Go Arnold!CNN wrote:LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- On the first Sunday after a gay marriage ban passed in California, activists rallied in defiance, including hundreds of protesters outside an Orange County megachurch whose pastor brought Barack Obama and John McCain together last summer for a "faith forum."
About 300 gay-rights advocates fanned out along sidewalks leading to Saddleback Church in Lake Forest to voice their anger of the church's support of Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment approved by voters Tuesday that overturns a state Supreme Court decision in May legalizing same-sex unions.
Ed Todeschini, a Human Rights Campaign volunteer, accused Saddleback in particular of helping propagate what he called misinformation about the Supreme Court ruling, including that gay marriage would have to be taught to kindergartners.
A message seeking comment left at the church's main office, which was closed Sunday, was not immediately returned.
"They told such obvious lies. They used their lies to deceive the public," Todeschini said of the church, which gained national attention in August when its pastor, Rick Warren, brought Obama and McCain together to discuss their religious faith. The two candidates embraced during an often-contentious presidential campaign.
Todeschini said Sunday's rally was peaceful, with demonstrators waving placards with slogans including "Equality for all" and "Shame on you."
The amendment was passed last week with 52 percent of the vote, and backlash at churches over their support swept across California on Sunday after days of protests.
In Oakland, a large protest at the city's Mormon temple led the California Highway Patrol to close two highway ramps to ensure pedestrian safety. Protest organizers said they hoped to tone down the anger that has characterized some previous demonstrations.
"Our intent is not to disturb churchgoers," organizer Tim DeBenedictis said in a statement. "Our goal is to mend fences and build bridges so that all Californians can achieve marriage equality under the law."
The pastor of the 4,000-member All Saints Church in Pasadena spoke out against Proposition 8, calling the religious community's support of it "embarrassing." Video Watch iReport on protests in Los Angeles »
The church announced that while it could no longer legally marry same-sex couples, it would continue blessing gay civil unions.
"It's very unfortunate and embarrassing that the (Christian religion) is in large part responsible for this act of bigotry," the Rev. Ed Bacon said after his sermon. iReport.com: Share your thoughts on same-sex marriage
In Sacramento, a protest at the state Capitol was boisterous but peaceful as speakers led the crowd in noisy chants. Protesters waved rainbow flags, a symbol of the gay rights movement, and "No on 8" signs as police watched from the side.
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Speaking on CNN's "Late Edition" Sunday, Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger expressed disappointment at Proposition 8's passage.
"It is unfortunate," Schwarzenegger said. "But it is not the end because I think this will go back into the courts. ... It's the same as in the 1948 case when blacks and whites were not allowed to marry. This falls into the same category."
On another note, it's clear that the US is in the grip of a deadlocked struggle between secular gay-rights advocates and anti-gay churches. Sure, some may bristle at my characterization of the anti-gay movement as a bunch of Bible-thumping bigots, but that generalization is reasonably accurate for the bulk of the movement and I think we all know it.
However, as this article demonstrates, there is a third party: nominally liberal Christian churches which object to the anti-gay hysteria of their brethren but otherwise do nothing. So I can't help but think: what's to stop one of the more liberal Christian churches from suing the government for religious discrimination if it won't allow them to marry gays?
That would turn the whole gays vs religion debate right on its head, wouldn't it? All you need is a Christian church which supports gay marriage. They could make the argument that Prop 8 and similar measures actually discriminate against their faith, and in fact effectively represent government endorsement of one Christian denomination over another: a more blatant violation of the Establishment clause could not be imagined, even if we use the Republitard theocrat interpretation of the Establishment clause.
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