Matt in SFist, says what needs to be said.
Saturday protests had great energy, but by the end, lack of leadership was painfully obvious
In 2006 there were historically large marches for immigration rights nationwide, notably in Los Angeles where somewhere between 500,000 and one million marched in the largest protest ever in L.A.
But that huge and inspiring power didn’t really translate into political effectiveness. Sure, everyone noticed, and some gains were made. But an opportunity was lost for real change.
On Saturday there were inspiring No on 8 rallies nationwide, organized virally in just one week. It was amazing and inspiring. But what comes next? It’ll probably (and should) be lots of things, with groups mobilizing in their own ways. Lawsuits, boycotts, community outreach, lobbying politicians, advocacy websites, people in the streets. There are all sorts of things that can be done. But they need to start now, before the energy is spent.
But everyone wants to help. Everyone feels strongly about this issue, even people in bars. They just need someone to tell them how they can make an impact … someone to answer the question, “where are we going?”
SFist Matt “is the creator of Stop8.org, a post-Prop-8 news and events portal.”