Personal Accounts from Join the Impact

First off, some video footage from the rally in Mississippi — special thanks to ostinsfriend for sharing this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiSj1YW_E8Q

A reader of Andrew Sullivan’s The Daily Dish wrote:

I’m not gay. I don’t have gay friends or family. This isn’t about homosexuality. This is about civil rights.

I attended the rally in Portland, ME (no pictures, sorry) with my wife and 4 year old son. A lovely older gay woman in the crowd thanked me for coming, and I thanked her right back. I don’t support gay marriage as a favor to gays, and I’m not owned anything for fighting discrimination. We don’t–we shouldn’t–need to rely on gays, on friends and families of gays, to ensure equal rights for all Americans.

I’ve got no special affinity for the gay community, but I’m an American and a patriot: I’ve got a special affinity for my fellow Americans. I’ll be damned if I acquiesce to such shameful hate and discrimination.

There have been many stories in the media about the protests this weekend, but I’ve found the reports from protesters themselves to be far more intriguing. To that end, click on for links to photos, video, and personal accounts from all over the world.

In photos: Join the Impact – San Jose

Flickr photo set: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pin/sets/72157609151275104/

In sum: Amazing. We can choose to look back and wonder what might have been if this sort of positive spirit and energy was present prior to the election, but it doesn’t matter now. This was what the movement needed. This was what got myself — a straight male in college — to push my peers to stand up and rally alongside the LGBT community. They might have won a sentence last week, but we ended up winning so much more.

This isn’t just California’s fight, anymore. This is for everyone that supports civil rights, and you all came out in astounding numbers. It might not seem like it now, but we’re that much closer to achieving marriage equality for all. A very special thank you to everyone that took part.

Saturday 11/15: Join the Impact *INTERNATIONAL*

Date: Saturday, November 15
Time: Unknown — contact your local organizer
Location: Varies — see support page
Support page: http://jointheimpact.wetpaint.com/page/International

As of today, the Join the Impact protests are now international events. Areas listed so far include the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Australia, The Netherlands, Puerto Rico, Portugal, Japan, Hong Kong, and Belgium.

Note that information is limited at this time, and is subject to drastic changes over the next 24-48 hours. For the most updated news on the international protests, please visit the support page.

Saturday 11/15: Reno Protest at 5:30PM

For more information, please visit yourgayreno.com.

(Note: This is technically part of the “Join the Impact” national protest, but I’ve made an effort to separate it due to the differing start time.)

Saturday 11/15: Join the Impact *NATIONWIDE*

Date: Saturday, November 15
Time: 10:30AM Pacific / 11:30AM Mountain / 12:30PM Central / 1:30PM East Coast

Main site: http://www.jointheimpact.com/
Protest locations: Nationwide — see http://jointheimpact.wetpaint.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=45356108205&ref=mf
Twitter: http://twitter.com/JoinTheImpact

This is it, folks. On Saturday, the protests go national. Every state will have at least one protest location.

On the steps of your City Hall on November 15th at 10:30am PST / 1:30pm EST, our community WILL take to the streets and speak out against Proposition 8 and all of the other pro-equality losses that we have faced in our lifetimes, in our parents’ lifetimes, and for many generations before us. WE CAN’T DO THIS ALONE! WE NEED YOUR HELP! We need organizers in every major city to work with us and get out the protest! I know you’re all tired from all of the work you’ve done for this great election year, but I’m asking for one more push! Let the country hear our voices together. Let them see that we are a strong, adamant, and powerful community that deserves equal rights, and CAN’T BE DEFEATED!

Send this post to everyone! We have one week and must react to the pro-hate votes cast against us! Let’s help our LGBTQ friends, families, neighbors, and each other to IMPACT this country with a demand for our basic human rights! Join the cause, join the voice, and JOIN THE IMPACT!

Click on for Facebook event links to over thirty cities!

Saturday 11/15: Join the Impact NYC

Facebook event link: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=33598248873
Date: Saturday, November 15, 2008
Time: 1:30pm – 4:30pm
Location: City Hall (260 Broadway, New York, NY)

Join the Impact is a group that is organizing protests nation-wide against the anti-gay propositions that were passed on Tuesday. Proposition 8 of California, Proposition 102 of Arkansas, and Proposition 2 of Florida all banned gay marriage. The Arkansas Adoption Ban prevents unmarried couples from adopting children, and supporters have made it clear that this was aimed towards gay couples.

The protest will take place at 1:30 pm on November 15th at City Hall in New York City, as will other nationwide protests. If you cannot attend in NYC, you can find your nearest location here: http://www.jointheimpact.com/?page_id=2

Also, ignore the end time. It’ll end when it ends.

Finally, I’m trying to figure out whether or not we need a permit, and how to get one. If anyone knows anything about this, please let me know!

For more information, visit www.jointheimpact.com.