Going to Equal Rights/Prop 8 protests Saturday?

[deville]

This is just pointless arguing. All you see is the gay marriage initiative, while I see the bigger picture of what happens when the court system starts to overturn elections.

One day when the courts enact a stronger patriot act or marshall law onto this country, then will you still be there supporting court rulings then?

[captainmorgan]

This is just pointless arguing. All you see is the gay marriage initiative, while I see the bigger picture of what happens when the court system starts to overturn elections.

One day when the courts enact a stronger patriot act or marshall law onto this country, then will you still be there supporting court rulings then?

Yeah, but I don't think it would lead to that sort of thing. I mean you're looking at a situation where the court said, look, not allowing gay marriage violates equal protection under the law. And then the proposition turns around and says, well, then we'll just write an exception into the constitution. So actually, I think you could argue that allowing it to stand is potentially a slippery-er slope. I mean, what's the point of having equal protection under the law if you can just make up exception clauses whenever you feel like it?

[scottheisel]

This is just pointless arguing. All you see is the gay marriage initiative, while I see the bigger picture of what happens when the court system starts to overturn elections.

One day when the courts enact a stronger patriot act or marshall law onto this country, then will you still be there supporting court rulings then?

Obviously not -- I've made it abundantly clear that I support court rulings that grant or protect civil liberties and freedoms, something the Patriot Act or marshal law would never do. Those things would strip people of their rights; why would I support that?

[deville]

This is just pointless arguing. All you see is the gay marriage initiative, while I see the bigger picture of what happens when the court system starts to overturn elections.

One day when the courts enact a stronger patriot act or marshall law onto this country, then will you still be there supporting court rulings then?

Yeah, but I don't think it would lead to that sort of thing. I mean you're looking at a situation where the court said, look, not allowing gay marriage violates equal protection under the law. And then the proposition turns around and says, well, then we'll just write an exception into the constitution. So actually, I think you could argue that allowing it to stand is potentially a slippery-er slope. I mean, what's the point of having equal protection under the law if you can just make up exception clauses whenever you feel like it?

I hope that you're right about that.

I just see it as for example the majority of people voted for Obama, but certain groups filed suit and took it to the courts. Then the courts ruled to overturn the election.

I just don't like to see the courts with that much power without checks and balances.

[captainmorgan]

I hope that you're right about that.

I just see it as for example the majority of people voted for Obama, but certain groups filed suit and took it to the courts. Then the courts ruled to overturn the election.

I just don't like to see the courts with that much power without checks and balances.

Yeah, I see your concern. But again, I think the difference is that this is a civil rights issue. I mean, the courts wouldn't be getting a blank check to overturn any election. In fact, as I've looked over some articles about the particular suit being filed, it appears that the contention is that as an amendment, Proposition 8 oversteps its bounds. Namely, since it conflicts with equal protection in the California Constitution, the parties bringing the suit are contending that Prop 8 represents a Constitutional Revision, a measure that would require a 2/3 majority vote in the legislature.

[Guest baseball]

I hope that you're right about that.

I just see it as for example the majority of people voted for Obama, but certain groups filed suit and took it to the courts. Then the courts ruled to overturn the election.

I just don't like to see the courts with that much power without checks and balances.

Yeah, I see your concern. But again, I think the difference is that this is a civil rights issue. I mean, the courts wouldn't be getting a blank check to overturn any election. In fact, as I've looked over some articles about the particular suit being filed, it appears that the contention is that as an amendment, Proposition 8 oversteps its bounds. Namely, since it conflicts with equal protection in the California Constitution, the parties bringing the suit are contending that Prop 8 represents a Constitutional Revision, a measure that would require a 2/3 majority vote in the legislature.

Ding ding ding! Deville, you're missing the point here. This isn't a minor initiative the people are voting on. This is a proposed change to the constitution. A change that has a very legitimate unconstitutionality argument against it. You're comparing apples to oranges above. This is exactly what the courts are supposed to be used for.

[dylan]

i went to a protest thingie tonight in irvine. it was a pretty good turn out. there were a couple kids there who were yes on 8, but whenever someone asked them why, they had absolutely no answer. the people driving by were also pretty positive. the thing that i found really sad were that the people who drive by and were for 8 and yelling shit like "faggot" and making rude gestures were generally older men. i was suprised at how immature they were acting.

i didnt get any pictures of what was going on because it was a last minute thing, but ill be at the one on saturday in irvine and get some pictures then

[controlthebleeding]

i went to a protest thingie tonight in irvine. it was a pretty good turn out. there were a couple kids there who were yes on 8, but whenever someone asked them why, they had absolutely no answer. the people driving by were also pretty positive. the thing that i found really sad were that the people who drive by and were for 8 and yelling shit like "faggot" and making rude gestures were generally older men. i was suprised at how immature they were acting.

i didnt get any pictures of what was going on because it was a last minute thing, but ill be at the one on saturday in irvine and get some pictures then

I have to work on Saturday so i can't go to our intended one here in Austin.... I'll be there in spirit though.

[littlejonnyhormone]

Workin.

[brentoage]

the thing that i found really sad were that the people who drive by and were for 8 and yelling shit like "faggot" and making rude gestures were generally older men. i was suprised at how immature they were acting.

fear/ones inability to understand something really brings out the best in some people.

:

[dylan]

so these are from friday and saturday. friday there was a last minute protest because the mormon church was holding a press conference supporting their win. about 150-200 people showed up to protest.

on saturday there were about 400 or so people who showed up at the protest in costa mesa. i heard at the one in irvine there were about 1000 people. sorry the pictures dont show much, there were people on all 4 corners of this huge intersection. there was even an accident (i think someone was too busy paying attention to the protesters and rear-ended someone) and after the tow truck got both cars on it, and had both people involved in there with the driver, they drove by and were honking and giving the thumbs up.

edit: i just realized at the left of the last picture, that gray is the smoke from the fires

[scottheisel]

I don't know if the protest in Cleveland happened yesterday; we had a horrible rainstorm all day long, and I sure as shit wasn't going out in it to hold soggy cardboard since I'm already sick.

[jaaake]

I love Dan Savage, his Q&A column in The New Times is so good.

[Guest baseball]

Baltimore was okay, attendance fluctuated because of the massive rain storms sporadically going on throughout the day. Didn't get any pictures because of the rain. People in cars were generally supportive though with a lot of honks and thumbs up.

[dylan]

http://marriage.towleroad.com/pics/

here is a site with pictures from all over the country from the protests on saturday

[captainmorgan]

The Chicago protest was awesome. Tons of people showed up, more than 2000 according to the news. After the rally, people went marching towards Michigan Ave. We eventually broke off because we were freezing, but some people kept it up for like 4 hours. Naturally, I forgot my camera.

[chiefwahoo]

I was visiting Chicago and accidentally ended up right in the middle of the protest. Looked like quite an impressive number of people, although I don't know what is expected. I snapped a couple of pictures on the cell phone just for the hell of it, not with the intent to share. So they aren't anything special, but whatever.

I thought it was a pretty neat thing in general, except that some of the protesters seemed to think it was ok to run through anyone on the sidewalk. Plenty of tourists that didn't know what the hell was going on got bumped out of the way by people, which wasn't cool.

[dante3000]

so these are from friday and saturday. friday there was a last minute protest because the mormon church was holding a press conference supporting their win. about 150-200 people showed up to protest.

on saturday there were about 400 or so people who showed up at the protest in costa mesa. i heard at the one in irvine there were about 1000 people. sorry the pictures dont show much, there were people on all 4 corners of this huge intersection. there was even an accident (i think someone was too busy paying attention to the protesters and rear-ended someone) and after the tow truck got both cars on it, and had both people involved in there with the driver, they drove by and were honking and giving the thumbs up.

Hope those homos enjoyed a fresh, toasty sub.

[mcm1610]

Quiznos is expensive as balls. They ran a commercial advertising a $4 sub, but in the small print it said "small sub" and their small subs are 4 inches. That's b.s. I'm not about to pay a dollar an inch for my sub.

[dylan]

some lady was going around telling everyone not to eat at that quiznos because whoever was working there was talking shit on the gays. so i dont think anyone enjoyed a toasty sub