The streets in the University District were mostly empty when the first cars began rolling up for a morning service at the Seattle North Stake Center, a chapel of the Mormon Church on 8th Avenue Northeast and Northeast 57th Street. But the sidewalk was lined with about 40 protesters.
Young gay men in designer jeans and preppy college women—a strikingly different crowd from the rag-tag regulars at most Seattle protests—were chanting and waving signs at the luxury sedans pulling into the driveway. They decried the Mormon Church for supporting California’s Proposition 8, which stripped about 20,000 same-sex couples of their marriage recognition. The Church of Latter-Day Saints had strongly supported the measure. And church members, including several from the Seattle area, contributed an estimated $22 million dollars to the campaign. Protesters chanted, “Tax the church,” a call for the IRS to repeal the church’s tax-exempt status.
Corianton Hale under the spire of the North Seattle Stake Center.
Realistically, though, ambiguous IRS rules make repealing the Mormon Church’s tax exemption a long shot (.pdf), and activities in Seattle may not have a big impact on California. But the early-morning enthusiasm could indicate a renewed push, and foreshadow more confrontation, for the gay-rights movement in Washington.
Valerie Tariko held a sign that read, “Shame on You,” which faced the driveway. A woman in a peach-colored suit drove past, slowing down to take both hands from the wheel and give Tariko the shame fingers.
“I can’t sit by when my rights are being taken away,” says Matthew Wilson, 26, who announced the protest yesterday and immediately received support, including from several people who had never attended a protest before.
George Durham, a member of the church, came out to address the crowd.
“Being quiet is not an option anymore,” says Phyllis Penland, who attended with her 46-year-old gay son, Todd. “What we’ve been doing so far hasn’t had much of an impact,” she says, wearing an Obama button, two rainbow pins and a string of pride beads. “They have overstepped their bounds this time and hopefully this will be the beginning of stopping them.” Penland then began by stopping a member of the congregation, explaining that gays Americans deserve equal rights.
That churchgoer, 31-year-old Heather Carman, who looked more like she was headed to Phish concert than a service in her flowing brown dress, says, “Hate,” a common term on the signs, “is the wrong word. There is no malice.” She encouraged people to review the CLDS’s written statements as evidence.
But can a protest impact any meaningful change in Washington’s legislature?
“You can look at protests as a thermometer of interest in a cause,” says Josh Friedes, a spokesman for Equal Rights Washington, a statewide advocacy and lobbying organization for marriage equality that has expanded rapidly in the last few years.
No dirty hippies at this protest.
“This protest puts electeds on notice that [defending a ban on gay marriage] is untenable,” Friedes says. Anti-gay incumbents came close to losing seats in Tuesday’s election, and the advent of a growing gay-rights movement warns them to support marriage equality or risk being voted out of office, he says.
Friedes plans to contact the leaders and participants of today’s protest to collaborate with them.
“Washington must recognize that it is truly one of the leaders of the marriage quality movement,” says Friedes. Washington’s constitution cannot be modified by initiative—it requires a two-thirds majority in the state House and Senate. “This is one of the most likely states to approve and hold marriage equality.”
Todd, you are absolutely right. However I would like to see a gay right’s initiative on the ballot because most of us would like to believe that we are more progressive than the rest of the country (though fear we are not).
This is exhausting. The amount of hateful comments left here is mind boggling. Furthermore, the stereo typing / targeting of one religious organization for a point of view further demonstrates a double standard that stinks. You show up at a church with signs throwing incendiary accusations of bigotry and then you spew out the same bigotry coupled with your accusations. What kind of people are you! I’m completely floored. One person calls for boycotts of Mormons. What the hell! You’re exhibiting the very behavior you so sanctimoniously disparage with your sign waving. All I can say is lets try some bridge building and a little common ground. There’s hate occurring on both sides here. Slow down folks. Breathe a little and try and remember we’re all people trying to get along in this world. Furthermore, I still think this is pretty misdirected. You punish Mormons in Seattle for what happened in California? What?! I’m sorry but I think logic has been thrown out the window.
To James Kimball @102
Members of the LDS (Mormon) Church raised as much as 77% of the funds used to support Propostion 8*. LDS Churches in Washington joined in the coordinated attack against gay and lesbian Americans and we have chosen to expose this. You seem shocked that we would react to this attack on our families and our civil rights. The LDS church blew up the bridge and now you’re asking us to rebuild it? Be the peacemaker you seek James. If you’re a member of the LDS church, work from within it to undo the damage your church has done. Pray for a new revelation that allows you to support our families. Show us that our families matter too and then we can talk about trusting you. Until then I’m not buying your outrage or your kindness (both of which are suspect). *(see http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid64163.asp)
Mike @65:
Don’t know if you are still reading or not (I probably won’t anymore) and I appreciate your response. Yes, I attend a LDS church and feel my life is better for doing so. However, I strongly disagree with the Church getting politically involved and I am sorry you are hurt and scared. I voiced my opinion through petitions to Church leaders, letters, and dialogue. You might not believe me but…whatever. Please don’t assume that I and others are all talk and “go to church every week and stay silent.” Accusations and misunderstandings are adding fuel to this volatile fire. I would have voted no on Prop 8 and would do the same if faced with a similar situation in WA.
Art:
Thank you. If you really do advocate through petitions, letters, and dialogue to Church leaders, that’s great. And I’m sorry that I assumed otherwise.
to Todd @ 103
Sigh. I have many gay friends and actually worked in a situation where I was the minority while living in New York City (I was one of the only “straight fellows”). I felt like we all got along very well and respected one another. I’m conflicted deeply on this issue and am most definitely in favor of civil unions. I’m examining more closely the issues surrounding marriage and trying to reconcile both my religious persuasion to my political persuasions. You might say I’m on the fence. But I feel like I’m getting yanked in both directions now. Not a lovely feeling. And by no means have I felt any invitation of mutual understanding from comments left on blogs recently examining the topic. I guess I’m mostly frustrated and a little saddened by signs that read things such as “Bigots” and “H8ers”. That seems pretty personal to me, but I guess that is simply first amendment rights and some very frustrated, angry feelings spilling out. And I’m sure many gay and lesbian people have experienced hateful gestures and name calling in their lives. I guess I’m just being a whimp. So, conflicted would sum up everything about how I feel. I guess maybe the lets be friends things might not work for awhile.
To James Kimball (#106):
You say that you feel pulled in two directions: in one way toward your political persuasions and in another toward your religious persuasions.
But I see it a slightly different way. It is not your politics vs. your religion, but rather your personal beliefs vs. your religion (I assume that you don’t merely believe in gay rights because your political party tells you to do so). And I think this distinction is important.
To understand why, I invite you to see it from my perspective. I have no religion. I’m not an atheist either, though, because the fact is that I just have no proof about the presence of a god or gods or the lack thereof. The fact that I have no religion is important because my decisions are based entirely on what I personally feel is right and moral.
The problem with religion is that it leads us to take positions that we otherwise wouldn’t. People change otherwise well-thought-out perspectives merely because their religion says so. Or people never go to the trouble of thinking out their own perspectives in the first place because their religion provides a ready-made perspective for them.
Consider for just a moment, however, that your religion might be wrong. I know, I know — you’re going to say that you know it’s not. But just consider for a second that either some totally separate religions (e.g., shintoism) is the “right” religion or that there is no “right” religion or that no religion on earth exists that accurately reflects the reality of god(s).
You might think I’m nuts, but let’s face it, there are about 4,000 religions in the world and they all claim to teach “the truth” and only one (or none) can be right. Maybe, just maybe, Mormonism isn’t the one.
If that turns out to be the case, then what? Especially if you’ve abandoned your better judgment for the perspective of your religion.
So, I would recommend that you look into your heart and do what you think is right and fair. Just my opinion, and it’s probably worth what you’re paying for it.
So what, yes the Mormon church was responsible for most of the funding, Yes they were responsible for making aware of what was going to happen.
But the PEOPLE were the ones who voted.
The amount the mormon church funded, yes obviously had an impact on making the voters aware of this topic, but the Mormon church did not press the button for everyone!!!! The PEOPLE were the ones who made the final decision, and you just have to accept that!
THE PEOPLE, do not want gay marriage, thats that, they have said what they want, and you have to live with it.
There is no hate involved here, Every body is welcome to the same health treatment etc etc.
Marriage has always been between a man and a woman, Even science can prove that it is pretty much intended to be that way!!
To James Kimball @106
James, I’m afraid you’re right. Speaking for myself alone, I can’t accept as a friend someone who financially supports an organization that is determined to deny any of us equality under the law. You seem to be a nice, thoughtful guy and I’ll take you at your word that you are deeply torn between your personal desire for equality and the teachings of your faith. Like Mike @107, I would simply ask you to consider the possibility that you’re wrong. I know that I never chose my sexual orientation. You and others may choose to believe that I did but you can never know absolutely that you are right about that and although it may seem trite at this late date I urge you to consider as evidence of the truth of my assertion that you didn’t choose your sexual orientation either. If we can agree on that then we can possibly take the next step: if our sexual orientation is not a choice, then how is it just to penalize any of us for the natural expression of our love? You say that you support civil unions. Do you support civil unions for gay and lesbian couples only OR do you support civil unions for everyone? If you believe that the government should not be in the business of sanctioning religious rites then we can agree on that as well. I personally believe that the government should only sanction civil unions (without regard to the gender of the partners) and that marriage should remain a religious rite with whatever spiritual significance the partners and their faith community assign to it, but with no legal standing. In closing James, I want to say that I appreciate your thoughtful response. It seems that you are struggling with this and while it may be painful, I’m encouraged to see that you’re willing to endure the struggle and that you’re willing to seek a principled way through it.