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Hundreds take to S.L. streets to protest, support Prop. 8 ban on gay marriage

I'd like to see the gay community in California gather enough signatures to put their own proposition on the ballot--perhaps something that invalidates weddings conducted in mormon temples. Will it pass? Of course not, but it's only fair that the other side's rights should be subject to a vote as well.

I wonder if mormons would act with serene civility if that were to happen...

The Mormon church has stepped waaaaayyy over the line by actively spurring its members to convert religious belief into civil law.

Yes, Mormons have the right to vote and express their opinion, but that doesn't mean what they do with that right is the right thing. In this case, they have abused their rights to strip fellow human beings of human rights.

In my book, that is a hate crime.

The Mormon church will reap what it has sowed, namely, hatred.

Can't win in the ballot box, then go to the streets claiming the other side is discriminatory. Pretty sad. Go ahead and protest and you'll see the sleeping giant of conservatism arise. Yes, liberals carry the day currently in the House, Senate and White House, but guaranteed if a true conservative comes forward in 2012, with the past 4 years having ridiculous lawsuits against constitutionally passed ammendments, or if courts continue to rule without legislation (see Connecticut), the sleeping giant of conservatism will arise to claim power once again. Nothing upsets the populace more than courts overturning legislation, and petty protests denying freedom of speech for those who disagree with you. The only ones spewing hatred right now are the protestors in favor of gay marriage against religion. Nothing in the Mormon or Catholic stance tolerated hatred for the other side, contrary to those protesting them now.

It appears that the Church's prominent role in defeating marriage rights for homosexuals is backfiring. I don't think I have ever seen the Gay Rights movement more united and the Church has set itself up as the uniting force.

In the end the Mormons will cause everything they have been trying to avoid. They have sown the wind, and are reaping the whirlwind.

If pro-gay marriage supporters truly feel their cause is just and reasonable, they should stop the protests and create a proposition to support their position. Then spend the next year or two defending and promoting the position. Let the people vote again. This was not the last election where such decisions can be made. Let the democratic process function. Mob rule is not the answer.

Gettysburg Address:.....government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. Democracy itself defined by President Lincoln, democracy in California has spoken Prop 8, deal with it.

Unless these marchers also take their cause up to the Cathedral of the Madeline, then they too are just as bigoted as they claim LDS are.

too bad they don't realize their attacks on Utah is hurting their cause more than helping it.

This really has gotten past the point of ANNOYING!

Not only are you closing major streets down, but the commuter's on these streets are ANNOYED with all of you! (even those who voted no on 8), AND the fact that this is "after-the-fact."

The voice of the people spoke LOUD AND CLEAR in ALL 3 STATES! Give it a rest. Mask's are off and everyone really see's who you are. And it's not pretty. It's ANNOYING! Just like it would be if I were to stand outside the front of the white house with my McCain sign throwing a 3-year old temper tantrum, because Obama is now the president.
A N N O Y I N G!

They are right. A sleeping giant is being awakened. That is the 98% heterosexual community. We are seeing what bigots some of these glbt really are. Keep pushing and you'll get much more than you want. Be happy with civil unions and continue to play house. Fortunately, reproduction will continue to keep your numbers at 2%. You have ruined the word gay and the sign of the rainbow. There was all of 75 protesters here in NYC out of 8 million people. Now that is gigantic!

Let the gays get married and be miserable like the rest of us.

Go gays! Gay marriage will be a reality. If not today then tomorrow or in 10 years!

Don�t H8 democracy.

Sandra Rodrigues, like many Americans do not understand our government. Many people argue the point that the state Supreme Court should have listened to the "will of the people" when it made its decision allowing gay marriage to be legal.

One thing this proves is that much of the citizenry is ill informed about the purpose of the judicial system. One of the reasons it was made a separate branch was to specifically insulate it from the whims of the electorate. It is not, and never has been, the job of justices to base their decisions upon what a majority of the people want. It is their job to protect the minority from the will of the majority when the majority favors abrogating the constitutional rights of the minority.

Everyone is free to disagree with the arguments that their decisions are based upon - but, please don't try to make the point that they should be paying attention to how the people vote on an issue.

It's so ironic that this Rodriguez woman would ask that people respect democracy and the will of the voters. Are civil rights subject to the whim of the voting public? Could this same public theoretically vote to take away rights from other groups, reinstate segregation and slavery? NO! Civil rights do not exist at the pleasure of a voting majority. They are inherent to all people and immune to prejudice and ignorance. I don't think a lot of people understand what it means to have your very identity brought before the public as a ballot proposition, how insulting and dehumanizing it is to be publicly legislated against as a person. These same people will sit and wonder why we are lashing out in frustration and sadness at being relegated to a second class status. All I can say is, this is going to get a lot worse and, if the civil rights struggles of the 1960's are any indication, we are in for a lot of social upheaval as gay Americans stand up and say: "No more! We deserve the same rights that you enjoy and we will fight to the death to protect them!"

"They are persecuting our church and other people in California, but they need to get a life and honor democracy," said Sandra Rodrigues, of Cottonwood Heights.

Majority is not always correct - Amendments 13 & 15, Brown vs. Topeka Board of Education, Civil Rights Act of 1964, Loving vs. Virginia - US history is filled with a steady progression of minority civil rights being gained despite the bigoted views of the majority.

You came into a state that is not yours, and poured millions of dollars into stripping the civil rights away from a minority group on a ballot issue that was not in your state and therefore was none of your business. Who exactly needs to get a life, here?

I see the Gay community only respects a vote in a Democratic election that goes their way.Just as Obama supporters are crowing about how wonderful democracy is when and only when their guy wins.Heaven forbid that McCain would of won the election,this would have been another miscarrage of Democracy.

Why are LGBT's focusing completely on the LDS Church? The Church State Council of the Seventh-day Adventist Church (in Westlake Village, CA) also backed the proposition 8 proposal.

All of this demonstrating looks anti-Mormon and not pro-LGBT. They are singling out a single minority to express there discouragement against. Sound even slightly familiar?

I am totally disgusted by the behavior of the GLBT by singling out the Mormon Churches. They are hurting their cause by doing this. The vote should count and the people have spoken. The GLBT think that they can walk over everyone else to get their way. What will be next? I have seen some very hateful behavior by them and they call everyone else a bigot.

Wa Wa. I hope all you people can find something constructive to do. I don't think you'll be able to keep up the protests forever. Like was said before, get it on the ballot again in the next election. Maybe you'll win. And luckily, Mormons will continue to fight it no matter what because God never changes and we don't either. The United States will likely continue down the same path it has been, destroying itself from inside. It's been prophesied; it's not news to us. But it is still our responsibility to fight against it. And in the end, you'll see who's right.

NEW YORKER: AMEN AMEN AMEN