Prop. 8 opponents rally
Stanford students rally against California voters’ passage of same-sex marriage ban
Students on their way to class around 1 p.m. yesterday found their route very congested at the intersection of Lasuen Mall and Escondido due to a large student protest against the recent passage of Proposition 8.
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Letter to the Editor
I am writing to clarify one of the purposes of the Proposition 8 protest that confused many Stanford students trying to bypass the human blockade on Wednesday. [See “Prop. 8 opponents rally” in today’s issue of The Daily.]
As I sat with other aggrieved citizens blocking bike passage near the School of Education and Building 260, I noticed a high degree of frustration among people that couldn’t navigate through the blockade. They were angry and felt that this blockade was frivolous, unnecessary and unfair.
I want to explain that the blockade was not frivolous. It was meant to make people feel discomfort (for even a short time). It was meant to make people reflect on the discomfort they feel over a trivial matter like attending class on time and imagine the inconveniences, indignities and discomforts that some U.S. citizens face because they are blockaded from exercising fundamental human rights and are denied equality under the law.
Some students, attempting to get through, reasoned with me saying, “I voted against Proposition 8.” To them, I say thank you. But, the point of the protest was to make it clear that voting wasn’t enough this time. Now, it is our duty as a society to disrupt the status quo, again and again, to endure discomfort again and again, until civil rights are granted to everyone regardless of their sexual orientation.
Rachel Lindenberg
Public Policy MA and Ph.D. candidate in Sociology
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