Prop8 Protest - Seattle - 11/15/08
"2,4,6,8 how do you know you know your kids are straight?"
An estimated 6,000 protesters turned out on Saturday for Seattle's Prop 8 protest, and rally for equal rights for GLBT couples. The rally was a huge success and in true Seattle fashion, at least since the WTO riots, it was a very peaceful demonstration. There were people from all walks of life and I found it quite awesome that parents both gay and straight brought their children. If I believed in breeding, I would do the same.
The speakers were great, but Ron Sims stole the show. He got the crowd fired up and I mean that in every sense of the, "Let's get fiiired up!" sort of way. When Ron Sims spoke, I really began to feel like we are making history.
As a part of a domestic partnership whereby my partner and I do not want to get married although we do have the choice, when Charlene Strong spoke, I got angry. To me, equality should be for everyone and not just for those who fit neatly into some biblical definition that has no business being brought up in the law making process anyway. I related to Charlene's account of not being able to see her partner in the hospital, and having difficulty making funeral arrangements. Not because I have ever been in this position, but what if I was? What if J was in the hospital and I was trying to see him? I think my brain would explode at top volume all over the nurse...and I would likely be kicked out of the hospital. I don't want to blur this entry, or this issue with my own domestic partner concerns. It does however provide a common ground that I can relate to, not that one is necessary. I will say that the irony of two people who have chosen not to get married at a rally to fight for a couple's right to get married was not lost on either of us. Ok, back on topic...
Here is the list of speakers:
King County Executive, Ron Sims
Senator Ed Murray
Senator Joe McDermott
Mayor Greg Nickels
Representative Jamie Pedersen
City Councilmember Sally Clark
Connie Watts - ERW Executive Director
Pastor David Strong
*I don't remember Sally or Connie speaking, but Charlene spoke somewhere in there.
I did not know that WA has two gay Senators and a few Representatives too. Awesome!
There were a lot of great signs and T-shirts. We didn't run into anyone we knew except the guy that we see at every show. Seriously, every show which made this the perfect time to chat with him. Chris...I'll have to remember that. CJ and Rowan were there somewhere, but we missed each other.
The march was fun. We bailed at Pine because there was no way my knee was making it down Pine to Westlake. No way. It is swollen and I still cannot bend my knee. It was already beginning to hurt from the walking and standing I had already done. I wish I could have continued, but I had already done enough of what I shouldn't be doing on that leg for one day [or week, really].
The number of people was astonishing. When we stepped out of line we decided to watch to see how many people there were. We were in the front by the pride flag and we waited 20 minutes, at least, to be able to see the end of the procession. That's a whole lotta people.
This little girl was adorable. She blushed and smiled when I asked if I could take her picture.
A true Seattleite
There were so many great signs. The above images are just a sample and not necessarily the best of the best, although very good. I really liked this last one. I cannot remember what it said on the front of the U.S. shaped poster. The reverse side (in photo) was clever.
An estimated 6,000 protesters turned out on Saturday for Seattle's Prop 8 protest, and rally for equal rights for GLBT couples. The rally was a huge success and in true Seattle fashion, at least since the WTO riots, it was a very peaceful demonstration. There were people from all walks of life and I found it quite awesome that parents both gay and straight brought their children. If I believed in breeding, I would do the same.
The speakers were great, but Ron Sims stole the show. He got the crowd fired up and I mean that in every sense of the, "Let's get fiiired up!" sort of way. When Ron Sims spoke, I really began to feel like we are making history.
As a part of a domestic partnership whereby my partner and I do not want to get married although we do have the choice, when Charlene Strong spoke, I got angry. To me, equality should be for everyone and not just for those who fit neatly into some biblical definition that has no business being brought up in the law making process anyway. I related to Charlene's account of not being able to see her partner in the hospital, and having difficulty making funeral arrangements. Not because I have ever been in this position, but what if I was? What if J was in the hospital and I was trying to see him? I think my brain would explode at top volume all over the nurse...and I would likely be kicked out of the hospital. I don't want to blur this entry, or this issue with my own domestic partner concerns. It does however provide a common ground that I can relate to, not that one is necessary. I will say that the irony of two people who have chosen not to get married at a rally to fight for a couple's right to get married was not lost on either of us. Ok, back on topic...
Here is the list of speakers:
King County Executive, Ron Sims
Senator Ed Murray
Senator Joe McDermott
Mayor Greg Nickels
Representative Jamie Pedersen
City Councilmember Sally Clark
Connie Watts - ERW Executive Director
Pastor David Strong
*I don't remember Sally or Connie speaking, but Charlene spoke somewhere in there.
I did not know that WA has two gay Senators and a few Representatives too. Awesome!
There were a lot of great signs and T-shirts. We didn't run into anyone we knew except the guy that we see at every show. Seriously, every show which made this the perfect time to chat with him. Chris...I'll have to remember that. CJ and Rowan were there somewhere, but we missed each other.
The march was fun. We bailed at Pine because there was no way my knee was making it down Pine to Westlake. No way. It is swollen and I still cannot bend my knee. It was already beginning to hurt from the walking and standing I had already done. I wish I could have continued, but I had already done enough of what I shouldn't be doing on that leg for one day [or week, really].
The number of people was astonishing. When we stepped out of line we decided to watch to see how many people there were. We were in the front by the pride flag and we waited 20 minutes, at least, to be able to see the end of the procession. That's a whole lotta people.
This little girl was adorable. She blushed and smiled when I asked if I could take her picture.
A true Seattleite
There were so many great signs. The above images are just a sample and not necessarily the best of the best, although very good. I really liked this last one. I cannot remember what it said on the front of the U.S. shaped poster. The reverse side (in photo) was clever.