a question of love... DC's answer
On Saturday, at 1:30pm EST, an estimated 250,000 people in cities in every state in the U.S. simultaneously gathered to show their support for marriage equality. It was triggered by the recent setbacks to gay rights in California and other states, but I think the overall feeling at the march, in DC at least, was that this is a national issue, a civil rights issue, and it's time.
It's ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous, that two adults in a loving relationship still cannot be married in most states in this country. I realize that some people's religious beliefs lead them to believe that marriage is between a man and a woman, and while I don't think history supports that view, I also don't think churches should be forced to celebrate or recognize any unions of which they disapprove. Some churches won't marry a couple when one of the pair is not a member of the church. I'm fine with that--those are issues that can be hashed out within a church, and I don't have any interest, as an outsider, in whether or not a church wants to recognize my marriage or anyone else's. The state, however, belongs to all of us, and it is absolutely fair and right to demand equal access to civil marriage.
The march in DC was a beautiful thing. There were an estimated 5000 people in attendance, and as we marched from the Capitol building to the White House, the column stretched for over a mile. When we were halfway down the Mall, the skies opened and it poured, and everyone got out their umbrellas and zipped up their jackets, or resigned themselves to getting wet, and kept on going. As we marched up 17th Street on the home stretch to the White House, Metrobus drivers opened their windows to honk and wave.
I think this is my favorite protest that I've ever attended, because the tone was so positive. We will achieve equality, maybe not in the next few years, but we will get there.
I didn't take many pictures at the march because my hands were full of signs, and it was raining, so these are pictures taken by others.
We gathered in front of the Capitol building's reflecting pool
And we marched from there
to to the Washington Monument and then up to the White House
sometimes in the rain
Surrounded by all sorts of wonderful people.
My housemates and I used paint leftover from my room to make big cardboard signs.
Another housemate showed up at the end and held our soggy sign after we had headed home to dry off.
It's ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous, that two adults in a loving relationship still cannot be married in most states in this country. I realize that some people's religious beliefs lead them to believe that marriage is between a man and a woman, and while I don't think history supports that view, I also don't think churches should be forced to celebrate or recognize any unions of which they disapprove. Some churches won't marry a couple when one of the pair is not a member of the church. I'm fine with that--those are issues that can be hashed out within a church, and I don't have any interest, as an outsider, in whether or not a church wants to recognize my marriage or anyone else's. The state, however, belongs to all of us, and it is absolutely fair and right to demand equal access to civil marriage.
The march in DC was a beautiful thing. There were an estimated 5000 people in attendance, and as we marched from the Capitol building to the White House, the column stretched for over a mile. When we were halfway down the Mall, the skies opened and it poured, and everyone got out their umbrellas and zipped up their jackets, or resigned themselves to getting wet, and kept on going. As we marched up 17th Street on the home stretch to the White House, Metrobus drivers opened their windows to honk and wave.
I think this is my favorite protest that I've ever attended, because the tone was so positive. We will achieve equality, maybe not in the next few years, but we will get there.
I didn't take many pictures at the march because my hands were full of signs, and it was raining, so these are pictures taken by others.
We gathered in front of the Capitol building's reflecting pool
And we marched from there
to to the Washington Monument and then up to the White House
sometimes in the rain
Surrounded by all sorts of wonderful people.
My housemates and I used paint leftover from my room to make big cardboard signs.
Another housemate showed up at the end and held our soggy sign after we had headed home to dry off.
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~Suzanne Loughry