Protesting with Slurpies

The Constitutional Convention protest was lack luster this time. First, Equal Marriage was #20 on the docket of questions the Legislators were considering. At the end of the day, they had not even come close to our issue. In addition, we were not allowed to protest inside the State House; we could outdoors on the street. The opponents to Equal Marriage were on the other side of the street. They chanted to drums and tambourines. We did not have any clear leaders leading the chanting/singing throughout much of the day. Finally, it wasn’t as pressing an issue as it was last time. The protest just wasn’t as heated or impassioned as previous protests at the State House. I really did not feel like I was making a difference standing there, chanting. The sense of urgency and necessity were missing, so much that my protest friend and I went to 7-11 and got slurpies in mid-morning because it was wicked hot, a scorcher, and we were melting.

The other side had many interesting signs. One of the signs I loved said “No Special Rights for Sodomites.” Don’t they realize that gay men are not the only ones who engage in sodomy? I have had so many female friends whose boyfriends ask them to do anal sex. And what is anal sex but sodomy? Another sign I particularly enjoyed said “What About Our Rights.” Now tell me, for I could have missed something, how are heterosexual marriage rights impacted by Equal Marriage? I mean seriously, get a grip! Another fun thing I watched was this woman who was holding a sign with a man and a woman drawn on it. As she chanted “One man, one woman, let the people vote,” she would point to the drawings as if to illustrate her point to very young children. But my very favorite thing the other side did was fly a big red balloon that said “Jesus is Lord.” Now if that does not scream “Don’t take me seriously,” I don’t know what does.

At previous protests, the religious anti-gay epitaphs took a toll on me. I would leave there feeling my spirituality slightly shaken and my heart so heavy. This time, the other side was much tamer and not so hateful. But the presence of all the GLBT and supporting religious leaders had a fortifying presence on me. I spoke with the priest who married AJWP and I as well as a fierce ally from a Worcester church near our home. I am heartened by the many allies and brave GLBT people who came to the protest. We stayed into the evening when the other side left as the oppressive heat turned to downpours.

The fact they did not get to Equal Marriage was good because it was put off the debate until after the November elections. That gives us time to get the people who do not support Equal Marriage, like my representative, out of office.