After dropping my bags at my hotel on Wednesday afternoon, I walked out the side door and found this church next door - which I'd heard mentioned as being a supporter of the proposed marraige amendment. Since I wanted to find the State House, where the historic vote would take place the next day, I walked by and was halfway down the block before it started sprinkling. Turning back toward the hotel to get my umbrella, I found myself irresistibly drawn to the door and went inside.
This is the side entrance (I actually took this and the previous picture two days later). The sign over the door says "First Integrated Church in America.
The church had been a theater until purchased by the Free Baptists in 1863. I walked into a vibrant Spirit-filled prayer service which was a perfect beginning to the job I needed to do here.
Beautiful old plush theater seats, two balconies, and stained glass windows. My hotel window actually is right on the other side of the stained glass. I was staying at the Parker House, the oldest hotel in Boston.
I was only one block from Boston Commons. On the way there I passed the cemetery where Paul Revere is buried.
The arch over the entrance to the cemetery.
The gate.
This was a memorial to the Irish Emigration. The starving ones are in the background. The ones who made it to America in the foreground.
June 14th, 8:00 AM at the State House. The background: in 2003, the Massachusetts Supreme Court made gay marriage legal. Pro-family groups have spent the last 4 years going through the process to have a vote put to Massachusetts citizens. After theycollected 170,000 signatures, the proposal needed approval by two consecutive Constitutional Conventions. On January 2, it passed the first one. On May 9, the second vote was postponed by the President of the State Senate until June 14. If it won, the amendment would be presented for popular vote. Gay opponents had a permit for the front of the State House.
The media were there early too.
A bas relief across the street from the State House. behind the place where the proponents of the amendment were gathering.
The issue was simply whether or not the people of Massachusetts should be allowed to vote on the definition of marriage. Gay groups were against allowing the vote. Does this mean they were afraid they would lose? That the majority of citizens do not approve of gay marriage? The proponents of the amendment simply wanted the right to vote.
Crowds were growing. Gay groups had spent 750,000 in the past three weeks to mount a professional campaign. They'd called for their supporters to take off work, call in sick, do whatever it took to "Be There."
The vote was scheduled for 1:00, although no one knew for sure if it would take place. In anticipation of growing crowds, police closed the street. Everyone was very polite. They've all been through this before here and the rancor that used to mark these events has been replaced with more civility.
I walked behind the amendment opponents' side to take this shot. The green signs in the background are the oles that say "Let the People Vote."
Inside the State House are beautiful murals, lots of marble, and a feeling of history.
Stained glass on the landing of the Grand Staircase - all beautiful marble. It was still overcast and cold outside. A Park Policeman (the State House is their territory) told me this is at its best when there is sun streaming through.
Frank Lloyd Wright type stained glass ceiling - note the Samuel Adams tribute.
The Hall of Flags has a dome ceiling ringed by murals of Massachusetts history.
The ceiling in the Hall of Flags.
I exchanged picture-taking with two Japanese tourists. I hadn't come prepared for the weather - it was hot in DC - but the famous Filene's Basement is two blocks in the other direction from my hotel and I found this little suit to wear for about 1/3 of the original price. Don't I look professional? By the time you read this, I'll be back to doing laundry though :)
Love this picture of Paul Revere. I often feel this way myself :)
I climbed up into a windowsill to get this shot of both groups from the front of the State House.
Early suffragettes.
Coming out the back entrance to the State House, I saw this typical Boston scene. The town is full of little teensy places like this. Check out the street lamp. Things here are very old, not as scrupulously clean as DC - and there is not the feeling of spacious streets. The people are not as friendly or nice as they are in Virginia and it's hard for me to hear their harsh tone of voice.
Typical architecture - and again, check the streetlights.
This is the bacl entrance of the State House.
Japanese tourists.
The press begins to set up. My press status gets me into places I wouldn't normally see.
These are people waiting outside the galleries for the vote.
The vote happened quickly. I was there to cover Kris Mineau of Massachusetts Family Institute, who had promises from 57 legislators that they would be voting yes (they needed 50 for the amendment to go forward) to allow the people of Massachusetts the opportunity to vote. In the last week there was tremendous pressure brought to bear by people from outside the state - including Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi. Lots of arm twisting and who knows what. In the end, some who had told Mineau only a day before they would vote yes waffled. With only 45 votes, the amendment was defeated and the people of Massachusetts were denied their right to vote. Here, Mineau is interviewed for his response.
Mineau is an excellent leader. I shadowed him for two hours before the vote and an hour after. Here he meets with supporters outside. This was no small loss as it represented four years of hard volunteer work by many people. Now they are back to square one.
Mounted police
I wandered three blocks away to the shopping area. Boston is so compact. It's amazing to me that the seat of government is just a couple short blocks from Macy's. Note the brick streets.
Friday a media rep picked me up to drive me out to the MFI office for more interviews. She had an orange Beetle with the top down. I snapped this before my hair started flying around. What fun!
