Photo: Jonathan Alcorn

In what more than one protester has described as "the second Stonewall", Californians across the state have taken to the streets in spontaneous demonstrations to protest the passage of Proposition 8, which bans gay marriage in the wake of a Supreme Court ruling in May that allowed it. Here's a brief rundown of the past five days:

Day One (Nov. 5th):

While the rest of the world celebrated the election of Barack Obama, opponents of Proposition 8 gathered in gay enclaves like West Hollywood and San Francisco to hold impromptu rallies. In Los Angeles, a group of approximately 1,500 people, mostly younger, left the rally while it was still ongoing and marched up to Sunset Boulevard, forcing street closures. Police managed to divide the group, keeping 2/3 within West Hollywood.

The remaining group marched to the CNN building in Hollywood and then up to Hollywood & Highland, L.A.'s version of Times Square, where police barricading the group from entering the intersection. A tense standoff ensued, with some protesters breaking through the police lines and two being beaten by the police with billy clubs.

In all, four separate groups, about 3,000 people total, marched throughout Hollywood, Beverly Hills and West Hollywood throughout the night, with protesters holding a sit down protest at Sunset and La Cienega til 2:30am. Seven people were arrested.

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Barack Obama isn't the only Democratic candidate who should be called out for his anti-gay associates. As Paul Jenkins points out Hillary Clinton has also taken up with some queer bedfellows, including Reverend Harold Mayberry.

In this game, all candidates have been associated with homophobes. For instance, Hillary Clinton recently trumpeted her friendship with Harold Mayberry, of the First African Methodist Church in Oakland; her press release on the meeting/endorsement left out the fact that Mayberry believes homosexuality to be comparable to thievery.

It's true, the Oakland-based Methodist, once said, "I'm not rejecting people. As God loves, we love. I don't reject thieves, I reject thievery." Too bad Clinton didn't reject Mayberry's endorsement.

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The American "Family" Association's all sorts of angry over a recent Oakland, California, "hate crime" case. A group of black Christian women are facing the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals after distributing a "pro-family" pamphlet for their group, Good News Employee Association.

The pamphlet in question described the GNEA as "a forum for people of Faith to express their views on the contemporary issues of the day. With respect for the Natural Family, Marriage and Family Values". The women's coworkers balked at the language and insisted the cease and desist distribution of the flyer.

The women, however, insist they were simply responding to some of their more gay-friendly friends. Oakland government officials, however, claim they were helping perpetuate discrimination. Now, both sides are in court duking it out.

Not surprising, AFA and their conservative allies are stirring the shit.

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