Posted on 11/05/2008 10:28:47 AM PST by SmithL
SAN FRANCISCO — While this city is known as the epicenter of the gay rights movement, the Castro has been its hypocenter — the origin of the explosion. And Tuesday night was no exception.
As results rolled in for Proposition 8, which would amend the California constitution to prevent same-sex couples from marrying, part of Castro Street was transformed into an election dance party, complete with thumping music, colored lights and thousands of energized voters.
But it was unclear what, in the end, they would be celebrating. The race was tight. With a little more than a third of precincts reporting, Proposition 8 was passing.
"This neighborhood is going to riot or party," said Jason Kauffman, a 37-year-old medical student and San Francisco resident.
Kauffman huddled with a couple dozen revelers outside Harvey's in the heart of the Castro to celebrate Barrack Obama's victory. Fueled by a pervasive appreciation for the presidential election's outcome, chants shifted from "Go Bama!" to "No on 8!"
After Obama's speech, which elicited a brief respite from the honking, whistling and screaming, police shut down traffic on the block, and the jubilant group swelled to a crowd of thousands.
Luke Bellandi, 29, a software engineer from San Francisco, said he hoped Proposition 8 would be struck down, partly because San Francisco tends to lead trends throughout the country.
"This will be a bell weather for other states," he said, anxiously awaiting results on Castro and 18th streets.
The official No on 8 election party was held at the Westin St. Francis on Union Square, where San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, a longtime proponent of same-sex marriage, was in attendance.
In Danville, Mayor Candace Andersen, the only Bay Area city official to endorse Prop. 8, was pleased with the results so far.
"I'm not surprised," she said. "I'm delighted but not surprised."
Andersen said she believed in domestic partnerships but not same-sex marriage.
In Oakland, Dick Hague, 77, sat with a friend watching election returns in the residents' lounge at Barbary Lane, an assisted living apartment building for LGBT seniors near Lake Merritt. Outside, there was cheering in the streets as Obama became the president-elect of the United States of America.
It was a bittersweet moment of sorts for Hague, whose elation for Obama's win was tempered by concern over Proposition 8.
"My partner, Otto Bremerman, died a year ago. If he were still alive, we would be married today," Hague said, noting he and Bremerman had been together for 48 years. "Regardless of what the proponents of Proposition 8 say, it's really a civil rights issue. There's no doubt in my mind about that."
"But even if we lose on Proposition 8, you have to recognize that the direction of history is going toward greater civil rights for people, greater equality," he added. "Losing on Prop. 8 would be a setback, but it's not going to change the trend."
When the upstate New York native came to the Bay Area in the mid-1950s after fighting in Korea, "you could not be out gay and keep your job," Hague said. "In fact you couldn't even be 'obvious,' as they used to say. So we've come a long way.
"Just consider what would've happened if you'd suggested back then that an African-American would become president. "You know what kind of answer you would've gotten: 'Never.' "
Staff writer Josh Richman contributed to this report.
Prop 8 finally passed, correct?
For the political left, the Constitution is simply a menu to pick and choose what you want or don’t want.
You are not breaking the law if you don’t believe in the law.
They will not stop.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Which side did you fight for,Mrs Hague? As if I had to ask.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
turd burglars go unmasked.
Yeah, but no one is willing to call it yet. Meanwhile: SF City Attorney to file legal challenge to Prop 8
It passed (along with the other Gay Marriage bans in other states).
But remember, when the left doesn’t get its way, it’ll go to the courts. The good news is, this is a change of the California State Constitution. State Judge can’t overturn it.
It’s the Obama court we should be concerned about.
Maybe they are cheering the fact that Prop 22 got over 60% of the vote and Prop 8 only a little over 50%. The indoctrination and propaganda they have been pushing is apparently making a dent in people's moral compasses.
To a Conservative, The Constitution is a manual. To a liberal, It's an impediment.
Owl_Eagle
”You know, I'm going to start thanking
the woman who cleans the restroom in
the building I work in. I'm going to start
thinking of her as a human being”
You know what is truly pathetic about this?
A prop passed in FL big, while Mc lost there and passed narrowly while Mc lost there also.
Yet...did we see Mc out there pressing for passage or hitching his campaign to these propositions? Nope.
I know he was “sort of” for the state measures, but with these numbers, he should have been beating that drum. What would that have cost him?
I hear they voted down renaming the sewage plant after Dubya. I don’t suppose they’d go for renaming the SFPD range after Dan White, would they?
(No! BAD Rich! (What’d I say?)
Now that “Castro” was mentioned, here is a video of Obama and some of his foriegn supporters.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nligvgv3Rfw
Last night here in FRisco there were helicopters circling overhead and people howling drunkenly in the streets until 3:00 AM as it was. Had the Blessing of Buggery succeeded there’s no telling what might have transpired on the streets and in the alleyways of our fair city!
I know he was “sort of” for the state measures, but with these numbers, he should have been beating that drum. What would that have cost him?
His "honor".
Even if it DID pass, it’s just going to be litigated all the way to the Supremes. THAT’S why it was important for Obama NOT to be elected, but folks couldn’t seem to see beyond their white guilt to realize that. Here’s hoping they’ll have assuaged that guilt, and start fighting against him when he starts doing the things he said he wanted to do, but that they didn’t really think he meant.
I think we have the votes on the Supremes ...for now...That is if Kennedy doesn’t “grow” more.
“Castro Street was transformed into an election dance party, complete with thumping music, colored lights and thousands of energized voters.”
And who always has to pick up the bill for this raunchy deathstyle and the devastating cost of AID? ... We do, the taxpayer.
“Castro Street was transformed into an election dance party, complete with thumping music, colored lights and thousands of energized voters.”
And who always has to pick up the bill for this raunchy deathstyle and the devastating cost of AIDS? ... We do, the taxpayer.
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