Thousands Protest Prop 8 Across California and Call for Equality for All

Over 1,000 protesters for human rights and against Prop 8 gathered in West Hollywood on the evening of Wednesday, 5 November 08.  It was one of several rallies across California to demonstrate support for basic the right of all humans to marry the one they love.

The rally included speeches by leaders of the No on Prop 8 campaign, calling for justice, human rights, solidarity and vowing to continue the fight for Equality for All.  The crowds then marched up San Vicente Blvd to Sunset Blvd with signs expressing their anger, hurt and defiance at the prospect of a tyranny of a majority taking away fundamental rights of a minority group which has faced centuries of discrimination, hate and violence.  More images are availabe in the Photo section.

Particular anger was focused at the Utah headquartered Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for raising over $20 million and a large organization to strip away the right of same-sex couples to marry, and threaten the marriages of over 18,000 Californians; funds and resources that could have been used for relief of so many social ills.  Several hundred protestors broke into large groups throughout the night to march the streets of Hollywood and Los Angeles in protest of hate and discrimination.

The Human Rights Campaign and our members invested nearly $3.5 million directly into the No on Prop 8 efforts in California, second only to Equality California.  But our messages of fairness and reason were met with appalling messages of fear, distortion and downright hate that our opponents put forth on television, on radio, across the Internet, and in Sunday sermons.

“We are grateful to almost five million Californians who did vote for Equality on November 4th.  However, we are saddened that many voters stood with the most extreme and negative elements of society to deny the rights of loving and committed gay and lesbian couples,” said Jessica Bair, HRC Governor and co-chair of the HRC Los Angeles Steering Committee.  “This is not the first time that has happened to us, and it won’t be the last. It doesn’t change the fact that 18,000 California gay and lesbian couples are married today.  It doesn’t change the fact that we have families.  Our marriages didn’t begin with a decision of the court, and they will not end with a vote of the people.”

The protest continued on 6 November 2008, at the LDS Los Angeles Temple for several hours.