Opponents Of Gay Marriage Rally At Safeco Field (Seattle)

[jsw_81]

SEATTLE - Hundreds of pro-gay protesters tried to shout down religious leaders speaking against gay marriage to a crowd of thousands gathered at Seattle's baseball stadium Saturday.

Protesters gathered in the stands after chanting and waving signs at participants as they arrived for the rally at Safeco Field.

About 20,000 to 25,000 people attended the "Mayday for Marriage" worship service and rally, organized by conservative Christian churches around the state in support of traditional marriage.

"This is a place where we're taking a stand," James Dobson, founder of the evangelical Christian group Focus on the Family, told the crowd. "If this (gay marriage) happens, the culture war is over and everything associated with it is lost."

As participants arrived in busloads, they had to walk between sign-carrying protesters lining the sidewalk outside the stadium in this liberal city.

Gay rights protesters showed up outside the stadium, waving signs and chanting, "Bigots go home!" as they marched. Police estimated the crowd at between 2,500 and 3,000 at its height. A 60-piece marching band performed and passing cars honked in support.

http://www.komo4.com/stories/31038.htm

[DS1]

1. Um, do these people think gay people won't have sex until they're married?

What difference does gay marriage make, and what culture war? I really don't understand these people.

[soleft]

2. I wonder if this will get more coverage than the March 4 Womens Lives?

[murielm99]

3. It already has! It was all over the networks tonite. n/t

[Maat]

4. I'll tell you what difference it makes.

I believe that George W. Bush and the Religious Right-Extremists have a symbiotic relationship. He gets elected to office because they whip up their followers to vote, and their money-political-power machine grinds and grinds, and a few religious leaders (extremist leaders) become very rich. eor.

Anyway, I hate anti-gay rhetoric and want to support my LGBT friends as much as possible.

[Kipepeo]

5. You're right

Gay hate is the new republican Southern Strategy (obviously not limited to the south). I actually read an article the other day claiming that Bush is making "inroads" in the Muslim community and winning votes because of his position on gay marriage.

It baffles me that people aren't so easily forget or don't realize that discrimination = discrimination and that tactics used against others today are the tactics used against you yesterday and that group over there tomorrow.

I think if there's something good to come out of the mayday for marriage bullshit it's that Seattle residents were able to pull together so many counter-protesters at the last minute. I've seen estimates from 1,500 - 3,000. The fact that so many people showed up on short notice to say basically, 'you can't bring that shit to Seattle unnoticed,' makes me happy.

[sally343434]

6. In a publicly funded stadium, no less

Safeco field was built for a Micro$osft billionaire. Of course, he wanted the public to pay for it. There was an election on the matter, and the billionaire-welfare package was defeated.

Regardless, the State of Washington funded it with public money anyway, against the expressed will of the voters. Silly me, I keep forgetting we live in a plutocracy, and our billionaires can't afford to pay for their own playthings.

So now we have a publicly funded hate rally. Wonderful.

[daleo]

7. Dollars to dough nuts

That the torturers who forced Iraqi prisoners into (allegedly) simulated homosexual acts were also good right wingers, who would be appalled at the idea of gay marriage.

[jsw_81]

8. Some pics from the rally:

Talibornagains singing praise to their right-wing Republican god

http://accuweather.ap.org:80/apdbs/Intl_Photos/views/mini/7263/7263344.jpg

Gays and lesbians confront the "pro-family" lunatics

http://accuweather.ap.org:80/apdbs/Intl_Photos/views/mini/7263/7263331.jpg

More

http://accuweather.ap.org:80/apdbs/Intl_Photos/views/mini/7263/7263464.jpg

[xchrom]

9. i don't have the greatest eyes

but i think some friends of mine are in one of the picture -- and not one of the talibornagains either.