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.