Over 200 people gathered Wednesday night]at the California State Capitol for a rally and march which marked the first anniversary of the passage of Proposition 8. The event, “A Day of Smiles, Tears and Action,” was led by Equality Action NOW, a grassroots civil rights organization, along with several supporting organizations. The event also followed relevant elections in Maine and Washington on Tuesday. In Washington, voters approved Referendum 71, keeping a law that expanded state benefits to same-sex domestic partners. In Maine, voters rejected a law passed by the state's legislature and signed by the governor that would have allowed same-sex marriages. Maine is now the 31st state to r

Lisa Gorden and JDD Doran-Jammer, both blind, trailed behind the crowd of people marching around the Capitol, echoing their chants “Hey hey, ho ho, discrimination has got to go.” Although they are not gay and said marching with crowds is difficult given their physical disposition, the two friends joined in Tuesday’s rally against the California Supreme Court’s upholding of Proposition 8. “I’m just real sad and mad about the Prop. 8 decision. It just seemed important to come out in the heat and support this,” Gorden said. “We have plenty of noise to follow.” Gorden and Doran-Jammer were two of an estimated 2,000 who appeared at Tuesday’s rally, organized by Equality Action NOW, which ref

 There was a strange combination of emotions in Headhunters Video Lounge and Grill around 10 a.m. when the California Supreme Court decided to uphold Proposition 8, the state constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriages. Perhaps it was the nature of the initial announcement, which was shouted by an on scene KOVR 13 reporter while hearing the breaking news through a cellphone. Several people cried, but most didn't have time to react, because stations like KXTV 10, KOVR 13, and KTXL 40 were already on the scene videotaping and interviewing people about their initial reactions outside of Headhunters. After the crowd of nearly 100 calmed down a bit, Laurie McBride and Paul Curtis of the

Monday, May 25 12-1 p.m. Elk Grove Civil War Round Table will be holding a Civil War Memorial walk and rally near the fish pond. Fifty people are expected to participate. 1-2 p.m. A 21-gun salute will be held in memorial of the Mexican-American War near the Mexican-American Veterans Memorial just north of the traffic circle on 10th Street and Capitol Avenue. Seventy-five people are expected to attend. Tuesday, May 26 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Happy Tails, a no-kill facility dedicated to protecting and improving the lives of homeless and abused animals, according to their website, will be holding a bake sale on the north and south entrances of the Capitol. 11 a.m.- 3 p.m. Caravan for Justice wi

After Proposition 8 passed last week there was an immediate response. I walked out of a late lunch in midtown into a large rally for No on 8. That rally had a very serious tone of anger and disappointment. Yesterday afternoon there was another No on 8 protest. This one was much bigger with thousands of people marching on the Capitol. The tone was already more hopeful and defiant. Protesters carried signs instead of the candles of last week's rally. The Sacramento Police and California Highway Patrol presence was strong. They followed protesters down the Capitol mall and L street to Lavender Heights on the corner of 20th and K streets. After yesterday's rally I got a chance to speak with

You could hear the chants to the front door of The Waterboy. You could see the glow of the candlelight from The Embassy. The intensity could be felt for miles around. While most were swimming in the honeymoon of an Obama ratification, many were feeling left out of the party. But hundreds of those still fighting for equality decided to exercise their constitutional rights by staging a rally in front of the Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center at 20th & L streets. Hoisting signs that read, "America = Equality 4 Some" and "Marriage is a human right, not a heterosexual priviledge (sic)," these protesters swore to continue the fight. Their beef is with the passing of Proposition 8; a contemptible

DEAR CALIFORNIA: BREAKING NEWS - PROP 8 HAS PASSED!!   On November 4th I spent another full day protesting on the corners of Greenback and Sunrise. Screaming, honking, neon signs, carpol tunnel, and all that good stuff. Though as the polls closed at 8pm, I had to find something else to do with my evening. I heard an announcement on the radio about a Prop 8 party being held at the Hyatt Hotel on L street. Obviously - I was inclined to visit it. The event had a very classy set up, with exotic cheeses and camera crews. The people who attended were overwhelmingly enthusiatic, while watching one of the four giant TVs they had set up in the corners of the room which read the suspenseful poll

On November 3, 2008 I found myself on Greenback and Sunrise joining a crowd of people advertising their beliefs... There were tons of wild people, thousands of signs with different hilarious and descriminating slogans (from both parties), cars decked out in their signs, and cops rolling their eyes. Sure - I bet a lot of them didn't even know what prop 8 was, they just wanted something to do, but regardless, it was quite the experience.   Check it out! As the night rolled in, so did the people. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-qKvS12-HY Know what you're supporting - one way or another :) www.protectmarriage.com   - (YES on 8) www.noonprop8.com  - (NO on 8)