in the back of the bus, showing them that, and stating that I stand in solidarity with them, in addition to exercising our economic power - well, that is what works, and what is going to work in the future.

I hope that this makes sense. Let me know what your opinion is.

(Maat)

[Bluebear]

4. I'll tell you what *my* opinion is. You are a FREEDOM FIGHTER & a hero!

[Maat]

5. HeeHee. Thanks ...

I guess that some want to fight, and some don't.

Oh, well, I'm with the fighters!

You are a good friend; take care!