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15 Nov 2008 06:46 pm

The View From Your Protest: Chicago

A reader writes:

The Chicago turnout was a little hard to believe - thousands of people blocking State Street and even Michigan Avenue. People in cars everywhere were honking their horns and leaning out of apartment windows in support. We even ran into one (straight) wedding party near the Hancock Tower that took some signs and held them up for us. It was exhilarating and, as one older gay couple put it, "We haven't seen anything like this since the sixties."

Another adds

It is difficult to separate the recent joys of the presidential election with the disappointments in California, Arkansas, Florida and Arizona. Today at the Chicago protest, it was no different. The protest was held right next to Barack Obama's former Senate Office in the federal building next to Calder's famous Flamingo sculpture.

As the rally came to a close everyone began chanting "Walk, walk, walk" and we began to march at first on sidewalks (stupid) and then after about a minute, onto the streets.  We were led to Michigan avenue next to Grant Park and no one could help but be reminded of the last time the public had taken over that same stretch of pavement:  10 days ago when we were leaving the Obama rally. It was similar sense of excitement and pride, but this time relief was replaced with purpose.

The Obama parallels did not stop at Grant Park as the crowd hijacked the "Yes We Can" chant, shouting it for the duration of the march.  We marched underneath banners that lined the streets with Obama's face on them, gifts from the city congratulating our hometown hero on his success.

In Chicago, it felt as if Obama and Equal Rights for Gays go hand in hand. I await the day when Obama will acknowledge that it does. 

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