According to the San Francisco Chronicle:
"Thousands of demonstrators gathered in San Francisco this morning as
part of a nationwide day of rallies in favor of same-sex marriage and
against the Prop. 8 ban on same-sex unions in California."
And I was there! I carried a sign made by a friend saying 'You Can't
Amend Love!'
It was a beautiful sunny morning as thousands of people converged on
Civic Center Square (just across the street from where Obama rallied
the Bay Area twice, more than a year ago now).
One of the most stirring speeches was given by an African American
Baptist preacher, a man who was introduced as having been taught by
Martin Luther King. His ringing oratory, as evinced by the title of
this diary, brought the crowd to its highest pitch of enthusiasm; I
could imagine being at a rally in the 60's and hearing King exhort his
followers for civil rights. (Sorry, I did not get his name).
Other interesting speakers were Mark Leno (the California legislator
who has repeatedly introduced gay rights legislation and gotten it
passed, only to have it vetoed), Carole Midgen (another California
legislator), and one of a couple who were the participants in the
lawsuit that saw the California Supreme Court rule for equality in
marriage back in May. Many others spoke as well.
On a more depressing note, there was no attempt at organization. Just
a single announcement to the crowd that a meeting would be held
somewhere in San Francisco on November 20th (IIRC). There were no
sign-up sheets, no volunteer booths, nothing like you have seen had
you attended any Obama rally, say. If an organization is going to
arise to insure the overthrow of Proposition 8, it has not yet
made itself manifest.