What did you do last Saturday night? Oh I protested and then went for Mexican at El Chavo

When in Silverlake, dress the part.
I found myself to be one of the few men actually wearing leather this past Saturday night at the protest march in Silverlake. (A lovely leather vest over tan long sleeved shirt, tight blue jeans and black motorcycle boots. Tom of Finland would have approved.)

For those of you not from Los Angeles, the Silverlake, Sunset Jct area of LA was known in the past for a number of "levi/leather" bars. I think its all come down to one bar now THE EAGLE. My friend Bill and I followed the crowd down "little Santa Monica Blvd" and past the Eagle.


Some of my friends that passed by asked me a few questions.
"Hey, did you just come out of the bar?"

(I was standing there holding two lit candles and a protest sign. My friend Bill had made a pit stop to use the bathroom.)

"No honey, I'm not doing a hot wax demonstration tonight at the Eagle. I am protesting just like you."

They laughed and when Bill joined me we stopped at his car which is now blocked in by the protest and sat on the back of it watching all the cute guys marching by.

I discovered there are benefits to being political.

But seriously folks...what amazed me were the number of "straight couples" and some with their kids. Gay couples with kids, grandparents, and a huge number of "kids" under the age of 30 that were out there protesting. Makes a middle aged guy like me so proud.
(Yeah I finally admit it. LOL)

I don't know if I will ever get married but I certainly want the same DAMN rights as oh let's say Britney Spears. She famously married her friend from High School to have sex with him and then got it annulled 3 days later. If that "pop tart" can get married just to the deed, then why can't a lesbian couple that have been in a committed relationship longer than Brit's been alive, get married as well?

IT MAKES NO DAMN SENSE!

After Bill and I rounded the corner of Sunset and Vermont we realized there was a growing faction of protesters pushing the line to go west on Sunset. The protest route was a big loop to end back at Sunset Jct. We chose to not push the line west and went back toward Sunset Jct and stopped at El Chavo Restaurant. Marching and protesting had left us starved for some dinner.

When we finished an hour later Sunset Blvd was just opening back up but the protesting was still going on. I walked Bill to his car back down by the Eagle. He could finally get out and go south to avoid the protest traffic. I walked past the Eagle and thought about going in. But since I don't drink anymore, I really didn't want to go into a crowded bar with a bunch of thirsty protesters who would be site seeing.
(Besides, baby don't stand in no line at a bar. The last time I did that was 1988!)

I went back up to Sunset Jct and ran into one of the guys I know from the California Men's Gathering. It's a social group located in SF, SD and LA. I now attend a few of their functions specifically because they are non-alcohol/drug events. We chatted for several hours watching the crowds from the balcony of the store ROUGH TRADE.

(For those of you not in LA, this is not just your average T-shirt store if you know what I mean. It's sort of the MACY'S of leather gear/adult fun items etc....you get the picture.) I personally didn't make any purchases but my friend from the CMG had a good time.

I walked him back to his car. I guess he felt safe just because I had a leather vest on?
(Hey I can look butch when I want to!)

Never at any point in the evening did I feel unprotected or unsafe. The LAPD was there to literally "Protect and Serve" the community. Others have reported that most of the officers male and female were just there to do their job. Most were very polite.

I don't think any protesters got out of hand and the evening ended with our message getting out to the media.

WE are NOT going to take this PROP 8 passing lightly.

Walking back to my car alone through the old neighborhood on Hyperion, I reflected on how the times have changed in the 15 years I have lived in LA. We went from people dying of AIDS, through an Internet revolution, to a new generation of gays that are out and proud and demanding equal rights.

I felt a sense of peace and satisfaction that I had shown up to do my part, that I had participated.
I can't help but think that a few of my friends who died from AIDS were walking right there beside me throughout the night. I feel blessed that for some reason I am still here to witness.