Thousands march to protest Prop 8

SAN DIEGO--Thousands of supporters of equal marriage rights for same-sex couples flooded University Avenue in San Diego's Hillcrest neighborhood on November 1, in response to a highly publicized event organized in favor of Proposition 8, a measure on the November 4 ballot that would constitutionally ban same-sex marriages.

Gay and lesbian couples have enjoyed the freedom to marry in California since May 2008, when the state Supreme Court ruled that a previous ban was unconstitutional. The polls have been close, with "No on 8" leading by just a few percentage points. This, in itself, reflects a shift in sentiment toward same-sex marriage since 2000, when the similarly discriminatory Prop 22 was passed with 61 percent of the vote.

Both sides have raised enormous amounts of money, but massive fund drives by the Mormon Church and the Knights of Columbus have California gays and lesbians feeling like they are in the crosshairs of a nationwide crusade.

The anti-gay marriage event--in which participants gathered at Qualcomm Stadium to pray and fast for Prop 8--was organized by the evangelical Christian group The Call. The group claimed it was busing in up to 70,000 people from all over the state and the region. A promotional video on the group's Web site casts the debate over gay marriage as "a confrontation between Light and Darkness" and the Saturday event as "a day of battle like no other."

Although no official numbers have been released, photographs from the inside of the stadium, which has a normal capacity of 71,000, show a modest crowd on the field and virtually empty stands.

In contrast, the response from the "No on 8" side exceeded all expectations. Small groups carrying signs fanned out to major intersections during the course of the day, and activists picketed the Qualcomm Stadium event. But the candlelight vigil later that night displayed a resounding show of support for equal marriage.

The San Diego Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Community Center called for 1,000 people to converge at their Hillcrest facility at 9 p.m.--but there were easily that many people there by 8:20.

Speakers included Mayor Jerry Sanders and his daughter Lisa. Sanders is a Republican and a former chief of police. A year ago, he reversed his opposition to same-sex marriage in an emotional speech in which he acknowledged that his own daughter was a lesbian, and that he had decided to "take a stand on behalf of equality and social justice." In his speech on Saturday, he called marriage a "fundamental right" and urged the crowd to spend the next three days campaigning against Prop 8.

The 2,000 candles that organizers brought to the event were immediately distributed, as the crowd fanned out down University Avenue. This was no somber candlelight vigil, as people poured out into the street.

There were repeated chants of "No on 8! No to Hate!" and ecstatic cheering as motorists repeatedly blared their horns, making their way down the half-mile or so of demonstrators, who in turn were gathered in thick rows clogging the sidewalks. Many participants brought with them their own candles, their "No on 8" yard signs and often their Obama T-shirt.

Protesters message was clear--vote “no” on Proposition 8. Vote no to discrimination.