The Fight Rages On
More than 5,000 opponents of Proposition 8 gathered at the State Capitol on Sunday to protest passage of the measure. Sunday’s rally marked the fifth straight day of protests in Sacramento.:
November 14, 2008
Since the passage of Proposition 8, the measure banning same-sex marriage, on Nov. 4, Sacramento has seen daily protests at the State Capitol.
Sacramento was not alone as opponents of the measure, which was passed by a 52 percent to 48 percent margin, took to the streets every day in many of California’s cities, including San Francisco.
The first night of protests at the State Capitol on Nov. 5, pitted hundreds of opponents and supporters against each other. The Sacramento Police Department closed off 10th Street between N Street and L Street and tried to keep the two sides apart on separate sides of the street.
Both sides crossed the police line and engaged each other in debate.
Sac State student Jennifer Crow, senior liberal studies major, said she heard about the protest while watching the news on television that night and came out to support the opposition against Proposition 8.
“Being a straight girl, I believe everyone should have the right to marry,” she said. “I’m not a person to judge others and as a Christian I have been taught that I should not judge others.”
Proposition 8 supporter and American River College student Demitry Kushyir said he came out that night to protest because it was his religious duty to oppose same-sex marriage.
“This is against the Bible,” he said. “I could die tonight and have to stand before God and he will say, ‘Show me something you did for me.’ So I had to come.”
More than a thousand anti-Proposition 8 protestors returned to the State Capitol on Thursday night and marched through downtown.
Friday and Saturday night saw smaller protests by opponents of the measure at the Capitol. Counter protestors did not show up on those evenings.
Sunday afternoon saw the largest protest by far, with more than 5,000 anti-Proposition 8 protestors from across the state rallying at the Capitol. Only two of the initiatives supporters showed up that day.
Supporters of same-sex marriage have vowed to take to the streets daily in protest of the ban.
Todd Wilson can be reached at [email protected]