150 people arrested, 500 people protesting!
While I was riding on BART this morning late for the vigil, the CA Supreme Court decided to uphold Prop H8. When I arrived at the Supreme Court in SF, I saw a handful of hate-filled demonstrators holding anti-lesbian and gay signs. I didn't see any of us.
Disheartened, I approached two young white prissy women and asked them if they really want to be the ones who decide who I get to marry. They told me that God decides. I nodded and said “Really? She told me to marry my girlfriend.”
Luckily I saw someone carrying a "Right to Marry" sign who quickly pointed me in the right direction, Van Ness and Grove.
As I approached the intersection through the throngs, people began sitting down in a giant circle, blocking the entire four cornered intersection across Van Ness and Grove. The police stopped and rerouted all vehicle traffic.
Where are all the young people? Now we know! They are OUT on Van Ness, getting arrested! Along with everybody else.
In the old days, I could go to a lesbian protest, event, concert and of the 500 plus womyn there, I'd know 499 of them - many not in the biblical sense!
Today, I only saw about 3 people I knew! It was so delightful and inspiring. About 150 wonderfully diverse people of all races, ages, walks of life sat down to risk arrest, while everyone else flooded the corners, stood outside the police lines, sang, chanted, distributed water, and supported us.
CodePINKer Nancy K, even though she was exhausted and stressed, stayed and handed out almost 400 flyers for our "Got FURY" and Sad Voter Pink Tea Party actions!
Most of the SF police seemed to bend over backwards in their attempt to make us believe they’re the “good guys” just doing their job – a job they would prefer not to do, that is, arresting us protestors.
Apparently all 5 or 6 lesbian and gay police officers volunteered for duty today, to ensure no one (the police?) was violent.
I’ve been arrested in SF several times and never have I been so thoroughly frisked – not just once, but twice – when arrested. hmmmm
I was placed in a paddy wagon with 5 other womyn in the back, and 2 fellows in the front. The police were attempting to separate us by gender… that was interesting also.
Most of the womyn I was arrested with were young and being arrested for the first time! They were smart and courageous – and fierce in their determination to make change in our society.
I felt deeply encouraged for the first time in a long time.
While being transported to the jail in a paddy wagon, suddenly loud, discordant (to my ears) music began blaring out from the back doors. We all immediately thought of torture and war.
When we arrived at the jail, the police had set up “pens” again, putting the men in one pen, the women in another; then proceeded to process us out.
We were told to sign the ticket, put our thumb print on the ticket, and if we get arrested again in the next 24 hours, we will be taken to jail.
Now the hard work continues. We must not allow the religious right to win this fight. There’s another ballot measure for 2010 that will knock down Prop H8 and restore our constitutional rights.
We spoke a lot about the 18,000 couples whose marriages will stand – and the potential divide and conquer of this decision. Will these couples be revolting in the streets? Hopefully… we’ll see.
I think there should be a moratorium on ALL marriages until EVERYONE has the right to marry.
The fight continues!
Disheartened, I approached two young white prissy women and asked them if they really want to be the ones who decide who I get to marry. They told me that God decides. I nodded and said “Really? She told me to marry my girlfriend.”
Luckily I saw someone carrying a "Right to Marry" sign who quickly pointed me in the right direction, Van Ness and Grove.
As I approached the intersection through the throngs, people began sitting down in a giant circle, blocking the entire four cornered intersection across Van Ness and Grove. The police stopped and rerouted all vehicle traffic.
Where are all the young people? Now we know! They are OUT on Van Ness, getting arrested! Along with everybody else.
In the old days, I could go to a lesbian protest, event, concert and of the 500 plus womyn there, I'd know 499 of them - many not in the biblical sense!
Today, I only saw about 3 people I knew! It was so delightful and inspiring. About 150 wonderfully diverse people of all races, ages, walks of life sat down to risk arrest, while everyone else flooded the corners, stood outside the police lines, sang, chanted, distributed water, and supported us.
CodePINKer Nancy K, even though she was exhausted and stressed, stayed and handed out almost 400 flyers for our "Got FURY" and Sad Voter Pink Tea Party actions!
Most of the SF police seemed to bend over backwards in their attempt to make us believe they’re the “good guys” just doing their job – a job they would prefer not to do, that is, arresting us protestors.
Apparently all 5 or 6 lesbian and gay police officers volunteered for duty today, to ensure no one (the police?) was violent.
I’ve been arrested in SF several times and never have I been so thoroughly frisked – not just once, but twice – when arrested. hmmmm
I was placed in a paddy wagon with 5 other womyn in the back, and 2 fellows in the front. The police were attempting to separate us by gender… that was interesting also.
Most of the womyn I was arrested with were young and being arrested for the first time! They were smart and courageous – and fierce in their determination to make change in our society.
I felt deeply encouraged for the first time in a long time.
While being transported to the jail in a paddy wagon, suddenly loud, discordant (to my ears) music began blaring out from the back doors. We all immediately thought of torture and war.
When we arrived at the jail, the police had set up “pens” again, putting the men in one pen, the women in another; then proceeded to process us out.
We were told to sign the ticket, put our thumb print on the ticket, and if we get arrested again in the next 24 hours, we will be taken to jail.
Now the hard work continues. We must not allow the religious right to win this fight. There’s another ballot measure for 2010 that will knock down Prop H8 and restore our constitutional rights.
We spoke a lot about the 18,000 couples whose marriages will stand – and the potential divide and conquer of this decision. Will these couples be revolting in the streets? Hopefully… we’ll see.
I think there should be a moratorium on ALL marriages until EVERYONE has the right to marry.
The fight continues!
posted by Xan @ 5:48 PM
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