Gay Activists Carry Protests To Capitol - 2009

Washington D.C. is the pulse of this country and individuals and groups go there if they have a cause that should be heard. We drove in from College Park, Maryland and this is what we found.

Tens of thousands of gay-rights activists marched Sunday in Washington to show President Obama and Congress that they are impatient with what they consider piecemeal progress and are ready to fight at the federal level for across-the-board equality, including for the right to marry and the right to serve in the military.

Many gay rights advocates have criticized President Barack Obama for not moving faster to keep his campaign promises to extend gay rights, and Congress has also drawn flak for not doing more.

March organizers have said they're no longer willing to quietly wait for Democratic office holders to make good on decades-old promises. They contend that lawmakers' actions should catch up to the growing acceptance of gay relationships.

I do not know the speaker, however, Dave Koz (white shirt), popular smooth jazz sax player accompanied the vocalist of America the Beautiful. The song was written by Katharine Lee Bates (August 12, 1859 – March 28, 1929). It was mentioned she was a lesbian.

“The work goes on. The cause endures. The hope still lives and the dreams shall never die.”

Ted Kennedy

This gentleman came in from New York to lend his support to the movement

Interesting discussion going on as this individual had the opposite viewpoint of what was going on that weekend

These folks were willing to take a few moments out of their day to allow me to photograph them

The same guys that were in the parade in a more subdued mood

Spectators watched from the street and cheered the participants and others were lying down.

He was resting too

The march was coordinated by Equality Across America, a group formed this year. Organizers said they represent those who want immediate fundamental change in the legal status of gays, as opposed to those who think patience is needed as legal obstacles are overcome.

Obama's election, coupled with the Democratic control of the House and Senate, boosted hopes in the gay community for breakthroughs on sweeping measures to end discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.