An Inch At A Time: Reflections on the Journey: IMPACT "No on H8" rally in Pasadena CA

Saturday, November 15, 2008

IMPACT "No on H8" rally in Pasadena CA

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November 15th was "Promote love and equality in your city" day -- organized by the online Impact Community -- all over the country, and here in Pasadena we gathered to do exactly that at the Pasadena City Hall.

Thanks to Scott Boardman for getting the ball rolling, for all those who stepped up to line up speakers, posters, sound tech and publicity -- and especially to Juan, Nathan and Margi from ASC, Hannah from Neighborhood Church and my buddy Douglas Hunter -- Mormon Maverick for Marriage Equality.

Here's the advance party ... getting things together about 10am this morning, ahead of the 10:30 start time:

By 10:30 it was easy to see that we had built it and they had come -- with signs, flags, baby strollers and ready to make some noise for justice!

I only got to snap a few pictures -- several other photographers promised to send me pix and I'll post them as they come in -- but for now here's my favorite sign:

Here's another look at the front of the crowd gathered right in front of the City Hall steps ... (and spread nearly to the corner along the sidewalk ... we had to stay out of the street.)

Finally, here's my colleague Zelda -- pausing to take in the applause as she addressed the crowd with the bullhorn we ended up using. (It was actually very cool ... I should carry one with me all the time just in case a crowd gathers and I think of something to say! :)

Zelda said (among other great things!) "My mama and daddy taught me when I was a little girl that if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck and looks like a duck then it IS a duck. And this duck is called "discrimination" -- and as an African American female believe me, I know it when I see it!"

Go, Zelda!

More later. And if you took photos at the rallies in your area, do share. Let's build the witness. Let's keep up the pressure. Let's refuse to be silent. Let's seize this moment and make history out of it. (Click here for slideshow ...)

2 comments:

JeanO said...: The Salt Lake Tribune had this banner headline on it's Sunday morning front page: SLC `ground zero' for Prop 8 debate.

You can read the etire story online at: http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_10994611

There is also a video:
http://video.ap.org/v/Legacy.aspx?partners=en-ap&g=5dc3e274-480e-427c-be39-2e2e8e79ead8&F=UTSAT&mk=e

The photo gallery with pictures from the protest rally and march, as well as the candlelight vigil at the Utah State Capitol, may be found at:
http://extras.sltrib.com/tribphoto/galleryPhotos.asp?GID=PROPO_11152008&sort=Gallery

Dominique Storni, one of the speakers at the rally, used the fable of Chicken Little to remind us that while radical changes may eventually come, "Chicken Little, the sky is STILL not falling!"; 3:35 PM
Dominique said...: chicken little speech:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNa7znvODgU

Cheers,
Dominique; 6:53 PM

... where I try to be really clear about what I'm clear about. For example:

Religious persecution is when you're prevented from exercising your beliefs, not when you're prevented from IMPOSING your beliefs.

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Using "biblical standards" to condemn those who understand that sexual orientation is morally neutral makes as much sense as using "biblical standards" to condemn astronomers who understand that the earth revolves around the sun. The Bible may have said it but that doesn't always settle it.

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It's liberty and justice for all -- not some. It's respect the dignity of every human being -- not just straight ones. Got it? Great. Let's do it.

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In order to keep moving forward toward liberty and justice for all we can't just be right about what the 1st Amendment protects. We have to be smart about how we respond to those who skipped the 9th Commandment and think lying is a Traditional Family Value.

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Jesus said "Love your neighbor." Not "Love your neighbor unless your neighbor is gay."

Smart things other people have said you should know about

“Faith in action is called politics. Spirituality without action is fruitless and social action without spirituality is heartless. We are boldly political without being partisan. Having a partisan-free place to stand liberates the religious patriot to see clearly, speak courageously, and act daringly.” -- Ed Bacon

“Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice. Justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love.” – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

"It's time for "tolerant" religious people to acknowledge the straight line between the official anti-gay theologies of their denominations and the deaths of these young people. Nothing short of changing our theology of human sexuality will save these young and precious lives." -- The Rt Rev Gene Robinson

"How can you initiate someone into the Body of Christ and then treat them like they’re half-assed baptized?" - The Rt Rev Barbara Harris

“I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” ~ Elie Wiesel, 1986 Nobel Peace Prize

"Resolve to be tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant with the weak and wrong. Sometime in your life, you will have been all of these." — Siddhārtha Gautama

"I'm so glad Mary didn't wait for the formulation of a Doctrine of the Incarnation before she said 'Yes' to God." -- Ed Bacon

"The great Easter truth is not that we will be born again someday but that we are to be alive here and now by the power of the resurrection." -- Philips Brooks (paraphrase)

"History belongs to the intercessors, who believe the future into being.” -- Walter Wink

“Patience, a quality of holiness may be sloth in the soul when associated with the lack of righteous indignation.” -- Abraham Heschel

"Don't tell me what you believe. Tell me what difference it makes that you believe!" -- Verna Dozier

“We establish no religion in this country, we command no worship, we mandate no belief. Nor will we ever. Church and state are, and must remain, separate. All are free to believe or not believe, all are free to practice a faith or not, and those who believe are free and should be free, to speak of and act on their belief. At the same time as our constitution prohibits state religion, establishment of it protects the free exercise of all religions. And walking this fine line requires government to be strictly neutral.” -- Ronald Reagan

Let's be clear. The fact that the State authorizes a marriage in no way compels any Church to perform or recognize it. Marriage equality merely guarantees equality under the law to all citizens; it does not compel churches to do anything.-- Katherine Ragsdale