Gay Marriage Rally in San Francisco Draws Thousands

Just got back from the big gay marriage rally that started in Ciciv Center at the steps of City Hall, and ended at Yerba Buena Park in SOMA.  Several thousand people showed up starting at 5 PM for stirring speeches from city officials, clergy, and gay and lesbian couples. Several Prop 8 supporters heckeled the proceedings, but were roundly ignored.  One guy was so brazen as to stand in the middle of the steps holding a sign that said "Pow [sic] to the voters - we did it! Stop the sinners."  He tried to hold his sign up in front of the podium, but four or five ouf our folks held their signs up in front of his.  After 15 or 20 minutes, the cops stepped in and escorted him away from the rally. After the initial rally, the crowd, which reached from the steps halfway back into the plaza, started off past the courthouse (double barricaded and fronted by 20 or 30 cops side by side, as if we'd try to overrun the court), and down to Market Street, where we filled the whole street, side to side, for blocks - it was like Pride in reverse. Hundreds of onlookers lined up along the streets to watch us march by, many shouting words of encouragement or giving us the thumbs up. We ended at Yerba Buena, not far from the MLK monument, where there were more speeches, songs, and some couples dancing at the end.  It was a good end to a sad day... happy that we're still married, devastated that the Court affirmed the hateful Prop 8, comforted by being among friends.