NY Rallies 2nd Time in a Week to Protest CA Anti-LGBT Prop 8 Passage
by BRUCE-MICHAEL GELBERT
photo by Joseph R. Saporito
Prop 8 Rally, City Hall
Thousands of LGBT New Yorkers participated in an afternoon rally, organized by Marriage Equality New York and Join the Impact NYC, outside City Hall on November 15, to protest the Election Day passage of California's Proposition 8. This measure amended that state's constitution to define marriage as exclusively between one man and one woman, repealing the right to marry legally that LGBT Californians had enjoyed since May. The local rally was coordinated with similar protests at city halls nationwide, scheduled for the same time, and was the second time in a week that New Yorkers had demonstrated in connection with Proposition 8's passage. The first had been outside the Mormon Temple, across the street from Lincoln Center, on November 12, to protest the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints' fervent campaign for Proposition 8, supported by over $20 million in funds.
At the Saturday afternoon rally, during a sunny interlude on an otherwise rainy day, demonstrators chanted, "Yes, we will," "Hey hey ho ho, Homophobia's got to go," "Defeat Prop 8, Separate Church and State," and "Gay rights are civil rights," and carried signs with such messages as, "Termin8 the H8," "My boyfriend & I got married & all we got was this lousy protest sign," "Femmes for justice," "Hate makes Baby Jesus cry," "Love your husband & Let me love mine," "Denying my equal rights. Now that's immoral," and "It's about rights, not rites."
From a stage set up at the corner of Broadway and Park Row, more than a dozen speakers, including elected officials, activists and entertainers, addressed the crowd and the New York City Gay Men's Chorus sang the "Star Spangled Banner" and a South African song, which Artistic Director Charles Beale described as being "about loving our brothers."
Openly lesbian New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn declared, "By standing here today, we are saying we will move over, through and beyond Prop 8," and pointed out, "The arc of human history bends toward justice. There is justice for every American, but sometimes we have to fight for it." Openly lesbian Councilmember Rosie Mendez, from Manhattan's Second District, maintained, "Make no mistake about it: this is our second Stonewall, our second national Stonewall. We will not be silent. We will fight the hate."
Supportive heterosexual officials Congressman Anthony D. Weiner, from New York's Ninth District; Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer; and City Councilmember David Yassky, from Brooklyn's 33rd District, spoke as well.
Openly gay New York State Assemblymember Danny O'Donnell, Rosie O'Donnell's brother and active campaigner for marriage equality in our state, said, "I stand today as a proud gay man to say I will not take this anymore ... We are going to fight back and not take no for an answer."
Openly lesbian MTV correspondent and former "America's Next Top Model" contestant Kim Stoltz encouraged, "We're strong and we've won even larger battles than this before." Daniela Sea and Heather Matarazzo, of "The L Word," spoke, the latter insisting, "We expect our elected officials to uphold the Constitution, not to uphold the Bible."
Jeffrey H. Campagna, producer of the movie "The Poster Boy," condemned Democratic New York State Senator Rubén Díaz, Sr., from the 32nd District in the South Bronx, "who's trying to figure out a way to bring Prop 8 to New York," and is blocking the bid of New York State Senator Malcolm A. Smith, from the 14th District, in Southeast Queens, to become Senate Majority Leader, because of his support for marriage equality. Campagna gave out Díaz's district office phone number, 718/991-3161, and urged, "I want you to e-mail that number to everyone you know. Call Díaz's office and tell whoever answers the phone that Díaz should be true to his party and support Malcolm Smith for Senate Majority Leader."
AIDS activist and singer Kate Shindle, who was Miss America in 1998, spoke, saying, "I am Catholic. I am straight. I can be called conservative. But I've never been more sure that, on this issue, we are on the right side," and predicted, "This is no less than the greatest civil rights battle this generation will experience."
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