After taking the train crammed with gay sardines down to City Hall, I bumped into my friend Gene. A few anti-gay marriage protesters were flanked by the yellow-shirted volunteers attempting to keep the peace. This is us in mid-"boo!"
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| From No on Prop. 8 Rally |
Then, I stumbled upon the guy with the misspelled sign and caught up with my friends Antonio and Robert. They were in matching fuchsia t-shirts. Too adorable.
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| From No on Prop. 8 Rally |
If I hadn't mentioned this before, it was hot. Like, sweltering. I mean, of course it's hot, being November in Los Angeles and all, hello?! Luckily, Antonio and Robert (along with hundreds of other people) found the shade of a skyscraper on the corner of 1st and Spring Streets.
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| From No on Prop. 8 Rally |
Alec Mapa emceed the rally and introduced the likes of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo. Both men opposed Proposition 8 and were there to show their support in spite of the devastating wild fires burning across California. Practically the only person missing was Governor Schwarzenegger. And even he has come out supporting gay marriage.
Here's Mayor Villaraigosa:
After over an hour of speeches--most of which were too long--the crowd began chanting, "March, march, march!" (Not to mention, it was freaking hot! And the sun changed position in the sky, so the building's shadow began to betray us.) Let's remember, this is not just about celebrities and politicians giving predictable, practiced speeches about equality. This is about peaceful, passionate people rallying in the streets. Our First Amendment rights guarantee us the right of Free Assembly. Something, by the way, I had taken for granted, until now.
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