I was able to attend Meet in the Middle for Equality on Saturday, an event for marriage equality in Fresno. It was a gathering filled with positivity, hopefulness and love, but with an undercurrent of an intense energy to change things in California and the U.S. Under a beautiful blue sky and bright sun, thousands of people gathered to listen to speakers such as Christina Chavez, granddaughter of Cesar Chavez; Dustin Lance Black, Milk screenwriter; and many others representing the NAACP, faith communities, straight supporters and LGBT groups. Earlier in the day, a smaller group marched 14 miles from Selma, Calif. to Fresno. I met them at 6:30 a.m. as they loaded into vans and RVs, and couldn't believe the excitement and happiness everyone shared at that time of the morning.
You can check out a few photos on my Flickr page (link on the right side bar), and there are some great articles and photos sets from the San Francisco Chronicle and LA Times.
There were about 40 speakers at the rally; here are a few that stood out to me:
- Lt. Dan Choi, West Point Grad and Iraq veteran, kicked out of the military under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell
- Robin McGehee, event organizer
- Dustin Lance Black, Milk screenwriter: Part one, Part two
We live in America, and we all have the right to our own opinion on this issue. But, I don't think we have the right to impose our moral or religious beliefs on others. I'm not saying everyone has to support marriage equality, but we live in a country where people of all beliefs and backgrounds should have equal access to the pursuit of happiness - which includes marriage. As Dick Cheney said recently, "Freedom means freedom for everyone." So, let's just live and let live people. Amen.
OK, I'll stop being political now and go back to cooking, travelling, gardening, etc.
Good post, Katie!
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