In the wake of yesterday’s triumphant federal court ruling by Judge Vaughn R. Walker which determined that California Proposition 8 (which made same-sex marriage illegal by way of popular vote) is unconstitutional, jubilant celebration broke out in West Hollywood, CA last night. David and I made our way out into West Hollywood to partake in [...]
In the wake of yesterday’s triumphant federal court ruling by Judge Vaughn R. Walker which determined that California Proposition 8 (which made same-sex marriage illegal by way of popular vote) is unconstitutional, jubilant celebration broke out in West Hollywood, CA last night. David and I made our way out into West Hollywood to partake in the celebration — after all — how could we not? — but the fantastic blog LAist was front and center at the celebratory rally at the West Hollywood Park on Robertson Blvd. to photograph and report on the event. Here are a few amazing photos shot by LAist photographer Tom Andrews and excerpts from the report written by LAist writer Zach Behrens:
About 300 people gathered in West Hollywood Park Wednesday night to celebrate the federal ruling in favor of gay marriage. The American Foundation of Equal Rights, which brought forward the case Perry v. Schwarzenegger, hosted the event, bringing together the plaintiffs, lawyers, politicians and celebrities. About a dozen people spoke — all with smiles, some with tears — about the huge step that was just taken. But they warned it was only a step. “So long as a person can be fired for being gay, or a kid can be threatened at school because of her sexual orientation, we will not have crossed the finish line,” said L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who opened the ceremony. Despite the very long road ahead, lawyer David Boies who represented Vice President Al Gore in the Supreme Court case against George Bush, summed up how difficult he sees the fight from here on out for proponents of Prop 8, which banned gay marriage in California. “Most of what you’re going to hear from the other side is going to be a series of attacks. they’re going to attack the judge, they’re going to attack the judicial system, they’re going to attack everything they can think of to attack except the court’s opinion because I guarantee you that the people that you hear criticizing this opinion are not going to be prepared to deal with what the opinion has found. I guarantee you most of the people that are going to criticize the opinion will not have even read it,” he said of the 138-page document. “Because what his opinion does, it goes through in a very orderly careful methodical way what all the claims were and what all the evidence was and the court concludes that there simply is no evidence to justify the invidious discrimination against some of our citizens based on sex or sexual orientation and that is something that the other side cannot deal with. They cannot come forward with any evidence. Their argument boils down to versicular bumper sticker [slogans.] Marriage is between a man and a woman. That’s the question, not the answer in the constitution.”
Yesterday was a very important day for the advancement of civil rights in this country but the speakers at yesterday’s really are correct, this is but the first step of a still very long road ahead. Hatred and malice will never die out … never. Along long as evil people can draw breath, they will work vehemently to oppose the equal treatment of others in any way they can. They will manipulate facts, they will use horrible scare tactics and they will outright lie to try and convince people that they are right. But I believe, with everything that I am, that truth and justice will prevail. Our country has a long history of struggle … notions like the inability of women to vote or interracial couples to marry are so archaic that when someone tries to argue for their practice, they are laughed off as crazies. I know that one day the same will happen to those who oppose marriage equality. The day when all US citizens are free to marry will come one day … I know it … and we will look back on yesterday’s ruling as the first step towards that happy, happy day.
It was very hard not to get swept up in the excitement of yesterday’s events … it was a really great day for the US, indeed.
[Photo credit: Tom Andrews / LAist; Source]
Olivia Wilde
Megan Fox
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