Students and staff protest Prop 8
by Lily Beauvilliers
Senior Editor
Harrisburg's capitol steps were covered with brightly colored signs and banners on Nov. 23 as protesters from across Pennsylvania rallied agaist California's Proposition 8.
The rally drew approximately 300 supporters, including students and staff from the University.
Tyler Dinucci '11, president of Friends of Lesbian and Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (FLAG&BT), explained why Pennsylvanias are protesting.
"Because Prop 8 passed, we don't know what will happen to the rights of those who were already married. And what California does, other states follow," Dinucci said.
The rally featured five speakers focusing on the role religious groups played in passing Proposition 8 and the importance of staying positive while working for change.
Rev. Eva O'Diam of the Metropolitan Community Church of the Spirit, a Harrisburg congregation supporting gay marriage, spoke first.
"I'm here because it's time to stop spiritual violence, " O'Diam said, referring to the Mormon Church's fund raising effort for Proposition 8.
She argued the Bible tells its followers to support gay rights.
"Every mainline faith group says that they would stand for the equal rights of all people. Well, we are people," she said, soliciting calls and a "hallelujah" from the crowd.
Ted Martin and Dwayne Heckert, a couple legally married in California, invited rally-goers to become a vocal part of their communities.
"Your mother was right about many things, but in light of the recent election results, keeping politics out of your daily conversation was not one of them," Martin said.
Heckert pointed out the work done by the Catholic Knights of Christ and the Mormon Church in supporting Proposition 8, and the number of supporters from African American and Latino communities.
"This is a wake-up call and a warning," Martin said.
Alanna Berger, the chair of Rainbow EqUUality Advocates, a Unitarian Universalist group, explained the importance of marriage.
Although she hadn't planned on marring her serious boyfriend, they consulted a lawyer and discovered acquiring the same rights as married couples costs almost $1,000.
"This piece of paper," she said, holding up her marriage license, "was $15."
As the protesters laughed, Berger explained a legal marriage includes 1,400 laws protecting the relationship. "Marriage means stability to me," Berger said.
Gay couples deserve the same rights as straight ones because "their lifestyle is no different than mine," she said.
Mark Smith, parade chair of the Pride Festival of Central Pennsylvania, reminded the crowd of the history of gay pride rallies, starting with the Stonewall riots 40 years ago.
These riots, he said, illustrate a positive use of negativity.
"We need to take the high road. We need to acknowledge that most people voted against us out of fear, not hate," Smith said.
He stressed the hurt Proposition 8 causes the GLBT community at large. "We are taxpayers, and being denied equality harms us," Smith said.
A local politician spake last; Dan Miller, council vice president of Harrisburg, talked about his personal life as a gay man.
He remembered waking up this morning in the arms of his partner, Carl.
"He was asleep and I was listening to his heavy breathing and it was just one of those perfect moments. And no one can take that away from us. Not the bigots, no the religious right and not the voters of California," Miller said.
The gay rights movement, he argued, will succeed because its supporters are "on the side of love."
"We don't have equality but we're striving to get there, and that's what makes America good," he said.
After the speeches, supporters stayed to chant with Bolton Winpenny, chief operating officer of Panzee Press. He asked questions such as, "Can we have equal rights for all?" to which the crowd replied, "Yes we can!"
Edward "Troy" Sheridan, the Susquehanna University student organizing the protest, spoke to the media afterwards.
He got the idea for the rally as the election results came in.
"The idea that California was a safe haven for gay rights was taken from us," Sheridan said.
The rally came together with help from serval organizations, including Community Alliance for Respect & Equality (CARE) in Lewisburg and the University's FLAG&BT group. Although no group protested the rally, Silent Witness PA, an organization protecting gay events, stood before the demonstration holding rainbow umbrellas, their backs to the street.
Several cars honked their horns as they drove by, causing rally-goers to cheer as the group dissipated.
With reporting by Josh Ripple
University students explain why they rallied to overtun Proposition 8
"Proposition 8 is a measure in California limiting amrriage to between a man and a woman. Now there is momentum in Florida to limit domestic partnership rights." - Tyler Dinucci '11, president of FLAG&BT
"Part of being an American is equality. People should be willing to fight for it." - Ally Cohen '12
"Proposition 8 makes people second class citizens. It might not seem applicable since the law passed in California, but if there is injustice anywhere we need to fight. It's part of our civic duty as students." - Eric Soble '12
~ The Bucknellian, Vol 142, No 12 (5 Dec 2008)
