An account from my friend Avi who was there for the momentous occasion:
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The story...
At around 10, I decided to go watch the marriages. I had no idea that there would be something so big there, though I suspected there might be. I wanted to go to show solidarity and support, but also to witness history. It was practically banging on my door, I had to answer.
I got to City Hall at 10:30 and there was already a huge, growing crowd. Rainbow flags, signs, the works. The final count was 10,000 (according to The Boston Globe) and I believe it. Mass Ave was shut down from Central Square to Harvard Square to accomodate the supporters. There were about 50 Fred Phelps protesters, but they were largely ignored and went home before 12:01. At one point, our crowd starting chanting "God Loves Fags!" Even the presence of the TPF, the riot squad cops didn't dampen enthusiams. The TPF lined the aisle for the couples to come in and out of the hall. Cambridge police later replaced them (cops are the new ushers, you heard it here first.)
There was much rejoicing when couples went into City Hall, but nothing compared to the raucous response that greeted them when they came out. Cheers, claps, screams, rice, bubbles, songs. Pure happiness. The crowd was heterogeneous - gay, straight, male, female, old, young, white, black, Asian, Latino, all religions, students, job holders, everyone. Couples were often interracial, and more often than not, older, sometimes with children (one couple was a leather-daddy couple.) I had a good spot and I saw their faces. When they came out of the building to see the crowd awaiting them, their faces were awash with surprised pleasure.
We in the crowd serenaded them. "Chapel of Love" of course. Also we sang "This Land is Your Land", "God Bless America", "This Little Light of Mine", "The Star Spangled Banner" and probably others. It was the best gathering I've ever been too. It was pure happiness, not protest. There was so much love and support for the couples. When they left City Hall, the crowd shouted "Kiss! Kiss!" And especially warm reception was for Cambridge State Senator Jarrett Barrios and his husband. The crowd was practically screaming "Jarrett! Jarrett!" He's done a lot for us and he deserves it (he's also an incredible hottie.)
There were great signs last night. The best one simply said "YAY!" Whenever the crowd got too quiet, the man holding the sign thrust it into the air and shouted, "YAY!" The crowd responded in kind.
Cambridge City Hall is across the street from a YMCA. I'm just sayin'.
At around 1 am a man with a bullhorn (I guess the chief clerk) came out with a bullhorn and said that there were 150 more couples and City Hall would be open until 6 am. One man shouted in response "We're in no rush."
The crowd felt like friends. Everyone was so happy and pleasant. No anger anywhere, just unabashed joy. I was so glad to be there. I was also glad that I got to share it with friends (all of them straight, and two connected to one of the plaintiffs in the court case.) It was a magical, historical night. The anniversary of Brown v. The Board of Eduation. A start of a new era. Gay marriage is coming. It's a reality now.
I love Cambridge.
He's right. The horse is out of the barn. Let it run wild and free! Love is love is love... and now we're one step closer to realizing the promise that was made to all of our citizens in the Declaration of Independence.
On the same topic, my man Howard commented in a Boston Globe article. My favourite quote:
While it is true that the Bible (largely the Old Testament) condemns homosexuality in a few places, it equally condemns eating shellfish. Jesus never mentions homosexuality.
Perusing Leviticus (as I'm wont to do), I notice that it also condemns wearing clothes woven of two different kinds of material. I am SO going to hell.
Funny what people choose to take to heart, ain't it?
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