A Photographic Remembrance of San Francisco's Same-Sex Marriage Revolt

[n2doc]

from the sf chron:

"Surely, with organizing work and effort, Proposition 8 will be reversed by voters next chance they get. California progressives were taken by surprise by the money and effort poured into Proposition 8 by the Mormon and Catholic churches, but they're not going to be taken by surprise again. Obviously there is still a long way to go on these issues but, historically speaking, acceptance of equal rights for gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgenders is coming quite quickly and is just a matter of time, patience, education, and organizing.

Still, this is a sad day for California. Everything that needs to be said about this has already been said, and will now be said many times again. The only useful thing I can think to add is my own photographic record of what turned out to be the last day in 2004 that same-sex marriages were performed in San Francisco -- March 10 -- the day before the Supreme Court ordered the practice to stop.

I had gone to City Hall that day to take photographs that would accompany an article about same-sex marriage I had written for a Santa Cruz newspaper. I was moved to tears by what I saw -- dozens of marriages being performed everywhere, from the grand rotunda to the balconies, to the little alcoves that help make City Hall such a marvelous piece of architecture. Volunteer county clerks performing one ceremony after another, helping people choose where they would tie the knot, grinning as broadly as the betrothed and their families, it seemed. It was a day of joy and celebration for all, and these photos are, I believe, as clear a statement as any about love, understanding, and the simple goodness of promoting full life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all."









more at link:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/steinberg/detail?entry_id=40670&tsp=1

[Hepburn]

1. This one got to me big time....

[Raster]

8. This one brought tears to my eyes. Bless their hearts.

And a nice, big FUCK YOU to the CA Supreme Court!

[roguevalley]

10. they remind me of my mom. god, I am so sorry for this country.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

2. And now there are two classes

of gay Californians. The legally married and the go-fuck-yourselves-you-waited-too-long.

I am having the biggest headache trying to understand how the CA Supreme Court could do that without writing "joke" after it. After the whole damn decision.

They had no choice, though, given the case that was brought to them. Someone suggested a Constitutional Convention for California, which I think is the only solution. That state is now so fucked up as to be unfixable.

Of all the things I never thought I'd see in my life, this two-tier decision is really 'way up there on my list......................

[Chulanowa]

7. It makes me wonder...

If in some part there isn't an effort to split the GLBT community between the new "haves" - those who got married "on time" and the "have nots"

I hope everyone involved is too sharp to fall into that trap.

[ronnykmarshall]

9. Some idiot on gay blog said yesterday ......

"I challenge you gay couples that are married to get a divorce. You're thumbing your noses at us and are no better than straight couples"

I used the word "fuck" a few times in my response.

[Libertyfirst]

3. I went to look at all the pictures and now I am crying. n/t

[tavalon]

6. Don't cry

Yes, this is a painful day and a battle has been lost but the war is already won. The children don't understand adults obsession with withholding rights from the gays. Within a couple of decades, people will look back and wonder why people were in a tizzy about such an obvious right.

[RetiredTrotskyite]

4. Aww So Beautiful And So Sad...

The picture of the two ladies above really got to me, too. This whole thing is so sad and so unjust. I am so sick and tired of the religious wrong and their hatred.

[FourScore]

5. Those are beautiful photos!

THank you.

k/r