Seattle marriage-equality march/rally: Photos

(added photos at the bottom of this post)
ORIGINAL POST: The march and rally are happening right now, Capitol Hill to downtown, and Slog has coverage — including these overview photos of the march stretching for blocks. We’re hoping for photos later from West Seattleites who are participating. 2:36 PM UPDATE: Cami uploaded this video from the VERY early going, just as the first people were starting to gather at Volunteer Park:

And she sent this photo (thank you!) of organizer Kyler Powell onstage:

Capitol Hill Seattle also has photos (you have to click through them in the box on the left side of the post). ADDED 7:25 PM: Thanks to WSB Forums‘ Zenguy for sharing these photos – the first one shows you the depth of the Volunteer Park crowd (Zenguy says that’s Ron Sims way up at the stage — we’ll take his word for it; the other two pix show the marchers going through downtown):

ADDED LATE SATURDAY NIGHT: Thanks to Cheryl for sharing these photos taken by Greg Martin of her making a sign, and her and her goddaughter with their signs at the rally:

The WSB Forums thread about the event (discussed before and after) is here. ADDED VERY EARLY MONDAY: Just found this post on the Jew-Ish blog, recounting what Rabbi Michael Latz from West Seattle’s Kol HaNeshamah congregation said at the rally.

Melissa November 15, 2008 (4:21 pm)

Such fun! I took the little ‘uns down to the march and it was marvelous! Such joy and love and genuine, sincere, positive feeling. Not angry, but hopeful. I hope the next time I join a group like that it’s to celebrate the redefinition of marriage in this country. We’ll have a civil, federal version of marriage in which one’s sex is immaterial. Then, if one wishes, one may also be married within one’s chosen religious community, according to whatever rules about marriage exist there.

Krystal November 15, 2008 (5:16 pm)

Well put Melissa!

Roger November 15, 2008 (6:47 pm)

Let us hope that discrimination can end and human rights can prevail.
How sad that we can create history by electing Barack Obama and at the same time write discrimination into laws.
With time, perhaps, every human will realize that discrimination based on ignorance, fear, and religious fundamentalism is not in the best interest of humanity.

Meghan November 16, 2008 (8:19 am)

We should all be appalled at what happened in California. Never before in the history of this country has a minority group’s existing civil rights been taken away by a vote of the people. It couldn’t even legally happen in most of the world’s democracies! It is comparable to a particular southern state voting to reinstate slavery after the Civil War! Gay and straights alike must rise up over this and demand that the Supreme Court of California overturn this clearly unconstitutional hate-filled, religion-driven proposition.

snowlion November 16, 2008 (9:23 am)

I was there with my husband and many friends. It was a wonderful atmosphere, and I have never felt safer in a such a large crowd of people. People who didn’t know each other were making jokes and talking, me included. I don’t know if we did any good, but I would rather have spent my day among friends both gay and straight pounding the streets and getting a sore back than sitting on my duff at home. It was a very happy walk, and I was proud to be a part of it. :)

slave? November 16, 2008 (9:38 am)

I totally agree this is discrimination!!! MEGHAN Comparing this to SAVORY is just plain STUPID!!! This is an important fight, when you make comments like that you give amo to the other side.

Apples are Apples Dead people are DEAD people.

grr November 16, 2008 (10:19 am)

It was thrilling to see all those people downtown!!!! Prop 8 is a sad statement to the continued existence of bigotry and fear in this country.
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THAT BEING SAID… Nothing pisses me of more than people shoving signs into a childs hand, when said child OBVIOUSLY has not freakin’ clue about what’s going on.
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you want to go to an adult oriented protest/demonstration regarding adult issues, get a freakin’ baby sitter for the day. I’m THRILLED that many of my gay friends are now able to adopt children and raise their own families, but, realllly…leave the kids out of the public political arena until their REALLY old enough to understand. Keep it to your personal family conversations.

Melissa November 16, 2008 (12:37 pm)

@grrrr
Do you truly not see the difference between “shoving signs into a child[‘]s hand” and exposing a child, or in my case (gasp!) children, to an important dialogue involving real people and a truly monumental civil rights issue? Your children, if you have any, may not understand that your straight friends get to marry in the eyes of the law and your gay friends don’t, but my kids do understand it. And they think it’s wrong. So they went with me.

Stuart November 16, 2008 (12:52 pm)

And, just one more aside about ‘using’ kids…
In CA, many, many, many children were USED by Yes on H8’ers to hold signs at corners. So, I’d rather see kids who are exposed to diversity and love than hate and divisiveness.
I was part of the march yesterday and it was pretty amazing. Plus, the weather could not have been more perfect.

just me November 16, 2008 (2:32 pm)

Dear grr: you mentioned that kids should not be allowed at demonstrations. That’s a statement of “fear and bigotry” in itself. Children are directly affected by this law. They should be there. A family that demonstrates together, stays together!!

grr November 17, 2008 (10:35 am)

yes..I’m sure an 8 year old can grasp the concept… especially being raised in a diverse family situation. Frankly, I find that my gay friends with kids are much better parents than a lot of straight friends :)

however..the 4 year old twins in the stroller with signs wedged in said stroller doesn’t count. That’s what gripes me.

Blob November 17, 2008 (2:38 pm)

And everyone that doesn’t agree with gay marriage is a homophobe and a religous nut, right?

grr November 18, 2008 (8:13 am)

pretty much, blob :)

seriously…anytime I get into this kind of discussion, I’ve yet to find someone who can give me a non-religious/non-fear based reason why gay people should not be able to marry.
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I simply do not see how gay citizens being married has ANY effect whatsoever on society, humanity, or my heterosexual marriage. Same with them adopting kids.
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since, statistically, more than 50% of straight marriages end in divorce, and most gay humans are born out of a heterosexual relationship, I simply see no issue whatsoever. People should marry whomever they wish to make a commitment to, and raise their families like anyone else in this country. (ok..except that drunk jackass that shot his kid while playing with his gun last week….throw away the key and castrate him.)

Sorry, comment time is over.