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“The mob exploded"

 November 12, 2008

Frustrated by passage of Proposition 8, same-sex marriage backers turn to violence, vandalism, threats

While the California Supreme Court considers whether to hear a request to nullify a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages approved by 52.3% of the state’s voters on Nov. 4, homosexual activists from one end of the state to the other have taken to the streets, attacking a 69-year-old woman in Palm Springs, vandalizing Mormon temples, holding protests outside Protestant and Catholic churches, and causing near-riots in cities like West Hollywood.

Near Sacramento, a Mormon house of worship was spray-painted with “No on 8;” in Riverside, “Yes on 8” signs were arranged to form a swastika on the lawn of a Catholic church; and in Carlsbad, members of the Knights of Columbus collecting money outside an Albertson’s grocery store over the weekend to help disabled children were told by the store manager to leave after same-sex marriage advocates complained that the Knights had contributed to the Yes on 8 campaign.

“Even Rick Warren's Saddleback Church was targeted by nearly a thousand protesters, despite the church's groundbreaking efforts to bring together evangelicals and liberal politicians to combat the global AIDS epidemic,” reported the Campaign for Children and Families.

“During protests over the past several days, homosexuals angry about the passage of Proposition 8, which reserves marriage licenses for a man and a woman, have hurled the N-word against black persons walking by, marched through police blockades, pounded on doors of businesses, and protested outside churches,” said a Campaign for Children and Families news release.

One of the most dramatic anti-Proposition 8 incidents occurred in Palm Springs last Friday during an anti-Prop. 8 rally outside city hall. “The rally got off to a rough start when the protesters verbally attacked a Prop. 8 supporter, Phyllis Burgsess,” the Desert Sun reported. “She carried a cross, which angered the crowd. A couple people knocked the cross out of her hand and stomped on it, sparking the rest of the crowd to charge her.” The newspaper reported yesterday that Burgsess has decided to file criminal charges against her assailants.

The attack on Burgsess was captured on film by KPSP television, CBS channel 2. (To see the footage, Click Here.)

Catholic News Agency, citing a story in the Meridian, a magazine for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons), reported that a Los Angeles Police Department supervisor who is a practicing member of the religious group, said that several members of his church had received hate mail after their names, religious affiliation, contribution amounts, and addresses were published on a web site inciting Proposition 8 opponents to target the individuals listed.

The police supervisor, Paul Bishop, said some of the 2,500 protesters at the LDS Temple bore signs reading “Separation of Church and Hate” and “Mormon haters.” Some signs were left on the temple walls, according to CNA. “The late local news showed scenes of several Hispanic females in tears outside the temple trying to remove the signs desecrating the walls and fences surrounding the temple,” said Bishop. “As these individuals – who according to a temple spokesperson were not church members – removed the hate-filled signs, the mob exploded and began beating the individuals to the ground. Police intervened and arrests were made, but the fact this was allowed to happen at all was appalling.”

The Oakland Tribune reported that a protest outside a Mormon temple on Sunday forced the closing of nearby freeway off-ramps for more than three hours.

Another 2,500 protesters gathered at the steps of the state Capitol in Sacramento, said CNA. In downtown Los Angeles, about 150 protesters gathered outside the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels chanting, “What would Jesus say?”

Attorney Brad Dacus, president of the Pacific Justice Institute, said in a prepared statement he believes the ongoing vandalism and protests will backfire. "Californians are among the most tolerant people in the world,” said Dacus. “They are also not stupid, and they deliberately rejected forced acceptance of gay marriage, while leaving in place domestic partnerships and a host of other special rights based for homosexuals. The hatred and intimidation we are seeing right now from gay activists could set their movement back years. If anything, they are convincing a lot of Californians that we did the right thing by not caving in to their demands."

Said Randy Thomasson, president of the Campaign for Children and Families, "This screaming and shouting, name-calling and pushing by homosexual activists is not unlike a small child throwing a fit because he doesn't get his way. The public is getting a clue that homosexual activists don't like democracy and are willing to trample anyone and anything that gets in their way. How is it that those who demand tolerance from others are so intolerant of the people's vote to reserve marriage for a man and a woman?"


Copyright California Catholic Daily 2008. All Rights Reserved.

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