Milk and Moscone Remembered on 30th Anniversary of Assassination

Hundreds of people crowded the streets of San Francisco on Friday night after a memorial and concert at City Hall in honor of Harvey Milk and George Moscone, assassinated 30 years ago Thursday. The celebration of both lives featured music from the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus, the San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band, the Lesbian/Gay Chorus of San Francisco and the GLAM Youth Choir, and speeches from Supervisor Tom Ammiano, George Moscone's son Jon, Willie Brown, Harvey Milk's nephew, Stuart, Carol Ruth Silver, and Harry Britt.

The Mercury News reports:

"Jonathan Moscone, the former mayor's son, said Friday that his father was 'an agent of eternal change,' for bringing the city's diverse population into city government. Stuart Milk, a nephew from Florida who spoke at the vigil, quoted a letter written to his family by his uncle the year he was killed. 'My hope is to leave a world '... a place that embraces difference,' Milk wrote in 1978, 'not with hate, but with love.' Stuart Milk acknowledged the Hollywood producer Dan Jinks, who stood in the crowd, for his new role in keeping his uncle's "message of hope and example of courage" alive in the recently released film starring Sean Penn as Milk. Milk and Moscone, Brown said, 'are two individuals who shaped the nature of politics and public policy in this city.' Their legacy, he said, are today's gays and lesbians in politics, such as Supervisor Tom Ammiano."

Following the City Hall ceremony was a march to the Castro, where speeches from assemblyman Mark Leno, Treasurer Jose Cisneros, and Supervisor Bevan Dufty took place in front of Milk's old camera shop at 575 Castro.

No doubt many of you were part of the success of Milk this weekend at the box office: "Gus Van Sant's 'Milk,' starring Sean Penn, had the best three-day release figures for any film opening in 30 to 40 theaters, said Focus Features executives. That put it ahead of movies like 'Atonement' and 'The Shawshank Redemption.' With $1.9 million in sales, 'Milk' was 10th in the five-day period, ahead of 'Role Models' and 'The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.'"

A fantastic video of the event by Sean Chapin, AFTER THE JUMP...

I've also created a playlist of Chapin's main video and some of the full speeches in the right column of the site.

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Massive Prop 8 Protest Targets Cinemark Theatre in Evanston, IL

A massive protest targeting Alan Stock, the Mormon owner of the Cinemark theatre chain who donated $9,999 to the Proposition 8 campaign, took place in Evanston, Illinois over the weekend. the protest was organized by Chicago's Gay Liberation Network and its organizer Andy Thayer, who speaks in the video below.

The Daily Northwestern reports:

"'If you're going to target our community with hate, whether it's Prop. 8 or any other measure going forward, it's no longer going to be without consequences,' said Andy Thayer, Weinberg '85, the co-founder of Chicago's Gay Liberation Network. 'We are going to hit you in the pocketbook just the way you hit us in terms of our rights.' The Gay Liberation Network began planning a response to Stock's donation on Nov. 15 during the Chicago rally against California's Proposition 8, a measure that bans same-sex marriage. 'This is a local protest that should keep the pot stirring until we have the next national day of protest,' Thayer said. Cinemark Theatres, an international corporation that includes Century Theatres and CinéArts, is the third-largest movie chain in the country. Managers of Evanston's theater said they could not comment on the protest, and calls to Cinemark corporate offices were not returned."

The New York Times reported on Friday about Cinemark's plans to screen Milk, and how various parties are responding to it:

"In a particularly ticklish exercise, [Focus Features] continues to plan showings of 'Milk' in theaters owned by the Cinemark chain, whose chief executive, Alan Stock, donated to the campaign for Proposition 8. Taking a cue from Milk — who made his political breakthrough by supporting a union boycott of Coors beer — opponents of the marriage ban have begun their own boycott through a Web site, NoMilkforCinemark.com. In a statement issued on Wednesday, Cinemark, one of the country’s largest theater chains, said its decision to proceed with plans to show the movie also reflected a principle: 'It would be inappropriate to influence our employees’ position on personal issues outside the work environment, especially on political, social or religious activities.' On Thursday James Schamus, the chief executive of Focus, struck a diplomatic note. 'I know there’s a lot of anger out there,' said Mr. Schamus, who noted that Cinemark three years ago was among the first chains to embrace the studio’s gay-themed 'Brokeback Mountain.'...'I hope that gets settled,' he said of the boycott call."

(top image: michael lehet)

Two more videos, including one from Chicago Examiner blogger Michael Lehet,
AFTER THE JUMP...

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Echo Grows: Gay Orgs Must Adjust to New Realities of Activism, or Die

Voices are ringing out from all areas (liberal and conservative, some more critically than others) in the wake of the grassroots-organized protests around the nation, that national gay organizations, which have been the well-funded standard bearers for the gay movement for decades, must adjust to the new activism we've seen these past few weeks.

The New York Times posted a piece about the birth of web-based activism last week.

The new activism, dubbed Stonewall 2.0 by Rex Wockner and referenced as a kind of Stonewall by "Join the Impact" organizer Amy Balliett, has taken hold in a viral way, just as blogging took hold of established media and shook it to its roots. Voices are ringing out that the national gay organizations must, as Truth Wins Out's Wayne Besen notes, "adjust to this new reality" or "wither and die."

Or perhaps, as we witnessed last weekend, they already have in many ways.

DailyKOS:

"If there's an overriding theme to Taking on the System, my latest book, it's that we no longer have to sit around and wait for the gatekeepers to tell us what to do. We can engage in the world around us at our own discretion, focusing on the things we want to focus on, and no one can keep us out. The era of the gatekeeper is over (or at least dying), since their permission is no longer necessary. A subtext of that overriding theme is that we are bypassing the gatekeepers precisely because they've done such a poor job of providing people what they want. In TOS, I use examples from the music industry, among others, to illustrate that point. When the gatekeepers provide a shitty product, people will organize to bypass those gatekeepers and end up doing a better job of it. Technology and shifts in culture are empowering people to do the jobs that the gatekeepers once kept for themselves, and are doing a better job of it."

Andrew Sullivan:

"You will notice that the website of the biggest gay rights group in the country has one single mention - it's a blog about a celebrity, of course - of the massive protests that occurred for marriage equality across the country yesterday. (A letter from Joe Solmonese tells us to be nice.) You will also notice that a handful of young non-professionals were able to organize in a few days what HRC has been incapable of doing in Hrcdog months or years. You will know from brutal experience that in the two decades of serious struggle for marriage equality, the Human Rights Campaign has been mostly absent, and when present, often passive or reactive. Here's a simple statistic that might help shake us out of complacency: HRC claims to have spent $3.4 million on No On 8. The Mormon church was able to spend over $20 million, by appealing to its members. Why are non-gay Mormons more capable of organizing and fund-raising on a gay rights measure than the biggest national gay rights group?...It's time gay people realized that this group is often part of the problem, and rarely part of the solution. It needs to be swept clean of its deadwood, overhauled, or if it persists in its ways, defunded. When we are in a civil rights movement and the biggest organization is essentially a passive observer and excuse-maker, it's time to demand better.

Rex Wockner:

"Was it really just six days ago that I wrote here: 'Maybe Stonewall was Activism 1.0, ACT UP was Activism 2.0, the failed corporate activism of HRC and No On Prop 8 was Activism 3.0, and now we are witnessing Activism 4.0 being born.'?...The organization No On 8 failed us. Before the TV ad war started, we were up 14-17 points in the polls. Then No On 8 spent some $37 million of your money to spam the California airwaves with really lousy ads, while the other side spent a similar amount to spam the California airwaves with ads that were, whatever else they may have been, effective. While the bad TV ads were not the only component of our loss (last-minute preaching from the pulpits was a factor), had our ads been good ads, we would have held onto our lead. And producing those mindnumbingly expensive ads (which I and many others publicly criticized as they were airing) was one piece of the war that No On 8 had 100% control over. Although the HRC-like Equality California group is not solely to blame, it's likely fair to say EQCA was the biggest component of the No On 8 coalition, along with such entities as the National Center for Lesbian Rights, the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center, the San Diego Gay and Lesbian Center and others."

Wayne Besen:

"There has been a paradigm shift in the movement following marriage defeats in California, Florida and Arizona. ... The leaders of what is being billed as Stonewall 2.0 are not coming from large, established organizations. ... That this huge outpouring of organic outrage is not being channeled through official organizational channels has enormous implications. ... We are not the same movement we were prior to Nov. 4. ... Organizations that do not adjust to this new reality will wither and die. ... Anti-gay forces unleashed a ferocious storm with powerful winds of change that will only end with the sound of wedding bells."

Bay Area Reporter:

"Underestimating their opponent's resources, an LGBT community lulled into complacency by an inaccurate Field Poll, a 'pathetic' Web site that at times was not fully functioning, an under-funded initial media buy, and a campaign lacking statewide cohesion are just some of the reasons for Proposition 8's passage, a senior official with the No on 8 campaign told Sacramento LGBT Democrats Monday, November 10."

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No More Mr. Nice Gay? Christians Chased from Castro

On Friday night, before the day of protest we saw across the nation, a conflict erupted in San Francisco's Castro District between a group of residents and a group of Christians who reportedly meet every Friday on the same corner to preach to gays and lesbians about 'converting' into heterosexuals. This time, they were met by an angry mob and the conflict grew so large riot police were called to the area as the Christians were basically chased out of the neighborhood.

KTVU reports: "'Their rights were respected,' said Joe Schmitz, an opponent of Prop 8. 'They got a chance to go ahead and pray on the sidewalk and I had the opportunity to express my freedom of speech which is telling them to get out of my neighborhood.' San Francisco Police officers in riot gear formed a line and escorted the religious group into a van to safely get them out of the area. Members of the gay community insisted that their reaction to the Christian group was spontaneous. 'It was not an organized thing. We're tired of it. It's not religious. It's not a racial thing. It's about hate. We're trying to send a message across the world that we're standing up and we don't want this to go on anymore,' said Adam Quintero."

According to Joe.My.God, the religious right is already using the video (which you can see AFTER THE JUMP) as an example of the "intolerance" the gay community has toward the religious. While most of us know the hypocrisy behind that accusation, no doubt their followers eat these kinds of incidents up (just like this one).

Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...

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Marriage Equality Protests Sweep Nation - Photo Gallery

Images are flowing in from the "Join the Impact" rallies in support of marriage equality that went on across the nation yesterday. I'll be bringing you reports and photos as well as any important video that comes in. If you're in a location and see I don't have an image from that city, and you have one, please send it in to tips@towleroad.com - thanks. It would help if you have multiple shots to not send them one at a time, but in one email.

Also, if any of you have pointed us to Flickr or Picasa or similar galleries and webpages, because we're getting so many pictures we're too swamped at the moment to scour your online galleries, if you could email us a few of your best shots that would help a lot. Also, reports on the march - even brief ones on attendance or incidents - are encouraged. I believe Picasa and Flickr users can email galleries to us in a zip file directly from your accounts, and obviously web-ready sizes are best.

We've been posting all the photos in a huge reader-submitted Huge Gallery HERE. So far we have photos up from Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia Washington, Washington D.C., and Wisconsin.

*NOTE - I still have a LOT more of your photos to go through and put in the gallery so keep checking back if you don't see them.

A DAY OF PROTEST FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY [towleroad gallery]

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Vigil Held Outside L.A. Milk Premiere

Demonstrators held a vigil across the street from last night's L.A. premiere of Milk. Activist Cleve Jones, who's portrayed by Emile Hirsch in the film, and screenwriter Dustin Lance Black earlier today announced Seven Weeks to Equality, a sustained seven week campaign to secure equal rights for LGBT Americans.

Watch a clip of Black and some other Milk personalities on the L.A. red carpet, AFTER THE JUMP...

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NYC Protest and Civil Rights March Opposing Proposition 8

So, last night's protest, which began at the Mormon Temple and left discrimination behind as it marched down Broadway to Columbus Circle, was a huge success. Thanks to everyone for showing up. Crowd estimates varied from 7-10,000. There was an unfortunate report that went out on the AP wire service early on that reported a few hundred people. Those of you who were there know how wildly inaccurate that is.

Towleroad political director Corey Johnson (above), who, with Michelangelo Signorile and Ann Northrop, initiated the entire event with assistance from several ACT UP vets including John Voelcker, later spent some time with the AP on the phone, and due to his persistence they later revised their estimate up to 10,000 based on what other outlets had been reporting.

Here's Signorile's report.

Here's a video of Corey directing the crowd as we began marching down Broadway.

I served as a marshal and was at the Temple starting at 5:30 pm. I met a lot of Towleroad readers, which was really cool. Hello to all of you.

Ann Northrop used a megaphone to instruct marshals on the plan. By 6 pm crowds had begun to gather in the small park opposite the temple and by 6:15 hundreds had showed up and a large circular picket line began circling the small square. Within minutes police were forced to create another picket area across the street directly in front of the Temple itself.

Chants of "Tax this Church" and Gay Straight Black White Marriage is a Civil Right" were heard as rush hour traffic pushed by on Columbus avenue. There was at least one audible "crunch" as a driver watching the protestors slammed into the back a taxi. Whoopi Goldberg appeared with a sign reading "For my Friends, Equal Rights" as the crowds also began showing up in droves.

Whoopi image from a great set of photos by Bitten by a Zebra.

At this point the police were freaking out a bit as to the crowd size and expanded the protest area into Columbus Avenue. Protestors were behaving very well and the energy was high.

At a certain point the police gave us the okay to begin the march, so we corraled demonstrators behind a 75-foot banner sewn this week by rainbow flag creator Gilbert Baker, who was there (Baker also designed the stretch-sequin turquoise armbands that the marshals wore).

Here's a great photo of the banner shot by Andres Duques, from a report on the event by gay journo Rex Wockner:

At that point I was placed just ahead of the front line of demonstrators holding the banner as we began a march down Broadway, which was closed to traffic. The enthusiasm was palpable. No incidents that I saw except for one guy near the beginning of the march down Broadway. He was actually dressed in a crisp shirt and tie (like a Mormon) and he walked across a group of protestors and gave them each a hard push before disappearing into the night.

There was also an "ex-Mormon" riding a Segway in front of the protest as it made its way down the street and he was really there for his own self-promotion and actually kept getting in the way.

The crowd moved down Broadway. As I was at the front of the line I couldn't see how far back the crowd stretched but it was blocks and blocks I was told, and the video below by Father Tony gives something of an idea. This is one of my favorite videos of the event, because it's just raw and it winds through the crowd which just goes on an on and on. I have a brief cameo at 5:40. Father Tony also has photos on his blog Farmboyz, plus a Flickr set. It includes this shot of former NGLTF head Matt Foreman.

Eric Leven of Knucklecrack has also uploaded a great video wrap-up of the event.

Here are the clips. Father Tony's on the left, Eric Leven's on the right:

We turned left on 61st street because the police thought it would be too dangerous to enter Columbus Circle directly at rush hour so we detoured and made our way down Central Park West so protestors could filter off into the southwest entrance to the Park.

We stayed at the entrance to Columbus Circle where the protest ended. It was meant as a show of force and solidarity, and as a way for folks to come together and express their desire for civil rights, and on that I think it succeeded admirably. Protestors lingered well after police instructed us to start telling people to go home.

Matthew Rettenmund of Boy Culture has a fantastic report with great pictures of Whoopi Goldberg, PJ Deboy, Joe.My.God, Tony Kushner, Kate Clinton, Eric Leven, Judy Gold, and a video:

Here's a shot of Kate Clinton from reader Charl Kroeger. More on his Facebook page.

Towleroad's Kevin Sessums, who I didn't get a chance to see, reports that he saw Peter Staley, Tony Kushner and his husband Mark Harris, Doug Wright, Moises Kaufman, Urvashi Vaid and Kate Clinton, Avenue Q scribe Jeff Whitty and Jake Shears as well as the elusive Dan Savage, Larry Kramer, artist Robert Hammond (and initiator of the developing High Line park) as well as composer Marc Shaiman, who led the recent charge to boycott Sacramento's California Musical Theatre, leading to the resignation of its artistic director of 25 years, Scott Eckern following revelations of his contribution to the "Yes on 8" campaign..

Blogger Joe.My.God (pictured above) has a fantastic set of photos which include Michelangelo Signorile, Lavi Soloway, Judy Gold, Eric Leven, Gilbert Baker, Whoopi Goldberg, Corey Johnson, and myself working the crowd (below).

There's also impressive coverage over at Blabbeando with video.

Here's a photo of some interesting signage sent in by photographer Jason Rowan:

Alex K of Eat Read Play has a colorful report.

Alex Geana has posted a widget with dozens of photos.

I'm told New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn was there. State senator Bill Perkins also represented (below):

Band of Thebes has photos and reports the sighting of author Michael Cunningham.

Here's Tony Kushner, in a photo published along with many others on the Protest Facebook page:

Jon-Marc McDonald has some excellent photos and video including this shot of myself (at a moment when I actually remembered I had a camera in my pocket and could take some photos) as well as Slog's Dan Savage. He also has a shot of Larry Kramer.

Here's the crowd after it had reached Columbus Circle and the police began cordoning it off with plastic fencing. The NYPD were very helpful during the entire protest:

David Shankbone, who shoots for Wikipedia, has a Flickr page with lots of great stuff.

The Advocate has an excellent story by Michael Joseph Gross on the Prop 8 protests springing up around the nation as well as some photos from the New York event.

Here's Gay City News' report on the event: "Gathering at 6:30 p.m. at West 65th and Columbus, the site of the temple, the crowd soon marched down Broadway behind a huge white banner saying 'GOD LOVES GAY MARRIAGE' made by Gilbert Baker, creator of the Rainbow Flag 30 years ago. Corey Johnson, one of the key organizers with Mike Signorile and Ann Northrop, said the turnout 'was a tremendous outpouring of grassroots energy and support.' He hoped that energy can be harnessed to win marriage equality in New York. Signorile said, 'It's about a right that was taken away, not just marriage.' He wants those energized to demand all of our civil rights and that Mormon-owned companies such as Marriott "stop giving money to the Church.'

The protest was covered on local news - ABC, NBC, CBS, and NY1. ABC's coverage (below) was the best imho. Anderson Cooper also mentioned it on AC360, during Dan Savage's appearance, and Campbell Brown and Jeffrey Toobin discussed it earlier in the night I believe.

Here's FOX's local report. They reported 1,000 people, so they must have left early.

Larry Kramer spoke with them however. Said Kramer: "I guess we're tired of being hated, because this is what it's all about. Hate."

Here's a shot from ABC4's coverage in Salt Lake City. They reported 4,000 people:

Here's coverage from the New York Daily News: "Thousands of human rights advocates massed outside the Mormon Temple on the upper West Side Wednesday night to protest the church's vigorous role in banning California's same-sex marriages. After some speechifying, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and entertainer Whoopi Goldberg led demonstrators on a flag-waving, drum-beating, slogan-chanting march to Columbus Circle. The peaceful protest drew young and old, white and nonwhite, straight and gay, most of whom smiled and waved at spectators..."

ANDERSON COOPER AC360 with Dan Savage:

Finally, AFTER THE JUMP...a video report from the New York Daily News.

Here's video from the New York Daily News:

Thanks to everyone for coming. It was a great night out in New York City.

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Tonight We Will Protest in NYC for Equal Rights for LGBT Citizens

Last night I attended a meeting of NYC protest organizers and marshals in preparation for tonight's peaceful demonstration which begins at Manhattan's Mormon Temple at 6:30 pm. The protest was organized in response to the passage in California of Proposition 8 and has taken on the more general demand for equal rights and marriage equality for LGBT citizens across the nation.

According to organizers, who are preparing for a sizable turnout at tonight's march (at last count there was a "yes" response from over 3,000 on the Facebook page), it will begin at the Manhattan Mormon Temple location, and at some point, as the location reaches capacity, slowly march down Broadway toward Columbus Circle.

Those at the meeting, which happened at New York's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center, included Towleroad political director Corey Johnson (below, left), and ACT UP veterans Michelangelo Signorile, Ann Northrop (above), and John Voelcker (above) as well as a large number of folks volunteering to help marshall and guide protestors (watch for them in blue armbands - they're there to help).

Signorile will be discussing the march, Prop 8, and racial scapegoating on his show today.

Also at the meeting was the creator of the rainbow flag Gilbert Baker, who has designed a huge banner for the protest as well as the armbands that the marshals will be wearing.

There were a large number of people making signs as well. You are encouraged to bring signs and candles and protest peacefully. I have word there may be a few celebrities attending the protest as well.

Check out a short clip I took of veteran activist Ann Northrop's talk to the marshals,
AFTER THE JUMP...

Some of it is inaudible but it gives you an insight into part of what went on last night.

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Massive Proposition 8 Update: Protests, News, and Video

PROTESTS: New Yorkers, there's a peaceful demonstration THIS WEDNESDAY outside the Mormon Temple in Manhattan at 6:30 pm. Please bring SIGNS and/or CANDLES. There's a NATIONWIDE action being planned called JOIN THE IMPACT for November 15th. Check HERE for details for your city. There's also march on Salt Lake City being organized. Protest signs for download.

In case you missed it, earlier today I posted about Drew Barrymore and James Franco joining the Silver Lake protest, and over the weekend posted about the Salt Lake, San Diego, and San Francisco demonstrations.

Anderson Cooper discusses Proposition 8 with Jeffrey Toobin, Roland Martin, and Hilary Rosen.

Weekend marches also included San Jose: "Dozens of gay-marriage advocates gathered Friday in downtown San Jose to protest voter approval this week of a state constitutional amendment that California will recognize marriage between a man and a woman only. 'Demand resolution, give us back our constitution!' chanted the crowd of about 75 gay and heterosexual Silicon Valley residents gathered at the Plaza de Cesar Chavez as passing cars honked their horns in approval." And Sacramento. There were dozens of additional protests all across California. 15 were arrested in Long Beach.

Students in Fresno, 40 of them, blockaded the entrance to City Hall today in protest of the mayor's support of Prop 8.

ROTTEN TEETH: 102 out of 103 dentists voted for Proposition 8?

Tonight on Los Angeles area radio station KPFK from 8-9, there is a radio show regarding Proposition 8 featuring journalist Karen Ocamb, Equality California's Geoff Kors, Lambda Legal's senior legal counself Jenny Pizer, deputy campaign manager for 'No on 8' Sky Johnson, and activist Ron Buckmire.

Vandals attack 3 LDS churches in Layton, Utah: "It has happened on the heels of vandalism at LDS church buildings in California that appears to be in retaliation for supporting prop 8, the so called Ban Against Gay Marriage. What investigators were trying to find out Sunday was it the motive in Layton? As LDS Church members arrived for services Sunday morning they were greeted with shattered glass. Julian Berglund said when she saw the vandalism she was scared. 'Seeing my church where I come every Sunday… it kind of just hurt in a way.' Julian’s mother, Pat Berglund, said, 'I feel badly for those people that have such anger within them that they would do something like this… I just hope that people’s hearts will be softened, that they will realize the Gospel… teaches us to love one another and not do things like this.'"

Lesbian couple feels post-election isolation in conservative neighborhood, nails sign to tree: "Shall we vote on your marriage now?"

Protests outside Mormon Temples stop Mormon marriages: "Whenever opponents of Proposition 8, the ballot measure that eliminates the right of gays and lesbians to legally marry in California, protest outside a Mormon temple, they effectively stop church members from getting married, according Levi Jackman Foster, an ex-Mormon who lives in West Hollywood. Foster, a 22-year-old, openly gay man, should know. As the great-great-grandson of Nathaniel Tanner, one of the founders of the Mormon Church, Foster has an intimate knowledge of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The ex-Mormon is also related to Levi Jackman, who surveyed the land where the church created its national headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah. 'A temple is the only place (Mormons) can get married,' Foster says, 'if they want to get sealed to God.' A Mormon temple, in other words, plays a vital role in a religion that strongly promotes marriage among its members. 'Whenever protesters show up,' Foster explains further, 'they close the gates (at the temple) so no one can get in. It becomes a convent where no one can get married.'"

FLASHBACK: Mormons gave $500,000 of total $600,000 budget to try and ban same-sex marriage in Alaska in 1998. (via americablog)

Sorry California, and shame on the LDS church.

Roman Catholic Church in the U.S. thanks its supporters for passing Proposition 8: "Cardinal Roger Mahony of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles thanked his parishioners in a statement he released a day after the election. 'I am grateful to the Catholic Community of Los Angeles for your commitment to the institution of marriage as fashioned by God and to work with such energy to enshrine this divine plan into our state's Constitution,' he said." Salt Lake City's Catholic bishop John Wester seconds that.

There was also a protest in Seattle.

California same-sex couple taking their fight to federal court: "Smelt and Hammer, both 49, went to federal court to force Orange County to marry them in 2004, but the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear their case. Since then, their federal lawsuit has been in limbo. Now it's alive again, with a fresh twist: The complaint seeks to have the state constitution, as amended by Prop. 8, be declared unconstitutional under rights guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution, said their attorney, Richard G. Gilbert."

Officials: 130,000 San Francisco ballots still untallied. "With an expected 20,000 ballots processed per day going forward, the counting will take until the end of next week, maybe longer, according to Arntz, who said he has 400 staff members and temporary workers on the task."

Lee Stranahan: Four lessons gay marriage activists can learn from Obama.

A CBS News report on the Prop 8 protests and interview with George Takei,
AFTER THE JUMP...

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Drew Barrymore At Front Lines in Battle for Same-Sex Marriage

At the beginning of October, I posted a quote from Drew Barrymore about Obama in which she highlighted his remarks about gay people and emphasized that they moved her to tears.

Barrymore has now stepped to the front on the battle against Proposition 8. Here's a crisp new clip of Barrymore speaking at this weekend's protest in the Sunset Junction neighborhood of Silver Lake in Los Angeles. She is a true ally. Thank you Drew!

Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...

You may have missed...
Drew Barrymore Moved to Tears by Need for Gay Rights [tr]

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Protestors Hit Dallas Church That Advertised 'Gay is Not OK' Sermon

Last week I posted about First Baptist Church in Dallas which was to be the target of protest for a marquee advertising a sermon titled "Gay is Not Ok". About 100 people showed up to march outside the church on Sunday:

"Singing 'Jesus Loves Me,' about 100 people stood outside the First Baptist Church of Dallas in protest to the sermon, which was part of a series called 'Politically Incorrect.' Pastor Dr. Robert Jeffress told First Baptist members to not believe the hate-speech hype and called the protest a plan to silence any criticism of homosexuality. 'In Romans I, it says because they rejected the true God and exchanged the truth of God for a lie, God gave them over to degrading passions - men with men and women with women,' he said. 'And so, the Bible says when the people reject the truth of God's word, they're open to any kind of immorality.' But Michael Robinson, the founder of Unified Community Against Gay Hate Crimes, said sermons like Jeffress' can lead to very serious hate crimes. 'What they are preaching from the pulpit is hate and that breeds these type of people to come out and do these type of crimes,' he said."

Watch the news clip from WFAA.

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Thousands Protest Prop 8 Passage at LDS Temple in Salt Lake City

Note to NYers: Peaceful Demonstration outside Manhattan Mormon Temple Wednesday night.

More than 2,000 protestors demonstrated outside the Mormon Temple in Salt Lake City on Friday night:

"Preceded by an hour-long rally in a city park, the march comes three days after California voters approved Proposition 8. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints encouraged its members to work to pass the amendment by volunteering their time and money for the campaign. Church officials offered no statement on the rally and march Friday night, but have called for civility and respect in the gay marriage debate before and after Tuesday's vote. Rally speakers made a similar call Friday. 'I do not hate the LDS church, nor any of its members and neither should you,' said Sen. Scott McCoy, D-Utah, one of three openly gay Utah legislators. 'The way to deal with this problem is to love more, not hate.' McCoy's district includes the LDS church headquarters. He called on the crowd to work with him to channel frustration and anger into activism and conversation that fosters understanding. 'I will help them understand that civil rights for our community does not come into conflict with the religious rights to worship as your conscience dictates,' McCoy said."

The Salt Lake Tribune reported the numbers at around 3,000 and a KUTV-Salt Lake video report on the protest agrees with those numbers, AFTER THE JUMP...

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Thousands March in San Diego Opposing Hateful Prop 8 Passage

New Yorkers take note: mass peaceful demonstration Wednesday at Manhattan Mormon Temple.

In addition to our earlier reports on L.A. and San Francisco, here's one from further south. Towleroad reader Tanner took these photos Saturday, when approximately 10,000 people took to the streets of San Diego to protest Prop 8:

"An estimated 8,000 to 10,000 people marched from Hillcrest to North Park behind a giant rainbow flag in protest of Proposition 8. The measure, approved Tuesday by 52 percent of voters, overturns the state Supreme Court ruling in May that legalized gay marriage. 'I don't want anyone to take away my right to marry,' said Ken Hagen, a University City newlywed who marched down University Avenue alongside his partner, John Young. Chants for equality were sometimes drowned out by drivers honking their horns in support of the passing crowd. Signs waved and bobbed in the air with slogans such as 'We Shall Overcome' and 'Not Gay, Love You Anyway.'"

Saturday's march was folded in with a planned demonstration which was canceled Friday night just hours before it was supposed to take place. Hundreds if not thousands turned up anyway.

Rex Wockner has a great report with a bunch more photos on his blog.

Wockner notes: "Gay street actions of this size are unheard-of in San Diego, apart from Pride, which draws around 150,000 people to Hillcrest each July."

NBC San Diego reports: "Participants began their march around noon from Third and University in Hillcrest. The group marched to North Park and then attended a post-march rally in Balboa Park. 'I am so proud to be a part of this in San Diego, said Jennifer Schumaker, a self-proclaimed 'lesbian soccer mom'. 'I think Prop. 8 is our Rosa Parks and I think there is no way that gay people and their friends or families are going to sit down for discrimination again,' said Schumaker. Police said there were no arrests and no problems."

A video news report from NECN, AFTER THE JUMP...

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12,000+ Take to Streets in L.A.'s Silver Lake in Opposition to Prop 8

Folks came out in force in L.A. again this weekend. See our earlier post about Friday night's march in San Francisco, and New Yorkers please make note of the upcoming peaceful demonstration this Wednesday outside of Manhattan's Mormon Temple. Police estimated approximately 12,500 people marched in the streets of Silver Lake in the city's Sunset Junction neighborhood on Saturday, according to the L.A. Times:

"Police estimated that 12,500 boisterous marchers converged about 6 p.m. at Sunset and Santa Monica boulevards in Silver Lake near the site of the former Black Cat bar, which the city recently designated a historic-cultural monument for its '60s role as home of the local gay rights movement. Police guided the demonstrators through the streets for more than three hours without major confrontations. No arrests were reported.

L.A. journalist Karen Ocamb (who took these photos) reports that Noah Arc's Darryl Stephens and Wilson Cruz (below, left) announced they're starting a new organization to help youth stay engaged AFTER the protests - From Street to Strategy: Freedom Action Inclusion Rights...the new voice of the youth equality movement. It can be found at justFAIR or at its Google Group. On the right, below, two protestors named Corri and Kacy who were married July 25.

Here's the L.A. Weekly report...More below.

Below, two 115-year-old straight allies and Diane Olson and Robin Tyler, who were the first couple married in L.A. following May's same-sex marriage ruling. Ocamb reported that they urge a national march on Washington D.C.

ABC7: "A small group of Prop. 8 supporters turned out to the event, but police were able to seperate them from the main crowd. Police said the marches went without any major incidents and no arrests were made. People who marched said the protest wasn't about confrontation, but a peaceful show of unity. 'I think it serves a big purpose,' said Briana Lindsey. 'It's important for people to show in numbers that they don't agree with this prop passing, cause it's more about civil rights than religious rights.' Among the people marching was the lesbian couple who led the Supreme Court case to have Gay marriage legalized in June. 'The United States Constitution says 'the majority cannot take the rights away from a minority' so it's unconstitutional,' said Robin Tyler. 'We are hoping that the Supreme Court is as brave and courageous as they were last time.' Police said many of the people who marched in Silver Lake were likely headed to another protest on Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue."

A video AFTER THE JUMP. I'll probably be adding more.

Also, Drew Barrymore joined the march as well:

(via queerty)

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Tens of Thousands March Against Prop 8 in San Francisco

All the activity on Prop 8 this weekend has been a bit overwhelming, so I'm just going to be posting about it a bit at a time. New Yorkers, please note the upcoming peaceful demonstration this coming Wednesday in Manhattan.

The leaders of the 'No on Prop 8' campaign. Dr. Delores Jacobs, Geoff Kors, Kate Kendell, and Lorri Jean released a statement late Friday in response to the defeat of Proposition 8, and called on the LGBT community to stand together rather than divide itself over the devastating loss.

Said the message, in part: "We achieve nothing if we isolate the people who did not stand with us in this fight. We only further divide our state if we attempt to blame people of faith, African American voters, rural communities and others for this loss. We know people of all faiths, races and backgrounds stand with us in our fight to end discrimination, and will continue to do so. Now more than ever it is critical that we work together and respect our differences that make us a diverse and unique society. Only with that understanding will we achieve justice and equality for all."

Read the full statement here.

Also, in related news, check out this great editorial by attorney and author James Brosnahan that appeared in today's San Francisco Chronicle.

Here are some shots from Friday night's march in San Francisco from a reader in SF (beginning with the one that lead off this post, top)

The SF Chronicle reported on Friday night's march:

"The march began around 5:30 p.m., as the group worked its way west toward its final destination of Dolores Park. A large group remained around Ninth and Market streets, holding signs, chanting and jamming traffic. About a dozen Muni buses were stuck in the traffic mess. 'Our rights have been taken away,' said Debra Walker, a lesbian who has lived in San Francisco since 1981. She is a member of the city's building inspection commission and is the past president of the Harvey Milk Club. 'I came here because of the welcoming way of San Francisco. It is so troubling that in 2008, this would pass. The fear campaign was unconscionable.' Walker stood holding a banner across Market Street and said she was prepared to be arrested."

The Chronicle reported 1,000 protestors. Local station KPIX interviewed supervisor Bevan Dufty who estimated 25,000 were there at the march's height.

More photos and video, AFTER THE JUMP...

Above photos by a reader from SF.

And a few more photos from reader James Loduca:

Reports on the other protests to come.

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San Diego Activists Target Manchester Grand Hyatt's Anti-Gay Owner

Activists (including rainbow flag-designer Gilbert Baker and UK activist Peter Tatchell, above) came out in force in San Diego, giving a face to the boycott of the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego that has gained steam since April when GLAAD pulled out of a Gay Pride event that was to held at the hotel this weekend. The hotel's owner, Doug Manchester, while advertising in gay media, has also made a huge donation to support the ballot measure that would ban same-sex marriage in the state.

The AP reports: "Picketers outside the Manchester Grand Hyatt waved rainbow banners and signs reading "The 'Hyatt' of Hypocrisy' to protest owner Doug Manchester's $125,000 donation to a group backing the November ballot measure...'(Hyatt) put so much money into advertising this hotel in gay magazines, and it's a huge slap in the face,' said newlywed Manuel Munoz, 33, who was in town from Rancho Cucamonga honeymooning with husband Ed Alberson. Munoz was staying at a nearby Sheraton. Hyatt said it took no position on Manchester's contributions to the marriage initiative. The company manages the 1,625-room waterfront hotel on behalf of Manchester's development company, Manchester Financial Group. 'It's a personal decision of Mr. Manchester's that doesn't involve Hyatt,' said Hyatt spokeswoman Lori Alexander, who watched the sidewalk protest from the steps of the hotel. 'His name is on the door, but it's not the views of Hyatt.'"

Rex Wockner, who shot the photo above and below, has plenty more at his site...

More than 220,000 people were expected to have attended the Pride event over the weekend. Wockner also has a look at some of the VIPS that were there.

Two websites were created to organize the boycott by a coaltiion of gay groups called Californians Against Hate. The NYT wrote up their efforts last week.

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