On the same day
that the state of Connecticut began allowing same-sex
marriages, thousands of New Yorkers gathered to protest the
recent ruling in California taking away those same
rights. Over 15,000 people gathered Wednesday night in
protest of Proposition 8, the California ballot
initiative that overturned a recent court ruling allowing
same-sex marriage.
On the same day
that the state of Connecticut began allowing same-sex
marriages, thousands of New Yorkers gathered to protest the
recent ruling in California taking away those same
rights.
Over 15,000
people gathered Wednesday night in protest of Proposition 8,
the California ballot initiative that overturned a recent
court ruling allowing same-sex marriage. Prop. 8
passed with 52.5% of the vote after members of the
Mormon church donated over $20 million to pass the
initiative.
After similar
protests in California and Utah, New Yorkers turned out in
droves and marched down Columbus Drive in New York, blocking
traffic for six blocks. Protesters carried candles,
homemade signs, and a huge banner with the words "God
Loves Gay Marriage" scrawled across it.
"Two, four, six,
eight, we have got to stop the hate," protesters
yelled. A few drivers stopped in traffic joined in the
chanting as the march passed by.
"People are
really fired up and outraged at what happened in
California," radio host Michelangelo Signorile said. "It's
something that just touched a nerve in everybody, the idea
that they took away a right that we already had and
that this church was instrumental in doing that."
The march, which
started at the Manhattan Mormon temple and ended at
Columbus Circle, was planned three days in advance. "It was
done completely on Facebook and it was just word of
mouth," said Corey Johnson, one of the organizers for
the event.
The rally ended
at the southwest entrance to Central Park, after one
protester climbed on a lamppost and shouted down to the
marchers, "What do we want? Equality! When do we want
it? Now!"
Dean Jansen and
his husband marched in the protest and carried a sign
saying "Obama: Help Us Stop H8." Jansen said President-elect
Barack Obama needs to be more vocal in his support for gay
rights.
"Before the
election he came out and said it was very divisive and
discriminatory. Now that he's elected, it's safe, he can do
it now. And it's an opportunity. And so many people
believe in him and believe in what he's all about and
he's really the leader we need to send out that
message."
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