Students from Rancho Cucamonga and Los Osos High Schools began arriving to the corners of Foothill and Haven as early as nine o'clock. In the morning, several supporters of prop 8 gathered at the northeast corner. Students frantically began calling each other to increase their presence. Their numbers soon overwhelmed the "yes on 8" people, and opponents of 8 were able to establish a strong presence at all four corners.

We later found out that the gay-bashers had not given up, but had simply relocated to the corner of Baseline and Day Creek. Their numbers were bolstered a bit, but once word got out, they were confined to a single corner, with defenders of equality occupying the other three corners. And they were able to do so without giving up their bastion at Foothill and Haven. "It was so crowded, you couldn't even get by on the sidewalk," reported one witness.

Local merchants brought food, water, and hats. Many people stopped to ask for signs, stickers, and literature. Still many more honked their support and approval.

There were motorists who expressed their disagreement with our cause. Some pointed their thumbs downward. Others sneered. These were the benign reactions. The vicious one were shocking at best, and terrifying at worst. "Fags! Fags! Fags!" yelled one young man. The hatred in his voice was heart-chilling.

Some of us tried to ask people who disagreed with us why they felt the way they did. "God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve." "It's against Jesus." "It's only going to create more divorce." "It's destroying marriage." "They're child molesters."

The ignorance was staggering. I didn't hear one rational argument. They were all rooted in religion. And there was apparently no understanding of the principle of the separation of church and state. The Sarah Palin phenomenon?

One student brought an enormous "No on 8" banner. Most people had their own hand-made signs, with such clever slogans as "We didn't vote on YOUR marriage," "NO H8TE," and "I'm Straight, but No on 8." There were Ipod-playing boomboxes on several corners. Chants of "No on 8! Stop the hate!" and "Equal Rights!" rang across the intersection. Reporters from high school newspapers snapped photographs and took down quotes. Students shared stories and ideas.

The youth are leading in this movement for equality.

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