Three local channels covered the rally on Saturday, November 15. The links to the channel news are located at the end of this article. Also some YoutTube videos covering it.

The following is the text from AZCentral's Website:

2,000 in Phoenix protest gay marriage ban

by Astrid Galvan - Nov. 15, 2008 11:03 PM
The Arizona Republic

Donavon Goodsell of Phoenix celebrated his 67th birthday on Saturday by marching for gay rights at a rally that drew a large group from the gay community and its supporters.

Goodsell has been in a relationship for 42 years and he said it was now time for marriage rights.

Goodsell was one of close to 2,000 people who gathered in Phoenix to protest the recently adopted Prop. 102, a constitutional amendment that bans same-sex marriage in Arizona. OAS_AD('ArticleFlex_1')

The rally, which began at the Cesar Chavez Memorial at Phoenix City Hall and ended at the Capitol, was also a part of national protests against California's Prop. 8 and other measures that outlaw gay vows.

The protests were organized by Join the Impact, a grass-roots movement that said about 300 cities were participating in the marches.

Nearly 1,000 people demonstrated in downtown Tucson on Friday night to protest Prop. 102, which was approved by 55 percent of voters. Pima County was the only Arizona county in which a majority of voters disapproved of the measure.

In Phoenix, the effort was lead by Annie Loyd, a community activist and a member of Be A Human and Equal Rights Organizer, a local movement.

Organizers spread the word through e-mail and Facebook.

"I've been gay all my life and a lot of us, we were patiently waiting for people to get it, and now that you're saying (we are) second-class citizens in the United States of America in the year 2008 is completely unacceptable," Loyd said.

Loyd said the protests were not aimed at the Mormon Church, which had been a vocal supporter of Prop. 8 in California.

Prop. 8 reversed a California Supreme Court decision in May that recognized same-sex marriage as a right, overturning a previous ban on gay marriage.

But resentment for the Mormon Church was evident, as many participants held signs denouncing the church.

Still, the event remained peaceful and there was no counterprotest.

Phoenix Councilman Tom Simplot, who is openly gay, was one of about a dozen speakers. He got the already-energetic crowd even more charged.

"We have let our rights slip away because we weren't paying attention," he said. "We need to focus this newfound anger so we don't let more things slip away."

Rachel Boyer, her husband and her 14-month-old son drove from Tucson to participate in the rally.

Boyer said it was one way to show her support for the gay community and for her sister, who is a lesbian.

"It shouldn't even be an issue," Boyer said. "When people who love each other make a commitment to each other, that strengthens marriage."

After about two hours of speakers, live music and chants such as "Yes, we can," protestors marched to the Capitol. Phoenix police escorted the participants.

The rally will not be the end of this movement, organizers said, but rather a beginning.

Be A H.E.R.O, Loyd's group, will begin holding community meetings every Monday at 6:30 p.m. at Community Church of Hope, 4121 N. Seventh Avenue.

For Goodsell, whose birthday coincided with the rally, the event gave him an opportunity to express the voice he says he has kept quiet for most of his life.

Goodsell said he never before participated in gay activism for fear of losing his job.

"I guess it's finally time to speak," he said.

The Tucson Citizen contributed to this report.

TV STATIONS REPORTS

CBS Channel 5 news story on Prop 102 protest rally Saturday

Fox 10 news story on Prop 102 protest rally Saturday

ABC 15 news story

THIS AZCENTRAL Article is found HERE.