Report on the Anti-Prop 8 Protest in Duluth/Superior
Despite the cold, and the short notice in which this protest was called, we had a great protest in Duluth in support of same-sex marriage! There were 75 folks at the height of the protest, and counting those who came and went throughout the afternoon, we ended up getting a start to finish grand total of 101 people. The crowd was very diverse -gay & straight, young and old, men and women - and we had folks from a number of surrounding communities from throughout northern Wisconsin & Minnesota.
The response from passing motorists and pedestrians was also overwhelmingly positive and enthusiastic! We were able to get coverage from a variety of local radio and TV stations, and the Duluth News-Tribune.
All in all I felt it was a wonderful event. Given that Wisconsin passed an amendment to its constitution banning same-sex marriage just two years ago, the Prop 8 defeat is certainly not California's defeat alone, Given the polls, the number of states that have enacted reactionary bans, and that in the recent elections both major candidates [McCain & Obama] were opposed to same-sex marriage - it's obvious that we have a very big hill to climb to win equal rights for all. But we should also take heart, because the number of states moving in the opposite direction is slowly growing, and events like today's show that we are not alone. Keep up the good fight everyone!
-Adam Ritscher
- 432 reads
- Printer-friendly version
Comments
Insipid Prop 8
Insipid Prop 8 Distortions
Posted by: Michael Medved at 2:20 AM
No issue reveals the outrageous bias of the “prestige press” more reliably than the controversy over same sex marriage. On Sunday, November 16th, the New York Times reported on demonstrations favoring gay marriage. The story by Jesse McKinley featured a sentence explaining: “The demonstrations – from a sun-splashed throng in San Francisco to a chilly crowd in Minneapolis – came 11 days after California voters narrowly passed a ballot measure, Proposition 8, that outlawed previously legal same-sex ceremonies in the state.”
First, Proposition 8 “outlawed” nothing --- it “banned” nothing. The Proposition, echoing a prior decision of the voters of the state in Proposition 22 eight years ago, added 14 simple, unequivocal words to the state Constitution: “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.”
The “previously legal same sex ceremonies” (authorized by four justices of the state supreme court in a divided decision a mere five months ago) have not been “outlawed.” Contrary to the tenor of the report, no jack-booted state troopers will come crashing down doors to bust-up the tender and loving commitment ceremonies of same sex couples. Even before the court decision, civil unions were available with identical rights to marriage, and those civil unions are still available after Proposition 8. The voters cast their ballots to eliminate confusion in the Constitution (confusion introduced by meddling jurists), not to interfere with private behavior of any kind. It’s absurd and dishonest to suggest that the proposition “outlawed” anyone’s relationship or expressions of love.
Moreover, the Times report that California voters “narrowly passed” the ballot measure also happens to be false. The margin of victory for Proposition 8 amounted to 511,000 votes – hardly a squeaker. In fact, the proposition got 52.2% of the statewide vote --- very similar Barack Obama’s 52.7% of the national vote.
Would anyone claim that Obama “narrowly defeated” McCain? The New York Times never used such language – despite the striking resemblance between Obama’s winning coalition and the nature of the vote that passed Proposition 8.
Obama lost white voters decisively (by more than 12% to John McCain) but made up for that loss with a strong showing in the Hispanic community and overwhelming support (94%) from his fellow African-Americans.
Similarly, Prop 8 lost (by a small margin) among white voters, while earning a majority of Hispanic support and drawing overwhelming backing (70%) from African-Americans.
The frequently repeated charge that the vote represents a triumph of bigotry amounts to one of the most insipid distortions in recent press history, fomenting rage in the gay community that will only serve to alienate activists even further from the voters in the American mainstream.
Post new comment