Proposition 8 Day of Decision Close at Hand: Rallies in Bay Area and Elsewhere

Photo of rally at Mountain View City Hall for marriage rights in 2008 by Justin Miel. Contact justin [at] gotmiel.com for permission to reprint.

Judge Vaughn Walker's decision in Perry v. Schwarzenegger, the federal lawsuit pending in the U.S. District Court that challenges the constitutional validity of California's Proposition 8, could come as early as this week. The plaintiffs seek to have the federal court strike down Proposition 8, saying it is contrary to the 14th Amendment's guarantee to equal protection.

The trial received less public attention than it might have, had the United States Supreme Court not ruled against allowing video coverage of the trial. Nevertheless, this landmark case is being closely watched by gay rights activists and others interested in equal rights protections. Lawyers representing the plaintiffs anticipate a ruling that would transform the legal and social landscape nationwide, as did Loving v. Virginia, the 1967 Supreme Court ruling that invalidated laws prohibiting interracial marriage.

In a press conference on June 10, the team of Ted Olson and David Boies expressed confidence that Judge Walker will rule in favor of the plaintiffs, whom they represent. Ted Olson said, "I have no doubt that we are on the right side of this battle, the right side of the law, and the right side of history."

Marriage rights activists have scheduled community gatherings to be held the day of the announcement, which they say could come at any time now. Whether the judge finds in favor of the plaintiffs or upholds the constitutionality of Proposition 8, rallies will be held throughout the state of California. A rally called "Colorado Responds" will be held in Denver at City Hall at 7:30pm.

In the San Francisco Bay Area the following rallies, all beginning at 6:00pm, are scheduled in the following locations:

Walnut Creek: City Hall 1666 North Main Street

Concord: Todos Santos Plaza Willow Pass & Grant

Martinez: County Clerk's Office 822 Main Street

Richmond: City Hall 450 Civic Center Plaza

San José: Billy De Frank Community Center, 938 The Alameda.

In Mountain View rally participants will gather at the Caltrain station at 6:00pm and march to City Hall at 500 Castro St. The Raging Grannies perform at 6:30pm and speakers including the city mayor are scheduled to address the crowd from 7:00pm.

Ruth Robertson of the Raging Grannies said that the group's members are up to the challenge of a performance on short notice. "We are prepared to hurry and gather up the Grannies and get to the Mountain View location as we will likely get news of Judge Walker's decision just hours before we rally," she said. The Raging Grannies write songs to popular tunes and invite participants to join them in singing at protests for causes they deem important. "For this occasion, we have written a song that reflects the fact that our battle for marriage rights will continue. No matter which way the decision goes, the case will work its way up the federal judicial ladder and most likely end up being heard by the Supreme Court," she said.

For more information about the San José action visit http://marriageequalitysiliconvalley.org/events.html

For California STATE-Wide latest listings of Day of Decision actions visit