L.A. Temple to close because of No on 8 protest

The ever-awesome Dan just emailed me to spread the word that the Los Angeles Temple will be closed tonight because of a gay-marriage demonstration that is expected to draw 5,000 protestors.

The L.A. Times confirms Dan's email, with the LAPD vowing to be prepared:

More than 3,000 protesters marched near the landmark Los Angeles California Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Westwood today to protest the church's strong support for Proposition 8. Santa Monica Boulevard is closed and nearby traffic is gridlocked.

Opponents of Proposition 8, which outlawed gay marriage in California, were waving banners and chanting. A similar protests occurred on Wednesday night in Hollywood and West Hollywood.

Los Angeles Police Department officials say they won't be caught off-guard as they were last night, when they were required to call a tactical alert after a few members of the mostly peaceful crowd got out of hand. The protest is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. off Santa Monica Boulevard.

In the wake of the passage of the state proposition banning gay marriage, Wednesday night saw thousands protest in West Hollywood and Hollywood, forcing police to shut down some streets and the LAPD to call a citywide tactical alert that required officers from one watch to stay on duty during the next watch.

At least seven people were arrested, four at the intersection of Hollywood and Highland, where one man jumped on top of a police car. Television cameras captured one protester struggling with officers and being struck on the legs by batons.

The Mormon temple is apparently being targeted because of church members' funding and support of the proposition.

This article from LA Weekly tells about a protest from last night.

The voters of California spoke. We all hit the polls - gay and straight, Mormon and atheist. This isn't Utah - Latter-day Saints in no way constitute a majority in the state!

Funny how easily and quickly people point fingers at the Mormons. They forget that Saddleback Church's pastor Rick Warren urged the congregation of his mega-church to vote Yes on 8. (And as any Latter-day Saint in south Orange County can tell you, Saddleback doesn't exactly like the LDS Church!) The Latino population that presumably turned out in droves to vote for Obama also tends to be Catholic, and the Catholic church came out equally strongly in favor of Prop. 8. Look at CNN's exit polls - it speaks for itself.

A Christian colleague of mine told me that his church was urged on Sunday to vote Yes on 8 as well because they believe in the Bible, and the Bible clearly defines marriage as a God-ordained institution between man and woman.

Targeting the temple is like targeting my home - it's personal.

For Latter-day Saints, the temple is the most holy place on this earth next to the home. It is a place of peace and refuge - not of anger, hatred or violence.

I, for one, will be spending my evening at the temple in Newport Beach, head held high, hoping there's not a protest to be faced there.

People have their right to protest, and I can appreciate that, but that doesn't mean I think it's the right way to handle things. To me, it's like a spoiled brat saying "not fair, not fair!" If you want gay marriage, fine - take it to the polls for the vox populi, not to the courts. You have every right to make it a ballot option.

Even in an election with a ridiculously skewed media and even a biased wording within the ballot, Prop. 8 passed - "whether you like it or not," as Gavin Newsome said.

For more information go to http://whatisprop8.com