Anger in the heart of Zion
From the gay rights demonstration . . .
I'm astounded by the turnout at the park just across from the LDS church's headquarters building. I can't get up high enough to estimate the crowd except to say it is hundreds and hundreds, and groups of a dozen or more are still arriving. (the police put the number at between 2,000 to 5,000).
The protesters of the LDS Church's support for California's Prop 8 are energized by the massive turnout. People are hugging each other with excitement. Over and over, I hear, "I can't believe this many people turned out — in Utah."
A speaker shouting into a bullhorn says:
We are the children of Zion. We have gathered tonight to change the world. . . .The crowd at one point chants:
Mr. Monson, the LDS church is on notice. We will no longer be silent. We are politically organized and we are angry.
Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness!A small group of about 35 counterprotestors gathers across the street chanting:
The people voted. You are intolerant. . . . You want validation.The protesters, are excited and angry, but peaceful. They shout back: "We love you!"
A gay man waves a sign at the counterprotesters, written in silver glitter, that reads:
STRAIGHT, GAY AND LESBIAN — GOD LOVES US ALLA fellow demonstrator kids him, "Your sign is so straight."
9 Comments:
They are not helping their cause at all here in Utah. The LGBT community wants rights, and yet see how they lump all Mormons into the same group.
Pat yourself on the back protesteors, you have probably set your issue back 20 years.
First, the black issue years ago, now the gay's. All people must be heard. Also anyone that is against the prop 8, ought to check out their family relatives.
I garrantee you all have someone gay or lesbian. Do you love them and want them to be happy?
Gay and Lesbians live together anyway, I see no big deal in letting them marry one another.
And for the churches, when did church and state combine? I must of missed that one.
Gay and Lesbians have been around longer than any Christian based religon. Like it or not It's part of being a human.
All you against prop 8, the vote was so close that Im sure it will pass next time anyway.
It's very sad that we as americans try to control others, but then we are all about control and war aren't we!
Are you not all in one group,called Mormons?
Last time I checked, you were lumped together!
Better to protest, than just stand around like sheep and do nothing.
What I'm saying is there are many of us who support you. However, there are those who see you protesting at the Temple and want any excuse to feel that their pregidice is vindicated.
You should not sit back. Your voices should be heard. But demostrating at the Temple won't help you win this fight.
"Pat yourself on the back protesteors, you have probably set your issue back 20 years."
Right. You probably said the same thing about the riots after Dr. King was murdered.
The LDS, its members, and other supporters of Prop 8 are gonna find themselves on the wrong side of history on this one. Those who are against discrimination of our homosexual family and friends may have lost the battle on this one, but we're gonna win the war. You know in your heart this is going to happen: "whether you like it or not."
Don't worry, I'm sure when that day comes, you'll find a group that still feels that gays don't deserve equality, similar to the way the KKK and Stormfront are here even though we've made tremendous strides on race. You'll find a place to spew your hate--you may have to wear a sheet to do it, but you'll find a place.
Also, I find all this self-righteous indignation about these protests priceless, because we know how dignified the Yes on 8 crowd acted...heck, you don't even need to read between the lines to see the hate from these guys:
http://sfist.com/2008/11/03/scene_from_todays_yes_on_8_hate_par.php
Additionally, this is required reading for anyone indignant that anybody could be at all angry that, with massive financial and other support from the LDS, a 51% vote managed to allow discrimination into the California constitution:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/08/BAGD140G16.DTL&hw=Nevius&sn=001&sc=1000
I am a straight male, age 62, married 40 years, and I don’t see for the life of me how gay marriage hurts anybody’s marriage.
If a church or person doesn’t believe in it, then fine. But don’t pass laws against it.
We have dozens of Utah families living in homeless shelters, and that money spent in California could have changed their lives. Doesn’t anyone see the contradiction with Christian family values?
The anti-gay marriage people have hyped their cause to preposterous levels. Does the marriage of Jim and Bob of Arbuckle City, California at the Colusa Country Courthouse really have any affect on anybody’s marriage? By preventing Jim and Bob from getting married, we are saving the family? Come on, get real.
PS: I don't believe the LDS Church is a cult, and my disagreement is not with Mormon theology. I disagree with the mean-spirited policy and the funding of a crusade off in California. Some Mormons that I've known have been salt-of-the-earth people. I've lived in Utah my whole life.
The LDS Church as an institution used it's (tax exempt) pulpits to raise money for Prop. 8. These efforts helped raise millions of dollars to codify hate, and while I totally understand that there are folks in the church who were against Prop. 8, I think it's right to hold the church accountable as an institution. My mother left the church in the 70s because the church didn't allow black folks to hold the priesthood. This isn't to say that all of the members of the church were racist, but as an organization it made a choice.
Everyone should watch the Keith Olberman video. It is about gay marriage and found on “Countdown with Keith Olberman” on the internet.
I have seldom heard a more powerful and impassioned speech on any subject. If you oppose gay marriage, then at least have an open mind and watch this video.
If a church doesn’t want to marry gays, that’s fine. Just stay out of the courthouse while Jim and Bob tie the knot. Minding your own business is an old American tradition.
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