Did you feel like celebrating when the Supreme Court handed down their decisions this morning on gay marriage – or are you still grumpy?
Either way, beer’s the beverage of choice.
“Marriage Decision Day,” a no-host bar party at Healdsburg Bar & Grill tonight, has been in the works since late last week, organized by Harrison. While at first the day of the party was approximate, since the date of decision was unknown, the stars are aligned to make today -- Wednesday, June 26, 2013 – the historic day for he Supreme Court's decisions.
Find out what's happening in Healdsburgwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
"I'm feeling dazed!" continued Harrison. "This is been an emotional roller coaster for LGBT people and the support of our straight friends in Healdsburg has been unwavering as we have waited for justice."
Five years ago, the No on Proposition 8 campaign that Harrison, co-chair Pat Callahan and many others worked on locally, threw a party at the HBG on election night to celebrate the 2-1 rejection of Prop 8 here in Sonoma County. About 50 people showed up, as Harrison recalls.
Find out what's happening in Healdsburgwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
It was also a party of mourning, as Prop. 8 passed in California, outlawing gay marriage.
Tonight there will be very little mourning at HBG; it's a new day.
Supporters of full marriage equality for all will be reuniting in Healdsburg one evening this week – on the day when the US Supreme Court announces its historic decisions on California’s Proposition 8 and the federal Defense of Marriage Act..
“We knew we were right then, and now the rest of the country is catching up with us,” said Harrison. “This week, the court can decide a number of ways, most of which would result in the invalidation of Prop 8 and the resumption of same-sex marriages.”
Harrison originally reached out to his email list of anti-Prop 8 volunteers with the idea for the Marriage Decision Day party, but has since broadened his invitation list. “Please join us to help celebrate our victories and interpret the results,” he said in a press release.
“The court will also rule on the constitutionality of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act, an odious 1996 law that denies over 1100 federal benefits to legally married same-sex couples,” said Harrison. “These decisions will be an important milestone in the defining equal rights issue of our time.”
Marriage Decision Day will be celebrated Wednesday, June 26 – rain or shine - at the Healdsburg Bar & Grill, 245 Healdsburg Ave., from 7:30 pm on. There is a list of national United for Marriage Decision Day gatherings online http://www.lighttojustice.org/index.html.
