SAN DIEGO—
Walking into the Marriage License Room at the County Administration building was like stepping back in time Wednesday morning. Dozens of people packed the tiny office, to voice their displeasure over the passage of proposition 8."We are doing this today to show that the fight is not just going to go with Prop 8," said Brian Baumgardner. "We are going to keep fighting."
Partners Brian Baumgardner and Michael Anderson were hoping to get a license. They were turned away.
"We are not allowed to issue licenses to same gendered couples," said Diana Bradrick, Chief Deputy Recorder County Clerk for San Diego County.
Jonathon Goetz and Adrian Rodriguez were also looking to tie the knot. They too were turned away. Unwilling to take no for an answer, they and other Proposition 8 protestors refused to leave the office.
"This is a little bit of civil disobedience but you know," said Rodriguez. "Here in America we live in a land where we can do that."
Not everyone heading into the office supported the protest. Family and friends of one couple said they understood why people were gathered, but said it infringed on their right to get married in the chapel. It was blocked by protestors.
"We were not expecting this," said new bride Michelle Davis. "We thought the all the protesting was done yesterday."
Michelle and her now husband David, who had spent the last year planning their wedding, were disappointed to find their options for a place to get married were limited by the protest.
"We could not use the chapel," said. David Davis. "We ended up getting married in one of the back rooms."
But, he added, "It still counts."
That is the same thing Goetz and Rodriguez said they were looking for, a marriage that counts. And, they said they were willing to be arrested for it.
"Yes we are, absolutely," said Goetz. "But we hope it does not come to that."
"If we do not stand up for our own rights that were just taken away, who will?" added Rodriguez.
