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Politics

Prop. 8 Foes Complete March From SoCal To SF

SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) ―

Click to enlarge 1 of 1: Valerie Paget, front left, and Tracie Jones lead a procession of supporters during a rally against Proposition 8 outside of City Hall in San Francisco, Friday, Dec. 19, 2008.
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A lesbian couple from Pasadena who walked 450 miles through California to support a continuing movement to overturn Proposition 8 arrived at the end of their journey Friday, leading a group of marriage rights advocates from San Francisco City Hall to the steps of the state Supreme Court.

Valerie Paget and Stacie Jones left West Hollywood five weeks ago to time their arrival at the Supreme Court with Friday's deadline for Proposition 8 proponents to file their briefs in a case challenging the constitutionality of the measure, which banned same-sex marriages when it was approved by a slim majority of voters in November.

Jones, Paget and the rally of about 100 supporters who cheered them on were jubilant and optimistic, shouting "marriage equality now" on the steps of City Hall, and singing a "Jingle Bells" melody with the words "equal rights, equal rights, equal all the way!"

"This was never about us, this was about keeping the conversation going," Paget said on the steps of the Earl Warren Building, still wearing the poster board "Revoke8.com" sign she had around her neck for the entire journey. "You wear a sign around your neck and people come up and talk to you."

Jones and Paget were hosted by strangers on all but the first two nights of their journey, Paget said, and they collected signatures, letters and video testimony from more than 300,000 people.

"There were times when we ached and hurt, but it was like we were being carried up the state by people who supported us."

The couple's Canadian marriage became recognized by the state of California after the Supreme Court's decision in May 18 to allow same-sex unions.

The Supreme Court has stated it could hold a hearing on the legitimacy of Proposition 8 as early as March.