On Thursday, about 1,000 gay-marriage supporters demonstrated outside the LDS Church's Los Angeles Temple. Even more are expected tonight outside the Salt Lake Temple and the church's world headquarters.
At 6 p.m., protesters plan to gather at City Creek Park on the corner of North Temple and State Street. The three openly gay members of the Utah Legislature — Scott McCoy, D-Salt Lake; Christine Johnson, D-Salt Lake; and Jackie Biskupski, D-Salt Lake — are expected to address the crowd, as is human-rights activist and former Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson.
After an hour-long rally, the group plans to march around the two city blocks surrounding Temple Square and The Church Office Building — "until we're cold, tired and hungry," Whipple said.
The passage of Proposition 8 has energized the gay community, he said.
"We need to use this momentum and stand up for our rights," Whipple said.
Salt Lake City police plan to have extra officers patrolling the area, including 10 motor cops to help keep traffic flowing and to make sure people cross the street safely, said spokeswoman Lara Jones. Extra officers will be called for traffic control as needed.
This is amazing and appalling to me that these groups can be out in front of the Mormon Church waiving signs like "Mormons go to hell". This kind of practice should be banned from all aspects of protest. It is no different than the persecution of Jews in Germany from the Nazi’s of the 1930’s and forties.
If this was happening in front of a Jewish temple, the backlash would be great from the Jewish community as well as the government and ACLU...I can't believe what I am witnessing...It is shameful to be true and a sad day in US history. The democratic process is in place to govern our lands…it was followed and now the loser of the process wants to challenge its validity? WOW…this can’t be happening!!!
I had to go through all of this to include signs being stolen and my house being egged, just to define the word marriage. It has been decided…go find your own word if you don’t like Domestic Partners…change that…but don’t try to vilify and intimidate African Americans and Mormons and Christians just because your side was able to raise more money than the Yes side…and you still were not able to get the job done…it is the process…work within the process. Quit trying to change the process just because it does not suit your agenda.
Domestic partners have the same rights in CA (Still, even after the vote) as married couples. They can file a joint tax return; get dependant health care from their employer, visitation in the hospitals and inheritance.
I am Catholic and I don’t particularly agree with all aspects of the Mormon Church, but I thank them for their support and I stand with them as all religious groups should in this time of outlandish acts or hate and deceit.
“The right to amend California’s constitution is not granted to the People, it reserved by the People” (Andrew Pugno).
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This is just sad. I am a Mormon in the Los Angeles area and am tired of the juvenile behavior of a group that lost prop 8. They didn't win so they think they can turn their childish ways on the Mormon church. Guess what, I stood on the corner with yes on prop 8 signs, called to get supporters, and volunteered my time where I could. All of the time getting screamed at, flipped off and told I was going to hell. If the no group thinks acting out after the fact is going to change anything they have another thing coming. I stood then and I will stand now in support of prop 8. I know that I am not alone. I am not a bigot, I just know those that don't know history are doomed to repeat it. Personally I have no intention of repeating Sodom and Gomorrah if I can stop it.
My own cousin and his wife are joining in the protest - her best friend is gay, so I'm pretty sure that's why they're in. It's so disappointing - they're like, "You don't understand." Well, I understand that it's one thing to say you follow the prophet and another thing to do it. In my opinion, any members who go out and picket the temple had better be willing to surrender their recommends to enter therein, because they've just opted to turn their backs on sustaining the prophet, and they'd be hypocrites if they try to enter a temple again unless they do some repenting. And I don't mean to be judgmental or to be self-righteous - but that's just the fact of the matter.
I, for one, will stand with my leaders and my faith.
Phew! He was just teasing me about going. So. Not. Funny.
But I know there will be a lot of members there, and I stick with what I said.
Christa, my friend and I were talking about this phenomenon today. There are plenty of scientific, biological, cultural and social arguments to back up traditional marriage-- but number 1 for me (because I believe in God and divine marriage) is the spiritual.
I love the statement the church sent out the other day. Amid all the chaos, and the hate-- their response, is collected, rational, kind and unemotional. It extends the hand of friendship to everyone. Sincerely.
But when the church publicly thanked everyone who helped the effort, I am happy I stood on the corner with a sign (hypothetically of course, since I'm out of state).
I can understand how people can disagree, but I don't understand how members of the LDS church, knowing the holiness of temples, can stand outside the gates contributing to hate and bigotry. (real bigotry).
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