Youth-Organized Rally for Marriage Equality November 22nd in Bangor
Youth Organized Rally for Marriage Equality November 22nd in Bangor
The passing of Question one on this year’s ballot instigated immediate response among it’s opposers who value equal rights for marriage. High School Students have organized a rally to be held downtown in Pickering Square on the 22nd of November with speeches, representatives from gay rights organizations, and an open mike to the audience.
Date: Sunday Nov. 22, 2009
Time: 1:00 PM to around 3:00PM
Location: Pickering Square, Downtown Bangor
Purpose: To spread the message that equality is essential to society and that one majority vote that strips a minority of civil rights granted by the Constitution (amendment I and amendment XIV section 1) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (article 16 and 2) is an outrage, and supporters of gay rights will not stop until equal rights are available to everyone, regardless of religion, race, class, gender or sexual orientation; And to bring together a community of supporters and allow them to share their stories and opinions.
When question 1 passed on Tuesday November 3rd thousands of individuals across the state were mortified that 53% of this years voters were selfish enough to deny basic rights to their fellow citizens, and ever since then they been wanting to do something to stand up against this outrage. Antonia Carroll, Bangor High School junior, wanted to organize something where she could share a speech she wrote about why same-sex marriage should have remained legal, and why it was wrong to discriminate against individuals who have eagerly awaited the day of their wedding, one of the greatest days of a married person’s life, for many.
Speakers will be Antonia Carroll, representatives from the No on 1 campaign and the Bridge alliance, and any audience member who wishes to share their story/opinions.
Antonia (grade 11) gathered a group of fellow students including William Witham (12), Rebecca Pelletier (10), Monica Wilbur (9), and Emma Howard (9) to with the Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine to organize this event. They are contacting other sympathetic organizations such as the Bridge Alliance, Equality Maine and the No on 1 campaign to invite them to participate in the event. The event will be held on Sunday November 22nd in Pickering Square and will start at 1:00 PM and end around 3.
Antonia will share her speech and invite representatives from organizations, as well as members of the audience to share their stories, opinions and ideas on how question one effected them and how to overcome it. Participants will be invited and encouraged to bring signs or banners expressing their beliefs, and to speak in front of the audience about how they feel on the issue. Antonia says that her reasons for organizing it were because she wanted bring a community of supporters together and reassure them that efforts for marriage equality will not cease until equal rights are available to all.
Antonia: “I feel like this is something the community very much needs, because apparently there are a lot of people who don’t understand how important marriage equality is. I want the message to go out that we will not submit and stop fighting for equality just because of this vote. I want the message comes out quickly while the election is still fresh in everyone’s minds that this is an important issue to many people, and that we will be quick to organize and speak out, and that we will not stop until equal rights are available to everyone, regardless of religion, race, class or gender.”
Sponsors: Youth Sponsored. Organized by Bangor High School student Antonia Carroll (grade 11) and other students including William Witham (12), Rebecca Pelletier (10), Monica Wilbur (9), and Emma Howard (9)
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Saturday, November 14th, 2009 at 3:46 pm under
