Violence Firsthand: Mormon Temple, Thursday Evening

November 07, 2008
Violence Firsthand: Mormon Temple, Thursday Evening

Below a note I sent to friends detailing my firsthand experience with violence last night at the Mormon Temple protest.



Friends,



I have great hesitation in posting this blog as I don’t wish to be “looked up to” or seen as “martyr-esque”. Please know before reading on that I am ok. I’m sore but I am ok. I promise! But I do feel my experiences last night were eye opening for me and hope they are for you and those you may choose to share it with. If this makes you concerned, angry, hopeful, or any other way energized, PLEASE do not inundate me with 2000 calls tomorrow. Instead, hit the streets and protest or forward the emails to those who don’t see the importance of our cause.



So...Its midnight in Los Angeles and my friends just drove me home and I'm emboldened in a way I have never been before. Tonight my perspective on our movement changed. I have always intellectually known how much some groups hate us as LGBT people but I never truly felt it in my heart and soul.



Tonight after several hours of partaking in loud but peaceful protests with tens of thousands of gay, straight, black, brown & white, old and young people spanning several miles of Los Angeles, I was finally leaving the protest at the Mormon Temple at 9pm or so. My friends had long left and the march had moved on to take over more intersections and block more traffic. We had pretty much brought West L.A. to a halt during rush hour.



After going to my car I heard much louder noise coming from the Temple again, 3 blocks away. I grabbed my No on 8 sign, shut the door and started walking back to see what was going on. I met up with a 20 year old woman along the way and we walked together. Shortly after we were approached by a man who told us not to proceed if we "knew what was good for us".

Having been there all day we hadn't given it much thought. Long story short. The 20 year old woman, who I will call Amy, and I continued walking and were quickly jumped from behind by three men screaming at us that we had no business being outside THEIR temple. They knocked us on the ground and kicked us a couple times until the police ran over. Of course, the cowards ran away. The officer offered to help us up. Amy and I looked at each other, said no thank you, pulled ourselves up and brushed ourselves off.

We did choose to continue protesting as we were both hurt and couldn't walk so well. We figured we were safe. We got to my car, turned up the side street and there were 20 more of them who tried to attack us in the car. They tried to smash my windows, while blocking the road. I closed my eyes, honked the horn and hit the gas and left the incident only with a dent in the side of my car.



I know this is long, so what's my point? Not for sympathy, I don't want any. Protesting comes with inherent risk. I share this because I am one story of the tens of thousands who took to the streets of Los Angeles tonight to demand our equality and show the general public and our opposition we are not going away. Others are far more hurt than I am tonight. People were arrested on both sides. It got ugly despite our attempts to keep it peaceful.



Is it the silver lining (if thats possible) to the passage of Prop 8 that the LGBT community has rediscovered it's voice? If you could witness what I did today, you might agree. I HOPE SO. Our community had grown complacent in our liberal bubbles of NY, LA, SF, etc. We cannot be complacent or we shall remain second, if not steerage class. I'm bruised, I'm scraped, I'm tired, I'm sad and I am emboldened like never before.



What I have to say to the bigots who confronted me tonight, "You knocked me down. You kicked me while I was down. You damaged my car. I might be physically sore but my spirit is strong. I shall not go away. Tomorrow is another day and we shall prevail. YES WE CAN. AND WE WILL!!



Yours in solidarity,



Darrell Tucci



P.S. Join me and thousands at Sunset Junction on Saturday night at 6 pm so we continue to be heard! YES WE WILL!



PPS - Since sharing the news of last evening, emails, facebook messages and phone calls have filled my inboxes. Thank you.



One in particular stands out. It was the call I just received from my grandmother in New Jersey and she shared just what I needed to hear. What the LGBT community needs to hear.



After making sure I was truly ok, she shared her sympathy, but briefly. She shared her support and optimism that in time we shall prevail.


Most importantly she reiterated what she said to me 12 years ago when I came out to her. “I don’t cry because you are gay. I cry because I know you will always have to fight so hard for everything you already so deserve.” My grandmother is in her 80’s, socially conservative (except LGBT issues), Roman Catholic and a proud Republican. She went on to encourage me to keep up the fight despite the risk and reminded me “You, Darrell, are on god’s side of this fight, not them!”

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