RALEIGH — More than 1400 people braved Saturday afternoon's rainstorm to take part in what organizers said was the largest rally for gay rights in state history.
The rally held simultaneously in seven other N.C. cities and in all 50 states protested Proposition 8" an amendment to California's constitution passed Nov. 4 that banned same-sex marriage.
The rally was held in front of the Halifax Mall and was followed by a short march around downtown Raleigh.
Participants marched with signs and chanted slogans in support of same-sex marriage.
""No longer will we ask for permission to love or permission to marry. It is our time to ask for equal marriage rights"" said Chapel Hil resident Tom Greene, an organizer of the event. This is the new civil rights movement.""
The Supreme Court of California ruled earlier this year that same-sex marriage was legal in the state"" but Proposition 8 will override that.
The passing of Proposition 8 and numerous other same-sex marriage bans throughout the country has ignited a debate in the N.C. LGBT community on how aggressively to pursue same-sex marriage rights in the state.
Gay rights advocacy group Equality North Carolina thinks anti-discrimination and anti-bullying legislation is likely to pass before same-sex marriage is legalized.
""I think (same-sex) marriage is a few years away in places like North Carolina"" said Ian Palmquist, executive director of Equality North Carolina.
I think we will see progress in basic issues like hate crime legislation at the state level first"" and we intend to focus on those issues first.""
But other activists" galvanized by President-elect Barack Obama's nationwide and N.C. victories don't want to wait to press state legislators on gay marriage.
They want to push for gay marriage within the next decade" ""picking up"" those issues on the way" said Durham resident Will Elliott" one of the organizers of the event.
""I think we've got to go for gay marriage. There's no reason not to set our bar that high" Elliott said. If we say it'll be 20 years out to get gay marriage it will be 20 years out" or maybe we'll never even get there.""
Participants on Saturday expressed a similar sentiment"" saying that North Carolina turning blue indicates the state might be ready to accept same-sex marriage.
""I want us to go for the gold "" said Rita Hernandez, a Raleigh resident who carried a sign saying, I can't believe we're still protesting this …"".
""I worry that" as a movement we don't push for enough quickly enough" she said.
With constitutional bans in Florida and Arkansas passed Nov. 4, North Carolina is now the only state in the Southeast without a ban.
Palmquist attributed that to North Carolina's unique amendment process, which requires that the legislature propose all amendments and then put them up to a vote by the people.
Elliott said the same kind of grassroots movement that helped elect Obama next needs to mobilize in support of gay rights legislation.
This is the new face of what the gay and lesbian equal rights movement is going to be"" Elliott said. Any group involved in legislative action is going to need to adapt and harness this new energy and power.""
Contact the State & National Desk at stntdesk@unc.edu.
N.C. turns out against Prop 8
Raleigh resident Laurie Peterson chants ?Yes" we can!? with other protesters outside the governor?s mansion Saturday.
