Gay rights advocates march on DC, divided on Obama

[joeycola]

Source: AP




Gay rights advocates march on DC, divided on Obama



Associated Press Writer – 1 hr 20 mins ago


WASHINGTON – Thousands of gay and lesbian activists marched Sunday from the White House to the Capitol, demanding that President Barack Obama keep his promises to allow gays to serve openly in the military and allow same-sex marriages.

Rainbow flags and homemade signs dotted the crowds filling Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House as people chanted "Hey, Obama, let mama marry mama" and "We're out, we're proud, we won't back down." Many children were also among the protesters. A few counter-protesters had also joined the crowd.

Jason Yanowitz, a 37-year-old computer programmer from Chicago, held his daughter, 5-year-old Amira, on his shoulders. His partner, Annie, had their 2-year-old son, Isiah, in a stroller. Yanowitz said more straight people were turning out to show their support for gay rights.

"If somebody doesn't have equal rights, then none of us are free," he said.

"For all I know, she's gay or he's gay," he added, pointing to his children.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091011/ap_on_re_us/us_gay_rights_march_7

[jacko_be]

1. damm right, don't judge on something like that

if they pay taxes like everybody they must be abel to live like everybody

[patrice]

2. That's exactly right. "If somebody doesn't have equal rights, the none of us are free."

If a right IS a right, it applies to Everyone. If it doesn't apply to everyone, it isn't a right. It's just a question of time and circumstance before you and yours are the ones being discriminated against.

But more than that, without as much freedom as possible, we will not progress as a society, as a species and without progress we are doomed to suffer forever. I suppose to some, there's a great deal of question about the definition of that word "possible", but it seems pretty obvious to me that it IS possible to let consenting adults live and love one another as best they can and any interference in the processes that facilitate development will handicap authentic life and love.

[AzNick]

3. Typical AP 1-liner... Trash Obama as soon as you can...

"Gay rights advocates march on DC" was fine.

Hold on, dude, no anti-Obama spin?

Add: ",divided on Obama"


Fuck you, AP.

[robo50]

4. LOL Yeah, there were a million and a half there who wanted to return to the

Bush years, wanted to "take their country back" and give it to the white racist homophobes who ran it for the last 8 years... RIGHT!!!!!

[johnnypneumatic]

5. Thousands? Fuck you "associated press writer"

How about "hundreds of thousands"?
Police estimated 200,000
which means it was probably more.

If 60,000 teabagger racists becomes 2 million to the corporate media
then 200,000 is over 6 and a half million :)

[AzNick]

10. Yes, I knew the media would hide the real number...

Just like for each Obama rally. Never wanted to say how many people showed up, usually never showing the crowd.

[Vattel]

6. It was a huge and energetic crowd.

I had to use one of my top secret parking spaces. It sounds corny, but there was a really good energy there too. I didn't hurt that the weather was beautiful. I even saw a car with a DU bumpersticker!

[joeycola]

7. glad to hear that. thats for the post

[JBear]

8. It was very energizing! Even better...

Just before we started moving, I saw a sign that said "Sign from God" mixed in with all the others. Shortly after that I noticed a bunch of people looking up into the sky and pointing. The media helicopter was behind them so it couldn't be that...there was a rainbow that had formed around the sun - on a beautiful, clear fall day! Made me smile!

Seriously though, thousands is quite the understatement. I actually would believe the 200,000 figure from the police. We literally filled Pennsylvania Ave from the White House to the Capitol.

Favorite chant - "Tell me what Democracy looks like!" "THIS is what Democracy looks like!"

Favorite scene - the flag with only 6 stars on it, Mass, Iowa, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine and Connecticut.

Most amazing thing - there were no protesters to speak of. One truck with the typical crosses and you are going to hell BS drove by at the beginning and there was a Birther standing in front of the White House (she didn't move, but looked terrified). Other than that we saw NOTHING for counter protests!!! That was a huge change from 1993.

:bounce:

[justiceischeap]

9. One of my favorite signs read: "Jesus had two dad's and he turned out okay"

Just wanted to mention that Randall Terry was there (from anti-choice group Operation Rescue). He was standing at the beginning of the march straddling huge anti-choice posters (it looked very sexual the way he was straddling them, btw) and going on and on with the usual anti-choice rhetoric.

My roommate and I started the morning off at HRC (because her wife works there) and it was sad to see the vandalism. I'm all for direct action but if Queers Against Assimilation want to be taken seriously within the larger gay community, I don't think that was the way. Think what one will about HRC but they have a place at the table and if "blue collar" gays and lesbians want a voice, I just don't see this being the way.