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48 Hours of Action in the Wake of Prop. 8

When Californians took to the polls on Tuesday, November 4, 52.5% cast a vote against equal rights, saying same-sex marriage has no place in the Golden State. But in the wake of California’s LGBT population lamenting yet another blow to their rights, something magical happened. LGBT Californians stood up, brushed themselves off, and prepared for the fight of a generation.



When Californians took to the polls on Tuesday, November 4, 52.5% of those people cast a vote against equal rights, saying same-sex marriage has no place in the Golden State. Proposition 8 passed at the polls, and within hours, fingers were pointed -- at the Mormon Church, at conservative minority voters, at what some are now saying was a disorganized campaign.

But in the wake of California’s LGBT population lamenting yet another blow to their rights, something magical happened. LGBT Californians stood up, brushed themselves off, and prepared for the fight of a generation.

"This is a second Stonewall," said a veteran of the ’60s Stonewall riots in New York who turned out Thursday for a march on Los Angeles’s Mormon Temple.

Some 2,000 LGBT people turned out in Thursday’s sweltering sun to point the finger at the Mormon Church, which funded the bulk of the Yes on 8 campaign to ban same-sex marriage in California. That’s less than 24 hours after several thousand marched on the Sunset Strip, in Hollywood and Beverly Hills, screaming out the demand for “equal rights. Now!”

Similar efforts took place across the state -- in Sacramento, San Diego, and San Francisco. But none attracted quite the media attention of L.A.–based efforts, which have been followed by CNN, ABC News, and virtually every local news crew within a hundred-mile radius.

The following is a chronicle of the 48 hours’ worth of chants, rallies, and cries for equal rights following Election Day. We encourage you to share your own thoughts and memories in the comments below.

Wednesday, November 5 (Rally in West Hollywood, March on Los Angeles)

“What do we want? Equality! When do we want it? Now!"

Reacting to Wednesday morning's news that California's Prop. 8 had likely passed and eliminated same-sex marriage in the state, a crowd of some 2,000 protesters took to the streets Wednesday evening, marching down West Hollywood's Sunset Strip and backing up traffic for blocks. 

No on 8 Rally Weho (Ross Von Metzke) | Advocate.com

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Reader Comments
  • Name: Jerry
    Date posted: 11/11/2008 1:27:00 AM
    Hometown: Los Angeles

    Comment:

    You have a cult religion, with a massive inferiority complex, founded by a polygamist and pedophile- THE MORMONS. You have a phat ass Catholic church, which continues to be involved (and paying for it) with the greatest child molestation scandal of the 20th century, stretching back some 60 years, headed by Archbishop Mahony in Los Angeles, and San Francisco Archbishop George Niederauer (who personally called his contacts in the Mormon cult church to help Yes on 8)- let's tell the truth about these fearmongers and homophobes. Their attempts to buy renewed credibility with the public to cover their errant ways and vicious religious attacks on gays and lesbians, must be constantly exposed. Support the protests, and picket every Catholic, Mormon, and Evangelical church in SoCal. And yes, tax the SOBs, because that'll HURT.

  • Name: Michael
    Date posted: 11/10/2008 11:56:00 PM
    Hometown: Los Angeles

    Comment:

    It is high time to now tax the Mormon Church. They clearly through their "religious audiences" pushed hate funding for prop 8. The percentage off the top from the earnings of the members of this dangerous cult must absolultely be taxed.

  • Name: Stephen
    Date posted: 11/10/2008 11:17:00 PM
    Hometown: Livermore

    Comment:

    I am angry that the majority of the state affirmed Prop 8. Based upon the statistics, it shows that 70% of the black voters, as well as a large majority of Latino voters, approved the measure. In addition, the more rural areas (Sierra Nevada, Central Valley, etc) also approved. That says to me the demonstrations in San Francisco and West Hollywood won't do us much good. We need to go outside of our gay ghettos and demonstrate peaceably in other areas of the state. We need to stand on courthouse lawns in counties like Kern, Tulare, Kings, Modoc, Glenn, Madera, Riverside, Fresno, Placer, San Joaquin, Solano, Tuolumne, and Shasta. We need to be seen and heard in their areas. We need to be willing to allow them to taunt and harass us as we peacefully demonstrate. We need to let the news agencies portray us as the wronged parties in a case of civil rights (much like the fire hose videos of the South). This is not about white gay rights, but of gay rights for all ethnicities.

  • Name: Stephen
    Date posted: 11/10/2008 11:12:00 PM
    Hometown: Livermore

    Comment:

    I am disappointed that the majority of the state affirmed Prop 8. Based upon the statistics, it shows that 70% of the black voters, as well as a large majority of Latino voters, approved the measure. In addition, the more rural areas (Sierra Nevada, Central Valley, etc) also approved. That says to me the demonstrations in San Francisco and West Hollywood won't do us much good. We need to go outside of our gay ghettos and demonstrate peaceably in other areas of the state. We need to stand on courthouse lawns in counties like Kern, Tulare, Kings, Modoc, Glenn, Madera, Riverside, Fresno, Placer, San Joaquin, Solano, Tuolumne, and Shasta. We need to be seen and heard in their areas. We need to be willing to allow them to taunt and harass us as we peacefully demonstrate. We need to let the news agencies portray us as the wronged parties in a case of civil rights (much like the fire hose videos of the South). This is not about white gay rights, but of gay rights for all ethnicities.

  • Name: Philip
    Date posted: 11/10/2008 5:22:00 PM
    Hometown: West Hollywood, CA

    Comment:

    I knew "yes we can" and "change we can believe in" were just campaign slogans. That's why I voted for McCain/Palin. Republicans may not agree with us, but at least they have enough respect to disagree with us to our faces, NOT like the other minority Team Obama members who voted FOR Prop 8!

  • Name: Al
    Date posted: 11/10/2008 9:06:00 AM
    Hometown: Orlando, FL

    Comment:

    What can we do in Florida? We had the "Marriage Protection" Amendment pass in Florida. It was our "Amendment 2". Here is what was voted on and we have to have at least 60% approval to pass an Amendment in our state. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT ARTICLE I, NEW SECTION Florida Marriage Protection Amendment This amendment protects marriage as the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife and provides that no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized. The vote was 61.9% Yes for Approval and 38.1% No for Rejection. I wonder why we haven't heard as many GLBT people in Florida upset like those in California? Where is our ANGER over this passing? Where are our protests and lawsuits? Where is our media coverage?

  • Name: Jason Brown
    Date posted: 11/10/2008 5:02:00 AM
    Hometown: Los Angeles

    Comment:

    I am a heterosexual black male, and I am absolutely suprised and PISSED OFF about the passing of Prop 8! I was even more livid to find out that 72% of the YES votes came from Blacks. The same people, who cry about discrimination all the time, are now voting FOR it??? Don't they know that the Bible -- the same book that they worship as "Law" -- was used to persecute THEM not too long ago??? I am getting really tired of this religious bigotry! Most of these religious bigots don't even study the Bible in FULL CONTEXT! If they DID, they would know that it says nothing about homosexuality as we know it as now. In fact, since they claim to follow Jesus so much, they should try to follow his rules: Do not judge! Love one another. And yes, I agree, if these religious institutions get to influence the way Government operates, then the Government should be allowed to TAX THEM. Take away their Tax Exempt Status.

  • Name: gaypastor
    Date posted: 11/10/2008 2:59:00 AM
    Hometown: Hershey, PA

    Comment:

    Where's "the change WE can believe in?"

  • Name: Elliot Jones
    Date posted: 11/9/2008 10:47:00 PM
    Hometown: West Grove, PA

    Comment:

    When I was in college at NYU in the 80's older men asked me: "Where is your anger?" and I didn't get it. Now the men who asked me that are dead, and now I am asking men my own age and younger "WHERE IS YOUR ANGER?" I should have listened then. Will you listen now?

  • Name: Bonnie
    Date posted: 11/9/2008 9:19:00 PM
    Hometown: New York

    Comment:

    Stand up we must! We must never turn back now and realize that if we ever do, we will never hear the words we all are seeking out, EQUALITY. Nothing more, nothing less. Please know that the LGBT community from across the country stand with you in your fight for overturning this ludicrous and demeaning Proposition 8. It should never have happened in the first place as we have seen time and time again what happens when a minority group is "fed to the hungry majority group of lions." Shame, shame, shame on all those who did this travesty of injustice to our LGBT brothers and sisters. What do we want, EQUALITY! When do we want it, NOW!!!!!!! Keep a smile on your face and love in your heart!

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