Gay Marriage Rally Held Outside NYC Mormon Church

Rallies in support of gay marriage spread to New York City on Wednesday night, where hundreds of protesters gathered outside a Mormon temple to express their outrage at the church's support of Proposition 8, the recently-passed ballot measure banning such marriages in California.

According to the Associated Press:

Protesters lined both sides of an avenue outside The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints near Lincoln Center on Wednesday evening. Leaders of the Mormon church had encouraged their members to support passage of California's Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment that overturned the California Supreme Court ruling in May legalizing same-sex marriage. The amendment passed 52 percent to 48 percent.

"Shame on you!" the large crowd chanted in a 1-2-3 syncopation while looking up at the temple.

Several protesters held signs asking "Did you cast a ballot or a stone?" while other signs read "Latter Day H8" and "Church of Mormon" with an X drawn over the second M to read "Moron"...

At the rally, some even called on President-elect Barack Obama to support gay marriage, which he said he doesn't support. Obama, who favors civil unions, opposed Proposition 8.

The rally was held several hours after Connecticut legally allowed same-sex couples the right to marry. Massachusetts is the only other state that allows gay marriage.

WATCH video of the event, from the New York Daily News:

Andrew Sullivan also has reports on the rally from this readers.

Comments

[uitahiti]

the LDS mormon church is scared.
if you discriminate against anyone, you are 2 things. uneducated. and scared.
there are gay people already running your community and you don't even know it.
we are your doctors, lawyers, teachers, police officers, senators, mayors! we are already in your daily life and you don't even know it. we make your food, and decide what you will listen to on your radio and what you will wear. if gay's are not given rights given to immigrants, there will be reproductions. you can only keep people segregated and suppressed for so long. until enough is enough.

2009 will be a year like no other. a president that is the first generation of a immigrant. watch and see.

peace

[abbeyroad]

LATTER

DAY

DEVILS.

the mormons pushed us, and we are going to push them back -- HARD.

protest in front of their precious temple in westwood this sunday.
and every sunday.

they can't perform their "sealed in the temple" marriages while we're there.
if i can't get married on sunday, then they won't be getting married on sunday either.

[RW69]

Mormon Temples are closed Sunday and Monday.

[Twopennygal]

Obama's mostly right about "civil unions" vs. "marriage," but civil unions should be for everyone, not just same-sex couples. Our governments (state and federal) should get out of the business of marriage and stop blurring the line between church and state. What we need instead is for the governments to provide "civil union" contracts for ALL couples who want to form a legal family unit and leave the "marrying" to their church.

If you want to be married, find a church that will do it for you -- that way there would also be no conflicts when your church recognizes your marriage and another does not. Otherwise, stick with your civil union. I also think that neither one should be dependent on the other.

The civil union would give you the legal rights and responsibilities currently offered by civil marriage. And the church wedding would give you the spiritual benefits. I know people (particularly elderly) who would love to get married, but they can't due to economic concerns. But if the two institutions were separate, they could get married "in the eyes of god" and still have the economic autonomy they need.

[zenaby56]

Marriage is a social construct! It has been defined as between a white man and a white woman in the past and any variation was an abomination. It took lots of challenges and resistance to change the social construct of marriage to enable men and women of different races ot marry. Hence moving away from a white supremest construct of marriage. Being homosexual is a part of nature. It is not something that goes against God but something created by God. Why haven't people talked about how we are being challenged to see how we respond with love and compassion to one another and support the right for two people, in loving partnership to enter into a life commitment of marriage? Moving away from a homophobic and hetero sexist view of marriage. A a heterosexual woman, I support the rights of gay and lesbians to have hte same rights as I do, to enter formally into a life commitment of marriage and reap all the legal benefits that might follow with it. Our test by God is not how do we stop Gay and Lesbian form entering into marriage but how we embrace gay and lesbian and support their ability to receive the same rights as everyone in this Nation.

[RW69]

Just talked to my mom last night, she lives in Palm Springs and Mormon and voted for Prop 8. She was raised in the religion and did and does what she is told. You're never supposed to question authority. Anyway, she's mad at herself for voting for it. Before the vote I told her there's nothing wrong with gays wanting to be happy and if marriage helps, then who should care? After the election I tell her that her beloved church deserves the negative attention. It's not that complicated to me( I quit the hate religion)but it is for others in the church. A little cognitive dissonance anyone?
Also, up here in the beautiful state of Utah, there is a lot of news coverage and whenever a Mormon "official" speaks on this, he'll have such a sweet tone. That's how they do, passive aggressive .

[endecott]

The Mormon Church needs to do some soul searching. When its priorities are putting time and effort into removing a groups civil rights , it needs to be asked what really is the Mormon Church about?

[wrathofcon]

Why are you not protesting at black churches? 7 out 10 blacks voted yes on 8...................COWARDS!!!!!!

[mgray80]

Not to mention a majority of hispanic voters in CA; the LDS is a convenient scapegoat, but in reality it was a multifaith effort--- realize that Mormons make up about 2% of California's population, and by the way to set the record straight, the LDS church gave no money directly, it was given from the members themselves - Shut up homosexual BIGOTS!!!!

[endecott]

It is true that other groups including minorities voted for the prop and need to be held accountable. While the Mormon Church gave no money directly , they directly instructed their members to give time, effort and money to pass this proposition that took away a groups civil rights. They were instrumental in getting the prop on the ballot, funding it and Mormons were directly involved in the campaign to get it passed. that is why they are being targeted. they are greatly responsible for the prop 8 and it's passage. This is no secret and on record.They and other churches that preach religious values which are noble really need to look at their actions and the consequences of them. Is this what the Mormon Church wants to be about?

[GoogieBaba]

Stop trying to distract us. We have hell to raise.

[Ohg]

My eighty-five year old mother makes more sense than the educated theologists. The one good thing to come out of this is the exposure of the Mormon Church as one of prejudice and discrimination.

http://thefiresidepost.com/2008/11/02/old-women-talk-politics/

http://thefiresidepost.com/2007/10/10/mormons-the-beginning-theology/

[NWBrunette]

Keep protesting until it's overturned. You can't put unconstitutional crap in to the Constitution.

[nycallen]

it was over 5,000 people, please do some fact checking before publishing. The size of this rally is critical, as several hundred makes everyone think it was a few upset gays. This rally drew everyone, gay, straight, black, white, latino, asian bisexual, Mormon, Christian, Jewish, Muslim Atheist. This is a Civil Rights movement, this is not a gay marriage movement, and you do us all a disservice by minimalizing it as a mere "several hundred."

[endecott]

Even the major networks ABC and NBC on their newscasts said it was 10,000 people. Why is huff post saying a few hundred? Change the story now Huff post, so that it is accurate.

[Jon-Marc]

There were well over 10,000 people there. It was amazing. More pictures as well as video here:
http://rooftopscreaming.blogspot.com/

[Balancement]

Jeebus, we even have to fight HuffPo to get the facts correct. *Sigh*

[erick28]

Thank you Whoopi for the love and support. I just hope you can influence your other co-hosts on the view to share the love.

[jpmdevildog]

The Chaos Cloud kept the peace in Connecticut yesterday as same-sex marriages were made legal:

http://www.weeklyworldnews.com/headlines/chaos-cloud-covers-new-haven/

[jobecky20]

I would be interested to know why Obama doesn't support gay marriage. I guess it's not politically expedient for him to do so. I believe it is a civil rights issue and should not be tied to religious dogma....even atheists get married. Are those marriages invalid too? It's ironic that the Mormon Church would be behind the Prop 8 initiative...they have a history of redefining marriage themselves (one man and many women).

[peggyleg]

The fact that BO doesn't support gay marriage is about the ONLY thing I agree with him on...BO doesn't support gay marriage because of his "morals"...men aren't suppose to marry men and women aren't suppose to marry women...it's that easy...if this were the way it was suppose to be, then it woudn have been like this....also, if this were to be allowed, the human race would cease to exist....think about it...

[blackfriday1978]

I think I finally understand your point... if there is ONLY ONE thing you agree with Obama, that means you agree that we should be in war for another 100 years (puttign ZERO values on human lives), we should let the poor and sick on their own without care and support from the society, we should let the vet (as McCain had voted and Bush proposed) be on their own, we should keep RNC in place, continue to support Anti-Choice, let us continue to arrogantly consume the natural resources without consequence or plan, maybe you are also on the same side as Palin on charging Rape victim for the rape-kit.... Hum... I don't know what kind of religion you are practicing but according to mine, I know for sure where you are going after death - the BIG H...

[Balancement]

Go away--and take your Invisible-Sky-Thingy-in-Charge with you.

You're probably right, though--if gay marriage were allowed, *everybody* would want to do it.

Think about it--if that process is possible for you, that is.

[Pupadup4oBama]

.men aren't suppose to marry men and women aren't suppose to marry women...it's that easy...if this were the way it was suppose to be, then it woudn have been like this"

What kind of logic is this?
Where does it say ANYWHERE that marriage is for a man or a woman...BESIDES these people who are TELLING you it is so.
Do you think people CHOOSE to be gay?
Did you CHOOSE to be heterosexual? (I'm assuming you are by the hateful post you wrote).
One can't choose to be homosexual any more than they can choose the color of their skin. Plus, have you ever thought there is a biological purpose for homosexuality?? Perhaps it's called population control? (then again you probably believe the earth is only 6000 years old and we didn't evolve from apes and creatures from the sea)
Why should marriage be for a man and woman only?
It's certainly not for the sanctity - considering how many divorces there are.
Why can't you just let two people decide what's best for them...why do you care if Adam wants to marry Steve, or Eve wants to marry Lillith?
Get over yourself.

[Krackonis]

Except that animals do it all the time. In Nature. It's NATURAL.

Every single boy has had odd experiences regarding homosexual prepubescent philandering, and every animal. Every girl I know, every single person I know.

So. How can it be unnatural? %3 or more over every mammal is gay. On the planet. Gay Elephants, Gay Porpoises, gay Whales, gay Bears.

Deal with it.

[FearlessFreep]

Obama doesn't support gay marriage because he's a "Split the difference" Democrat. Such people think that if they oppose marriage but call for mere "civil unions" instead they can somehow defuse the issue. Unfortunately, the notion of a "sensible center" on this issue is increasingly laughable: religious bigots simply can't be appeased. Look at the Florida referendum that banned even civil unions. The only way to support the civil rights of gay couples in Florida is by pushing for full marriage rights that have to be recognized in every state.

[equalground]

Obama is an economic liberal and a social conservative. We don't see too many of these. Being an economic liberal and social conservative democrat myself, I am hoping Obama will be able to negotiate the needed compromise on marriage.

So the rumors are true, but the Conservative Republicans and the Liberal Democrats ought not to get too worried or too excited. What they should do is prepare to compromise.

Clinton was an economic conservative and a social liberal. No one had to compromise because Republicans will throw away social conservativism for conservative economics and the Democrats will throw away liberal economics for social liberalism.

We are going to see just how good Obama is over the next eight years, I hope.

[NoFactsJustTruth]

The preznutz might say the religiously bigoted across the nation, "...aren't being allowed to practice their love" (of hating someone).

Just what WILL the bigoted and self-righteous do when eventually they can discriminate against - nobody?