DISQUS

rdm24 · 1 year ago

Long Beach, you really came out for us tonight! The police say 2000 showed up, but may have been twice that. I heard shouts and rallies deep into the night (3 am), well after the police say the crowds "dispersed."

We may have been bigger than WEHO's protest on sunday, and definitely more mixed--lots of straight people there last night.

Long Beach, I've never been prouder.

Daniel de Boom · 1 year ago

It was an amazing night!

DWR · 1 year ago

While walking my dog in the vicinity of the protest route last evening, I overheard this remark from a 30-ish y.o. guy who was holding a "NO on Prop. 8" campaign sign:

"THIS IS THE LAMEST PROTEST I'VE EVER BEEN TO"

It confirms my long-held belief that for many demonstrators, noisy distruptive street protests are more about "partying in the street" than expressing political convictions.

rdm24 · 1 year ago

That must have been some other protest. This was one of the most awesome I've been to.
I didn't see any partying in the street at all.

DWR · 1 year ago

Of course it was the same protest. I overheard that person make his "lamest protest" remark to three others while they were standing at the corner of Broadway and Hermosa.

"Partying in the street" meant many demonstrators are protesting and marching more for the "fun of it" and less for any political convictions. Yelling, screaming and car horns blaring at 3 A.M., hours after the permitted march officially ended, plus all the Broadway bars that were likely packed with drunken -- and high--revelers is evidence that many are in it more for the "party".

Years ago, a gay former friend once remarked how the stuggle was more "fun" in the 80s and early 90s when AIDS was ravaging your community and raucous street demonstrations were more commonplace. He always whined about not having equal rights and benefits, yet ironically, he seemed to prefer the battle never end because it was just more "fun' that way.

rdm24 · 1 year ago

I hardly thing people were there just for the "fun" of it. They were there because they were angry. They were there because they needed to support each other after being so cruelly attacked by the majority of the state.

If you saw a party, you were clearly not at the same protest.

I can see why your gay friends are now "former" friends.

DWR · 1 year ago

It was clearly the same protest, regardless of your denial. You are angry because a democratic election result didn't go your way. You were not "cruelly attacked" by a majority of the state. A majority of the electorate voted YES over your NO, and your response is to behave like sore-losing drama queens.

As for that gay "former" friend, I ditched him as a friend -- not the other way around as you are thinking -- because he was immature in his general thinking (not just his "gay thinking") and refused to take responsibility for his poor life choices.

rdm24 · 1 year ago

And have you made any gay friends since? Or have you made too many poor life choices?

DWR · 1 year ago

Your questions are irrelevant but I'll answer this one time: YES and NO, respectively. End of Q/A period.

Anneliese Stewart · 1 year ago

I was arrested in this protest along with about 15-20 other people. I was standing on a public sidewalk at the corner of Redondo and 3rd with one other friend when we were rushed by riot cops and thrown in jail. I was arrested around 10:45 Friday and wasn't released until 5 p.m. Saturday. Do I not have the right to a peaceful protest under the first amendment or are all of our rights being thrown out the window?