This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/mar/26/gay-marriage-rally-supreme-court
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Gay marriage hearing draws thousands to rally on steps of US supreme court | Gay marriage hearing draws thousands to rally on steps of US supreme court |
| (8 days later) | |
| As the justices and lawyers played out the arguments for and against same-sex marriage inside the supreme court on Tuesday morning, the atmosphere outside was more celebratory. With music pumping from a makeshift stage and warm spring sunshine beating down, supporters of marriage equality, who had been gathered there since before 8am, were determined to make the day a party. | As the justices and lawyers played out the arguments for and against same-sex marriage inside the supreme court on Tuesday morning, the atmosphere outside was more celebratory. With music pumping from a makeshift stage and warm spring sunshine beating down, supporters of marriage equality, who had been gathered there since before 8am, were determined to make the day a party. |
| In among the rainbow flags and printed "momentum is growing" signage handed out by organisers, a number of supporters had brought touching handwritten tributes. "My family," said a sign written by one young woman, with stick pictures of "Mom #1, Mom #2, my sister, me". It added: "How could this be wrong?" | In among the rainbow flags and printed "momentum is growing" signage handed out by organisers, a number of supporters had brought touching handwritten tributes. "My family," said a sign written by one young woman, with stick pictures of "Mom #1, Mom #2, my sister, me". It added: "How could this be wrong?" |
| Kathy Stickel's sign was simpler, but equally persuasive. It said: "let love win." | Kathy Stickel's sign was simpler, but equally persuasive. It said: "let love win." |
| Stickel, 40, said she was a teacher at a Mormon seminary in California when Prop 8 passed. The church's opposition to the ban being repealed led her to leave the Mormon faith, and California not long after, but she said attitudes were changing. | Stickel, 40, said she was a teacher at a Mormon seminary in California when Prop 8 passed. The church's opposition to the ban being repealed led her to leave the Mormon faith, and California not long after, but she said attitudes were changing. |
| "Yesterday and today I had so many people who donated to Prop 8 wish me luck on this," she said. "It's been wonderful to see them come round." | "Yesterday and today I had so many people who donated to Prop 8 wish me luck on this," she said. "It's been wonderful to see them come round." |
| One man getting a lot of attention – "Did you see the guy with the Harry Potter sign?" was a popular refrain – was Rafael Petry, 26. He lives in New York City and carried a handmade, multi-coloured sign that bore the words: "Don't tread on Dumbledore's rights." | One man getting a lot of attention – "Did you see the guy with the Harry Potter sign?" was a popular refrain – was Rafael Petry, 26. He lives in New York City and carried a handmade, multi-coloured sign that bore the words: "Don't tread on Dumbledore's rights." |
| "After the series was over JK Rowling gave an interview saying that Dumbledore is actually gay," Petry explained. | "After the series was over JK Rowling gave an interview saying that Dumbledore is actually gay," Petry explained. |
| "I think that using the reference and the humour would attract people's attention to the fact that we should all have the same rights, we should all be equal. And Dumbledore is not the normal stereotypical vision that people have of what a gay person is, and I wanted to attract attention to that diversity in the gay community as well." | "I think that using the reference and the humour would attract people's attention to the fact that we should all have the same rights, we should all be equal. And Dumbledore is not the normal stereotypical vision that people have of what a gay person is, and I wanted to attract attention to that diversity in the gay community as well." |
| Early on, opponents of same sex marriage were represented only by a small number of Westboro baptist church members – the incendiary church who attend gay rights demonstrations with offensive signs. Westboro were well received, with one woman and her "Fags are beasts" sign proving a particular draw as a number of gay activists lined up to have their picture taken with her. | Early on, opponents of same sex marriage were represented only by a small number of Westboro baptist church members – the incendiary church who attend gay rights demonstrations with offensive signs. Westboro were well received, with one woman and her "Fags are beasts" sign proving a particular draw as a number of gay activists lined up to have their picture taken with her. |
| A more organised anti-gay marriage effort was mounted by a number of faith organisations who gathered near the supreme court and marched past the marriage equality supporters in a good-natured, if ostentatious, protest. | A more organised anti-gay marriage effort was mounted by a number of faith organisations who gathered near the supreme court and marched past the marriage equality supporters in a good-natured, if ostentatious, protest. |
| A marching band thumped out the US national anthem beneath a banner reading: "The Supreme Court must respect natural law, same sex 'marriage' is not marriage," before four pied pipers – in kilts and bear skin hats – briefly blasted out a tune. | A marching band thumped out the US national anthem beneath a banner reading: "The Supreme Court must respect natural law, same sex 'marriage' is not marriage," before four pied pipers – in kilts and bear skin hats – briefly blasted out a tune. |
| Colleen Barry was among the 300 or so opponents of same-sex marriage carrying red printed signs that said: "every child deserves a mom and dad!" | Colleen Barry was among the 300 or so opponents of same-sex marriage carrying red printed signs that said: "every child deserves a mom and dad!" |
| "I believe in this," said Barry. "That's nature, children deserve a mom and a dad. It's the only way they even exist, so it's not really a debatable thing," she said. "We're only here because of an egg and a sperm, and so that's just the way it is, you can't change nature. So basically children deserve a mum and a dad, it's only right." | "I believe in this," said Barry. "That's nature, children deserve a mom and a dad. It's the only way they even exist, so it's not really a debatable thing," she said. "We're only here because of an egg and a sperm, and so that's just the way it is, you can't change nature. So basically children deserve a mum and a dad, it's only right." |
| Barry said "people who choose to be gay and lesbian do not have the right to tell us what marriage means". | Barry said "people who choose to be gay and lesbian do not have the right to tell us what marriage means". |
| A man dressed as Captain America, struggling to hold onto a large US flag in the breeze, said he was "taking on the enemies of freedom and liberty". The man, who declined to give his name, described those enemies as "anybody that wants to take family values, Christian values, the American constitution in this country straight down the toilet". | A man dressed as Captain America, struggling to hold onto a large US flag in the breeze, said he was "taking on the enemies of freedom and liberty". The man, who declined to give his name, described those enemies as "anybody that wants to take family values, Christian values, the American constitution in this country straight down the toilet". |
| Asked if liberty should not involve the freedom for gay people to get married, Captain America said: "In my life I've had five or six or seven problems with gay people just bothering me and not leaving me alone. | Asked if liberty should not involve the freedom for gay people to get married, Captain America said: "In my life I've had five or six or seven problems with gay people just bothering me and not leaving me alone. |
| "I'm a father of four, I've got to do something. I've got to put my foot down. America has to stand for something or we stand for nothing. That's just the basic facts." He declined to give details about the incidents in question. | "I'm a father of four, I've got to do something. I've got to put my foot down. America has to stand for something or we stand for nothing. That's just the basic facts." He declined to give details about the incidents in question. |
| Same-sex marriage supporters responded amicably as the opponents marched past. Many "photo-bombed" their opponents: rainbow-clad individuals leaped into the foreground as marriage equality opponents lined up snapshots. | Same-sex marriage supporters responded amicably as the opponents marched past. Many "photo-bombed" their opponents: rainbow-clad individuals leaped into the foreground as marriage equality opponents lined up snapshots. |
| Not all people of faith at the supreme court were there to oppose gay marriage. A number supporters wore dog collars, while one woman carried a banner reading: "Jesus had two dads". | Not all people of faith at the supreme court were there to oppose gay marriage. A number supporters wore dog collars, while one woman carried a banner reading: "Jesus had two dads". |
| Buz Baetz, from Monkton, Maryland, carried a handwritten sign – red and black capital letters on a white background – which said: "We are the Catholics who believe in equal rights for all god's people!" | Buz Baetz, from Monkton, Maryland, carried a handwritten sign – red and black capital letters on a white background – which said: "We are the Catholics who believe in equal rights for all god's people!" |
| Baetz was accompanied by his wife, Jackie Baetz. She said their daughter, Raquel, was gay, and the couple would like her to be able to marry her partner in the US. As the Guardian spoke to the couple the opponents of same-sex marriage marched past, some shouting: "One man, one woman," but Buz Baetz said the response to their sign had been positive. | Baetz was accompanied by his wife, Jackie Baetz. She said their daughter, Raquel, was gay, and the couple would like her to be able to marry her partner in the US. As the Guardian spoke to the couple the opponents of same-sex marriage marched past, some shouting: "One man, one woman," but Buz Baetz said the response to their sign had been positive. |
| "Everybody has just been great, even the people who don't see it our way," he said. "Hopefully we can get the other people to realise the error of their ways and understand that equal rights should be for everyone." | "Everybody has just been great, even the people who don't see it our way," he said. "Hopefully we can get the other people to realise the error of their ways and understand that equal rights should be for everyone." |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. Enter your email address to subscribe. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. Enter your email address to subscribe. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox every weekday. |