What an incredible day!

[imagine_that]

Yesterday was amazing, just amazing.

I got off jury duty through a technicality (the trial is still going on)so I was able to go to the wedding of Robert Compton and David Wilson. Possibly the first legal gay wedding held in a church yesterday.

The wedding was at Arlington St. Church, and the church was filled. Cameras and reporters were everywhere of course, but it was surprisingly easy to ignore them (I believe the wedding will be broadcast on Nightline...unless that was last night, I'm not sure). The entire Boston Gay Men's Chorus filed into the church and onto the pulpit. We're talking 150ish people or more. They sang "Marry Us" as two of Dave's little grandchildren came toddling down the aisle with a giant velvet heart pillow with the rings. Then Rob and Dave walked down the aisle holding hands.

The wedding started with Rev. Kim Crawford-Harvey reading a section of the Goodridge decision, and then readings by two of the couples' children. They renewed their vows (they had had a church wedding in 2000), and the chorus sang to them again. Then the really amazing part.

Rev. Kim started by saying "You are already married in the eyes of a far higher power then we answer to today.", already in the eyes of the church, and themselves, and she was going to make it legal in the eyes of the state. She got as far as "By the power vested in me by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts" before being cut off by a standing ovation of thunderous applause that went on for seven minutes before people quieted down. She finished her pronouncement and signed the license. Then the recessional, and Dave's 90-yr-old father was pushed down the aisle, so full of emotion that he was bawling and clutching the hand of Rob's mother.

There was a receiving line that took quite a while, partly because of the number of people, and partly because of the reporters. We had Duck tours quacking at us, and at one point the Goodridges drove by in their limos and honked. When I got up to Rob and Dave, they were very surprised to see me, because I had told them that I would be stuck in jury duty when they invited me. They enveloped me in huge hugs. I can't even describe how wonderful it all was. I waited around to throw rice (I know, it should have been bubbles or birdseed, but it was what we had) as they got into their limos. If you see that image from the bottom of the steps as they go by, I am directly behind that cameraman.

After that I went down to City Hall, to cheer and support the other couples. There was a two-piece klezmer band that was playing for each of the couples as they came down the steps. Along with a few college students, I manages to get large parts of the crowd dancing to the music, and we started a huge snake-like dance around the plaza.

GLAD had set up a tent with cake and drinks, and a four-piece string quartet. All very classy. Some of the best images from the day are the bubbles that people were constantly blowing (especially at our opponents when they tried to intrude on our joy), and the happiness and light shining out of couples' eyes when they came down those steps, and crying and kissing from joy, right out in the open for all to see. A day I had only dreamed I'd see during my youth, and I was there.

I was there.

Comments

[frommy.livejournal.com]

I'm glad to hear you got to go and I'm rather curious as to what the technicality was.

[hippie1025.livejournal.com]

Well, it was a medical malpractice case. I realized on the first day of testimony that I knew quite a lot about the type of injury in question due to my bout with tendonitis. One of the theories that the defense was putting forth was that the injury in question (she lost all use of her arm from the shoulder down after a surgery in another part of the body) was simply a recurrence of a previous injury (a frozen shoulder suffered years earlier due to inactivity....very similar to my tendonitis). Now even without expert testimony, I knew from the woman's descriptions that these were not the same injury, that there was severe nerve damage, and taht something had happened at the hospital. I wasn't sure that it was malpractice or that the doctor she was suing was the one at fault, and I was waiting to hear more testimony to help me make a decision. That eveidence was not forthcoming, and I started to realize that the case was going to hinge on the nature of the injury. So I came forward.

Truth be told, I was scared to say something earlier. I knew from the first day that I should speak up, but I didn't know what would happen if I did. It was when I got invited to the wedding, and after our conversation, that i had the motivation to get out of the trial. Bad motives, I know. But I should have spoken up sooner, and the judge thanked me for my honesty (!), and said that it was her fault for not being more explicit about this aspect of the case during jury selection. I really would have said something then if I had known. I'm not excusing myself for my motives however.

[frommy.livejournal.com]

That doesn't exactly help my faith in our court system. You weren't eligible because you actually knew something about the medical conditions involved? I'd much rather have informed jurors making decisions than ones who were intentionally kept as ignorant as possible about the underlying medicine/science.

[hippie1025.livejournal.com]

The idea behind this is that the lawyers and judge etc decide as to what can be entered as evidence. Jurors are not suposed to bring any outside knowledge when deciding a case. Makes some sense I suppose...but I know what you mean.