RALEIGH, N.C. - Despite rain and mud, protesters against the recent passage of Proposition 8-a measure banning gay marriage in California-marched in Raleigh Saturday. They joined demonstrators staging similar protests in cities across the country in support of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights.
The group of about 1,400 people, including several Duke students, marched from East Lane Street to the Governor's Mansion on North Blount Street, undeterred by a brief downpour in the early afternoon. Chapel Hill resident Tom Greene, co-organizer of the event, called the advocacy for gay rights "the new Civil Rights Movement."
"It's time for this injustice to end," he said. "As tax-paying citizens, we ask for no more and no less."
California voters approved the amendment to the state constitution to define marriage solely as the union between a man and a woman on Election Day, with 52 percent of the vote. In addition, Arizona approved a similar ban on gay marriage Nov. 4, while Arkansas passed a measure that bars unmarried individuals from adopting.
"We have taken a lot of steps forward and all of a sudden, the passage of the proposition was like a slap in the face," said sophomore Aliza Lopes-Baker, who spearheaded efforts to engage Duke students in the rally.
Protesters marched carrying banners and shouting "Gay, Straight, Black, White. Marriage is a civil right." There were no counter demonstrators.
A rainbow flag was raised in front of the Governor's Mansion as Greene led the chant, "What do we want? Equality. When do we want it? Now."
"We are here today because we realize that it's not just the leaders that are responsible for this, it's all citizens," said Michelle Talal, a graduate student in the Nicholas School of the Environment.
Many protesters felt that the passage of Proposition 8 in California leaves very little hope in North Carolina for same-sex marriage.
"If Proposition 8 can pass in California, which tends to be a little more liberal about things, there is no telling about what they can do around here," said Janet Yarbrough, Trinity '78 and N.C. resident.
Protester Jimmy Creech, a former pastor of the United Methodist Church who was fired for marrying gay couples, described the recent passage of the three propositions against the LGBT community as "bigotry disguised as a pig with lipstick."
Greene said the passage of these propositions relegates the LGBT community to second-rate citizenship.
"The fact that these propositions managed to pass is evidence that in this election... ignorance, inequality and bigotry triumphed over basic human rights," freshman Dani Schocken said. "We can't change what people believe, but we can educate them."
Demonstrators said they felt that with the victory of President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden, there is hope for more acceptance of LGBT rights.
"It's a human issue, not just a gay issue. It's about discrimination and making this entire community a second-class group of people, and that is not what our country stands for," sophomore Summer Puente said.
The second-annual North Carolina Equality Conference, hosted by Duke's Center for LGBT Life, also took place Saturday at the Bryan Center. The conference aims to discuss how to address issues regarding the LGBT community. Many students who went to the event did not attend the demonstration in Raleigh, said sophomore Jack Grote, a participant in the conference.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.