Students participate in city-wide rally against Proposition 8
Megan Scarborough
Issue date: 11/21/08 Section: News
Several hundred Houstonians, including a number of Rice students, gathered in front of City Hall last Saturday in solidarity with a nation-wide protest against Proposition 8, the California state amendment banning same-sex marriage that was barely approved by California voters on Nov. 4. Same-sex couples, straight allies and other activists held signs declaring their opposition to the ban and expressing their desire for gay rights.
Co-President of Rice's American Civil Liberties Union club Ben Carson attended the rally along with about ten other club members.
"Our group just wanted to show our support because what it comes down to is that we believe the state doesn't have any business regulating marriage, as a religious institution," Carson, a Brown College senior, said.
Among the event's speakers were State Representatives Jessica Farrar and Garnet Coleman, both from Houston, who voiced support for the rally's cause. Both have records of supporting gay rights in the Texas House and voiced strong opposition to a Texan gay marriage ban in 2005.
John Nechman, a Houston lawyer who specializes in immigration, spoke at the rally. Rice ACLU hosted an on-campus talk by Nechman on Nov. 11, on the topic of same-sex marriage rights now and in the future.
"One thing that really struck me during Mr. Nechman's talk was how he does a lot of work in South America," Carson said. "In the past, other countries always looked up to us as the most progressive nation. Now other countries, like Colombia, are passing much more progressive laws. They're wondering why we aren't blazing the path like we used to."
Bradley Houston, co-president of Rice's Queers & Allies club, also attended the rally along with 13 members of the group.
"It was reassuring to see Rice students who wanted to come out and show their support," Houston said. "It shows how great a place Rice can be and that it's not gay people in one little area and straight people in another. There were so many allied straight people there, who had gay friends or who just cared about the issue."
Co-President of Rice's American Civil Liberties Union club Ben Carson attended the rally along with about ten other club members.
"Our group just wanted to show our support because what it comes down to is that we believe the state doesn't have any business regulating marriage, as a religious institution," Carson, a Brown College senior, said.
Among the event's speakers were State Representatives Jessica Farrar and Garnet Coleman, both from Houston, who voiced support for the rally's cause. Both have records of supporting gay rights in the Texas House and voiced strong opposition to a Texan gay marriage ban in 2005.
John Nechman, a Houston lawyer who specializes in immigration, spoke at the rally. Rice ACLU hosted an on-campus talk by Nechman on Nov. 11, on the topic of same-sex marriage rights now and in the future.
"One thing that really struck me during Mr. Nechman's talk was how he does a lot of work in South America," Carson said. "In the past, other countries always looked up to us as the most progressive nation. Now other countries, like Colombia, are passing much more progressive laws. They're wondering why we aren't blazing the path like we used to."
Bradley Houston, co-president of Rice's Queers & Allies club, also attended the rally along with 13 members of the group.
"It was reassuring to see Rice students who wanted to come out and show their support," Houston said. "It shows how great a place Rice can be and that it's not gay people in one little area and straight people in another. There were so many allied straight people there, who had gay friends or who just cared about the issue."
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