Speaking up, speaking out

[owlmoose]

Many of you have probably already heard about the nationwide protests against the passage of Proposition 8 on Saturday. At least one protest somewhere every state at 2:30 Eastern Time, Saturday, November 15th. The San Francisco event is at City Hall (of course), and I'm thinking really seriously about going. (Any locals interested in joining: ping me ASAP!)

I do wonder, though, about why now. Where was this outpouring of emotion and support two weeks ago, when it could have made a much more immediate difference? Dan Savage has a good take on why the reaction was delayed, but I still wonder. Of course, that raises the question of whether it would have made a difference. I think it would have, but who can say, really?

And I have to admit, late as it may be, it does me good to see how many other people are outraged by what happened to gay rights on November 4th. Momentum is shifting, and visibility can only help with that. Which is the main reason I am moved to join in on Saturday.

Comments

[furitaurus.livejournal.com]

Well, i don't know how or if it will change anything, but good luck to all of you. Is there any legal way to get the porposition overturned?

I

[kunstarniki.livejournal.com]

Did you hear about the protest this week in NYC? It was held before the primary LDS temple in the city and drew somewhere between 4K and 10K demonstrators. (Depending on whose numbers you trust.) Thank goodness it was peaceful and dramatic.

I have read rumours that the proposition may have been unconstitutional. Is that going to fly?

[i-iambe.livejournal.com]

I've been wondering "why now?" as well, and the problem I have with Dan Savage's argument is that I felt that the Proposition itself was an attack and therefore don't understand why people didn't take it as one. The other argument I heard was that people really didn't think it would pass and so spent more of their energy campaigning for Obama. Which in retrospect was short-sighted, this is California, Obama was going to get the Electoral votes anyway.

All that aside, the passage of the proposition has absolutely outraged and offended me far more than the original proposition did. I really didn't believe it would pass either.

I'm trying to decide which protest to go to. There are three in my immediate area here and a ton of choices if I head out to L.A.