Participating in History

This weekend I got to go out and do something historical. Me and my best friend, Natalie, participated in a rally to support the defeat of Proposition 8, the California initiative that would eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry. I've always believed that in order for change to come about, people need to step up to the plate and do more than just talk about change, and this weekend I got to put my money where my mouth is.

It was the coolest experience being part of the rally. Our rally was held on all four corners of the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Hyperion Avenue in Silver Lake. When we first got there, there weren't all that many people around, but there were some who already had their signs and were holding them up as cars went by. We got our signs, chose our corner and got to work. We had been told to ignore the people who tried to confront us or yell at us. Surprisingly, there wasn't a whole lot of that going on. I would say that an overwhelming majority of the people driving by -- at least 65 to 70 percent of them -- were honking in our favor. Tons of people drove by giving up the "thumbs up" sign or shaking their fists in show of support. There were all types of people -- Latino families, straight couples, gay couples, single folk... everyone was out and showing their support. Lots of people walking by decided to grab a sign and join us.

Natalie and me had smoked a little weed before we got there, so were were a little stoned, which made the whole thing kind of surreal, but we were definitely present in the moment and having lots of fun. It was just an amazing feeling to see all the support and to audibly hear it in those horns honking, which is usually a sound I can't stand. But yesterday, it was a beautiful sound. I guess you could say that since Silver Lake is a pretty progressive neighborhood, it was no surprise that mostly everyone was beeping in support of our cause, but then again, as I've found out all too recently, you can never be too sure about who's on your side. When people who claim to be great friends tell you they are voting to eliminate your rights, it's a bit discouraging. But getting out into the streets and helping to promote the message of equality for all really brought my spirits up.

I had just received my new Flip camera in the mail the day before, so I shot some video of the rally. It's not the greatest, and I come off like a total dork in the video, but oh well, you can check it out below if you want. Don't forget to get out there yourself and vote NO on Prop 8, and do something to ensure that inequality is not a legacy that our children will have to atone for.