Changing my mind

So I have revised my thinking since this post when I claimed that protesting the passage of Prop 8 was not going to change anyone's mind. Today was a national day of protest, and the thing that was really fabulous about it is that the protests were everywhere. It wasn't just us left coast weirdos. It was, I think, a chance for people all over the country to "come out of the closet" -- as supportive of gays and lesbians whether or not they are gay themselves.

This picture is from a protest in Grand Forks,ND. North Dakota!

All day Andrew Sullivan has been publishing "The View from your Protest" from all over the U.S.--a great range of sizes and events, but from all parts of the U.S. Here's his post from the Grand Forks protest:

A reader writes:

Here in Grand Forks, ND, about 75 protesters gathered in from of the City Hall and then marched to the Town Square. The turnout was thrilling, but more encouraging were the passersby. College-aged men in pickup trucks pumping fists and flashing peace signs. Women reaching over from passenger seats and honking their husbands' horns. Elderly folks smiling and waving. Not a single person yelled anything out of a car window. Come to think of it, I only saw one middle finger the whole day!

I'm a politically active 25 year-old law student, and I really do think--at least it feels like--this is our generation's Stonewall.

When Stonewalls are happening in North Dakota, it's more than Stonewall. It's the Awakening. The Mormon campaign to void our civil marriages woke us up. Thanks, LDS! Sometimes, you have to see the bigotry in front of you before you realize you have to overcome it.

Kudos to the people who whipped up the support and the activities that allowed these peaceful protests to emerge all over the nation. That being said, I do think the action needs to continue, that a day of protest is only the beginning. And I look forward to seeing where we go from here.