Nationwide Protest - Midtown Atlanta

[vixalicious]

I survived my very first political rally, mostly intact. Nothing that a few aspirin won't fix! :)

I went to the evening event (there was an afternoon march at the Capitol Building that I couldn't make). There were a lot of people, despite the cold and wind. However, very difficult to have a candlelight vigil on a windy day, even with wind guards (ok, styrofoam cups). I had to choose between holding my sign or holding a candle - I picked my sign.




I got lots of comments on it, which was cool. I'd actually made two signs, because I was going to put them back to back, but the organizers sent out an email saying no sticks allowed so I chose not to try that. I gave the other one to some kids who didn't have one - it said Let Everyone Marry.

So there weren't any hecklers or anything, although one douchebag did yell something at the group of people I was walking with from the MARTA station to the rally. The rally itself was a great crowd - everyone was hyped up and friendly, and we sang and danced and waved our signs at passing cars. The crowd started thinning out around 7pm, so those of us left took to crossing the roads (with the lights, of course) and chanting 'Gay, Straight, Black, White, marriage is a civil right' and things of that nature. Chanting was not our strongest point as a crowd :) But it was nice to move around a bit at that point.

Here's some really crappy pics of the crowd:

Comments

[mrsquizzical.livejournal.com]

good for you.

*hugs*

[vixalicious]

It felt good to get involved in something, instead of just talking about it. I'm glad I did it.

[sheldrake.livejournal.com]

Well done you!

It occurs to me that I only really knew about Prop 8 because of being on LJ, and a lot of people I mentioned it to here had no idea, and were horrified. But when people go out and protest like this - that's what makes the news. So good for you.

[vixalicious]

What sad is that we, who supposedly live in the land of the free, are having to fight for a right that other countries have freely acknowledged for their citizens. It's embarrassing.

[aprilkat.livejournal.com]

Great! Good for you!

[vixalicious]

It felt good to get out and do something, instead of just thinking that it was awful.

[purple-hazed.livejournal.com]

Fantastic, this is a really important issue. Civil rights will just float away if we don't fight for them.

[vixalicious]

Indeed they will. All I could think of when I was out there was that story from World War II, about 'I didn't protest, when they came for the Jews, because I wasn't Jewish... and when they came for me, there was no one left to protest.' Like if I don't stand up for this, who will stand up when it's my civil rights in jeopardy?

[typhoo.livejournal.com]

I have been elected spokesman of the Gays (lol) and we thank you for your Support. Seriously thanks. This Prop 8 in CA. is such a step backwards.

[vixalicious]

On behalf of straight girls everywhere (lol), I was proud to do it. This should be such a non-issue, because truly any argument against gay marriage is based in religion, and we are supposed to live in a country where religion and government are separate. Someday...

[jivetalkinmama.livejournal.com]

We had about 200 people at our rally that rainy, but warm, Saturday afternoon. Was a great thing! Unfortunately we learned later that day that on Friday night a transgendered woman in our community was lured to a house on false pretenses, shot and killed. One step forward 3 back... ~sigh~

[vixalicious]

That's an awesome turnout! I have stolen some pictures off of Flikr of the Atlanta rally that really show how many people that were there, but I am a bad guesser of crowd size.

And that is horrible about the transgendered woman! What the fuck is wrong with people? What the hell every happened to live and let live? I just. I don't get it.