“Standing Out,” by mattymatt. Originally in color on his Flickr photostream. San Francisco protest of the passage of Proposition 8, Friday night, November 7, 2008.
The crowd, which clocked more blocks than your average SF pride parade (they better have!), is at this point (in the photo, that is, not in real time) heading to Dolores Park on 18th. POV from uphill on Church. I did read one account that said it was still ongoing as a happening as of 11pm (having started at 5:30).
Haven’t yet found extensive citizen accounts of it, but here’s mainstream media coverage at SFGate and The New York Times, something at Pam’s, and sfist, and finally a Thank You from march organizers (who were essentially grassroots, not affiliated w/ any of the primary No on 8 orgs). In their closing words:
The gay rights community should be remembered in history as a group that did not replace bigotry with bigotry and hate with hate. Please keep the protests safe and free of violence targeted against any religion or racial minority. We need to fight, but we do not need to target.
JOIN THE IMPACT is a site that emerged to get the word out about a planned nation-wide protest on November 15th. Locale: YOUR city hall. DIY.
I’ve got to say, I am shocked. California is one of those places that resonates around the world as progressive and able to think independently… Very sad for you. But congratulations on some amazing lobbying – I’ve really drawn inspiration from it for our own struggle with similar issues here.
hey, i was there, it was amazing, hard to tell how many folks were marching. but nothing compared to seeing this bunch of lovely ardent mix of folks marching up market street towards my friend and i.
we helped this guy who dragged a bunch of NO ON 8 posters, stickers, and buttons out of the headquarters a few yards away, pass them out to the hungry throngs. almost every single person said ‘thank you’. now THAT’S a MOVEMENT.
it is crucial that this force of nature we are in not turn ugly in any way…so important.
we’ll finally win in the end, whenever that may be, but we must stay on the positive side, so as not to lose the moral authority that goes with being on the side of freedom and justice.
well, it wasn’t part of the Queers United, but SLC did have a huge rally on Friday night at the SLC main temple. estimates of attendance as high as 5 k people. Mostly Utahns. Many, many disappointed Mormons in attendance, taking their names off the church rolls.