Prop 8 protest planned for Saturday

Students will protest California's new ban on same-sex marriage.

By Andrea Kszystyniak

Published Nov. 13, 2008

A group of college students in Columbia are protesting against the passage of California's Proposition 8.

The measure amended California's state constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman. It overrode a California Supreme Court decision, which had legalized same-sex marriage.

A protest against the measure will be held at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Courthouse Square, located downtown at Eighth and Walnut streets. According to the Facebook advertisement for the event, organizers expect nearly 200 protesters. The group hopes to migrate to a more public and community centered location later that day.

Polly Edelstein, a sophomore at Stephens College and a member of the College Democrats, said she was shocked Proposition 8 was passed and plans to attend the protest.

"It's not something that affects me personally, but I feel like it's so similar to in the past when interracial marriage was frowned upon," Edelstein said. "Everyone deserves to have equal rights."

Mary Mantei, an MU sophomore and a member of the MU College Democrats, said the same-sex marriage is the "civil rights movement of our generation."

"I want to make sure everyone's rights are protected because they are supposed to be under the Constitution," Mantei said. "It's controversial if you're a gay couple and you're married, but now your marriage doesn't mean anything."

MU sophomore Ben Christ said he was angry about the passage of the proposition and its effects on the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

"I'm a member of the LGBT community, and it's not like Prop 8 directly affects me right now, but I can't even imagine for the people that were planning on getting married and the people in California," Christ said. "It's appalling and ridiculous for people to take that right away."

Christ said despite the passage of the proposition, he is looking at the situation optimistically.

"Now that people are going to invest emotionally and fight for this, eventually the ruling will be overturned," Christ said. "It sucks. But at the same time I think that good things can come from it because people are going to start caring about it."

Mantei said this protest is yet another important subject college students need to speak up about.

"Just seeing how the college vote made all the difference for Boone County made me realize that you can do big things in your small community that can resonate throughout the country," Mantei said. "This is another chance for a small community to make our voices heard."