Across the United States thousands, possibly a million, people stood together in support of Equality. Here are estimated totals from various cities. Over 100 are listed, and results still coming in. Here are a few.
Athens, Ohio: 150+ "We're a small college town located in the SouthEast corner of Ohio in the Appalachian Hills and are proud of our LGBT community as well as our friends, family and allies who showed their support today for marriage equality and human rights for all."
Columbia , South Carolina 150-175
New Orleans 500
Knoxville, TN News Report
Jackson, Mississippi 50 Thanks, Knol
Hattiesburg, Mississippi 30 Thanks, Knol
Montgomery, AL 7
Dallas 1200 Newspaper Report
Gee, we are surrounded by people in cities who effectively demonstrated for same sex equality.
Portland
Here are our Las Vegas buddies, filmed by some out of towners it seems.
Orlando
MSNBC describes the protests as peaceful, but with anger evident. That pretty much sums it up.
In spite of all I have heard, I still feel like an opportunity has been missed in Birmingham. Maybe we need an organization that will fight for equality in a pro-active way. Or maybe the organizations we have just need to step it up a bit. What do you think? Answer the poll questions to the left. There are two questions.
The Year of Moving Forward
At our 4 person wedding reception in DC
8 comments:
Passion for a cause makes protests happens. Are there any reports of groups numbering fewer than six protesting at every place in Alabama that issues marriage licenses, the instrument by which hetrocouples are granted their civil unions? We havea many advocacy groups representing folks who work their tails off. Just because they didn't pull it together for this event may temproarily read negatively, but inthe long run we should remember that passion makes things happen. Perhaps an "Emergency Response" coalition of leaders and others, especially our allies, is in order. Waiting in the wings to pounce when things like this happen. It's all a learing curve. We also need to remember to support our advocacy groups with funding. Churches teach tithing. Many of us should remember to support our Alabama LGBT advocacy groups. It's all about supporting the groups that support us.
The Orlando Sentinel is reporting that more than 1000 showed up at the Orlando protest.
I have a question. Since I am sure I will be attacked for saying this on this forum I will be anonymous. In a blue state like California, who voted for this ban? Democrats overwhelmingly carried this state. Since blacks and hispanics are more traditional concerning gay rights it would seem to me that the very people who supported Obama voted for this ban. So in theory Obama supporters did this. What is Obama's position on this ban? How can he go against his supporters in the state of California? I really don't agree with the term gay marriage, but I do understand the need for rights, privileges, and financial protection. But protesting where the advertising money came from seems odd when the people of the state voted. Should we protest that they also voted for Obama?
I am going to address this in a post. It might get too long involved for a comment response.
Anonymous, I don't think you will have your thoughts you shared attacked. But, it is important to speak to them.
It is interesting that you bring up the issue about how the measure passed in California. Part of how the measure passed, we know, can be linked the multi-millions of dollars to support the mis-informing of the voting public (that public includes blacks and latinos, but also all other demographic groups) by the Mormon and Catholic churches. This is publicly available information. And this is inconsistent with a belief that has served our country since its conception. That belief is to establish a separation of the matters of the church and the public matters of government and its policies.
To me it is less important how the President-Elect feels about the proposition. This is about recognizing that each man and woman was created equal and aligning all of our state policies with this. Another belief that is the foundation of our country.
With regard your concern over the term, gay marriage, it is important to establish the following point. The reason that we are talking about marriage, rather than a civil union, is because anything different than this...anything less than this...is NOT equal. And that is what all of this is about...equal rights.
Thank you David and Joe. But to be brutally honest, I've never ever really supported that institution known as, "marriage." I am much more concerned at this moment with a real HATE crimes law in Alabama. Unlike Arkansas and Florida we do NOT yet outlaw singles/gays from adoption in Alabama. We have way too many children with special needs that for the most part only gay couples or single gays have either acted as foster parent(s) or who have adopted these kids. Our major religious denominations still cannot accept gays as persons of faith nor allow them to have positions of authority in the church. I will not go on and on as I may, other than to note that we have our own problems, in our own state and even in our largest city, Birmingham. I say let the blue states handle their own problems, while we in the red ones do what we can at the local level. THAT is where most folks see and hear their government at work. We have way more than we can do right here in Alabama!
Daniel,
Well put.
We really need to need to work to spread the word that support of our local LGBT advocacy groups is essential.
We have many doing hard work right here in Alabama.
Danny and David,
No one is saying we don't need to work hard to get things done in Alabama. I agree 100%. But anyone who looks at history can see this: Getting marriage rights in California is a huge step in getting marriage rights here in Alabama. I use the history of interracial marriage as an example. In addition, there are people in our state, Alabamians, who have been married in California who may have their rights stripped away. And there are people in Alabama who planned to marry, who had that right taken away.
The removal of established rights in California sets a bad precedent, and emboldens the religious right. It needs to be stopped now.
A protest in November would not have interfered with any work going on in Alabama on local legislation.
You will hear a new initiative at the Stonewall meeting. Hope to see you there.
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