Richard Westall’s Sword of Damocles, 1812.

Thanks to NCLR’s crack text message to my phone, the wait for the wait is over, and now the wait is narrowed to a nice, long holiday weekend.  Glad I got some champagne for mimosas for our lesbo parents’ brunch this Sunday.  Because now we know the California Supreme Court will announce its Prop 8 decision on:

Tuesday, May 26, around about 10am.

Cal Supes page here.  NCLR post on it all here.

Wanna know what happens between now and then?

Gobs upon gobs of info after the jump

about just what’s happening in San Francisco, where & when, on the eve of the decision (Monday), on Tuesday morning early, at Civic Center before & after the decision is announced, later that Day of Decision, and the weekend following.  Compiled from Matt Baume, Our Family Coalition, and the SF LGBT Center.  Remember that Day of Decision events can be found here at http://www.dayofdecision.com/#cities.

Here, from Matt Baume, at SFAppeal:

Here’s how it’ll go down:

First, we’ll get official word from the court, probably around 10am. You can sign up for an email alert here, or an SMS alert from the National Center for Lesbian Rights. [ed note: OK, that we got --  Matt's post is from Wed.] That evening, [ed note: tonight, I'm guessing?] there will be an interfaith prayer service at Grace Cathedral from 7 to 8:30pm.

The day of the ruling, there will be a service at Saint Francis (across from the Safeway in the Castro) at 8:30, and then a march to the court. The ruling will come at around 10am, and then everyone will freak out all over the world.

Depending on how the court rules, there could be a bunch of civil disobedience; but there’s no indication that there will be any violence. Thirty years ago (to the day!) San Francisco saw riots stemming from the assassination of Harvey Milk. Organizers learned from that mess; and they’re prepared to diffuse tensions and prevent a scary repeat of the White Night Riots.

That evening, there will be a 5pm rally at SF City Hall — either a victory rally or a recommitment to continue the fight. The rally will march to the Martin Luther King Jr memorial next to the Metreon for more speakers and music.

The weekend following the ruling, activists will meet in Fresno to plan the next steps. Why Fresno? Because the middle of the state is where the most work needs to be done. If the gay couples lose, Courage Campaign and Equality California are already primed and ready to go with a campaign in 2010 or 2012 (most observers believe that it’ll be 2010).

Exciting times, everyone! Try to keep your cool.

If you want to be texted with the results of the decision on Tuesday morning, sign up with NCLR here.  A very fine overview of the case, for those who want overviewing, here at Calitics, by Be_Devine. (Thx to LizK for that one.)

*UPDATE/ ADDENDUM #1 , from Our Family Coalition about the San Francisco Day of Decision events, much of which repeats the above, but w/ useful info re: family visibility:

   •  Our Family Coalition and COLAGE and all Families and Children are invited to be at the front of the civil rights march.


 •    Families and children are invited to be on the stage towards the end of the rally to participate in a flower petal drop and bouquet toss.


•   Our Family Coalition Executive Director Judy Appel will speak.

When the CA Supreme Court announces their decision on Proposition 8, we must act! Join a rally in celebration or protest on Tuesday, May 26. Protests will occur nationwide and our voices will be heard! We hope that we will come together in celebration, but must know that even in celebration we have many more battles to win and need to unite on the day of decision in one loud voice.  Learn more about local actions near you at www.dayofdecision.com

Day of Rally 

• When: Tuesday, May 26  5-6pm 
• Where: San Francisco City Hall [Google map here]
•   

Day of March 

• Time: 6-6:45pm
• Where: End at MLK memorial in Yerba Buena Gardens [Google map here]
•   

Day of Community Gathering and Speakers

• When: 6:45-8:30pm
• Where: Yerba Buena Gardens  

UPDATE/ ADDENDUM #2, from the SF LGBT Center, about further events (provides details & addresses for the events Matt Baume noted above):

 EVE of Decision Day

• Prayer Service: 7:00 p.m.   8:30 p.m.  Grace Cathedral
• 100 California Street San Francisco  

 The night before the announcement of the California Supreme Court’s decision, the Bay Area community is invited to attend an evening of songs and meditation that will center our hearts on peace, healing and understanding. Sponsored by The Bay Area Coalition for Welcoming Congregations, California Faith for Equality, and Equality California*

 Day of Decision

• Service/Blessing on Decision Day: 8:30 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.
• St. Francis Lutheran Church
• 152 Church St. San Francisco, across from Castro Safeway

 The morning of the decision, Bay Area community members are invited to hear encouraging music and words from community leaders, testimonies from married couples and blessings for those who will be participating in protests or rallies. There will be a march from the church, stopping at the Center and continuing onto Civic Center Plaza.  Sponsored by The Bay Area Coalition for Welcoming Congregations, California Faith for Equality, and Equality California*.

 March to Civic Center Plaza: 9:15 a.m.

• Meet at the San Francisco LGBT Community Center
• 1800 Market Street @ Octavia
• www.sfcenter.org // 415.865.5649

 On the day of the decision, join fellow Bay Area community members at the Center to march to Civic Center Plaza in unity and preparation for the verdict.

 Alternatively, prior to 10:00 a.m., on the Court’s steps (350 McAllister St) you are invited to stand in unity to receive the ruling.

 Press Conference covering the California Supreme Court’s Decision

• 10:30 a.m.
• South Light Court, San Francisco City Hall
• http://www.nclrights.org/ and http://www.sfgov.org/

 Attorneys, joined by religious and civil rights leaders, will discuss the impact of the court’s decision and the next steps moving forward.

 Representatives Include:

•  •  S.F. City Attorney Dennis Herrera and Therese Stewart, San Francisco Chief Deputy City Attorney
•  •  Kate Kendell, Executive Director, National Center for Lesbian Rights and Shannon Minter, Legal Director, National Center for Lesbian Rights
• •  Elizabeth Gill, Staff Attorney, ACLU LGBT & AIDS Project
• •  Eva Paterson, President, Equal Justice Society, AMICI
•  •  Raymond C. Marshall of Bingham McCutchen on behalf of civil rights groups the Asian Pacific American Legal Center, the California State Conference of the NAACP, Equal Justice Society, Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, Inc., amici
• •  Geoff Kors, Executive Director and Andrea Shorter, Coalition Coordinator, Equality California
• •  Tawal Panyacosit, Director, API Equality
• •  Rev. Rick Schlosser, Executive Director, California Council of Churches, amici
• •  Same-sex couples

Alternatively at 10:30 a.m., (if the marriage ban is upheld): Circle of Care at Civic Center Plaza, a group of Bay Area clergy and congregants, will engage in nonviolent civil disobedience immediately after receiving the ruling. Visit http://www.onestruggleonefight.org/ for more information. 

Evening Rally, March and Gathering (same info as above Our Family-listed events)

Across the nation several communities will hold gatherings on the day of the decision for us to peacefully share our emotions with one another, show our continuing support for marriage equality and prepare to take the necessary steps to move forward. Emceed by Stuart Gaffney, John Lewis, Lawrence Ellis, Molly McKay and Davina Kotulski. 

Day of Rally:

• Time: 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM

• Location: San Francisco City Hall 

Day of March: 

• Time: 6:00 PM to 6:45 PM 
• Location: City Hall to End at MLK memorial in Yerba Buena Gardens

Day of Community Gathering: 

• 6:45 PM to 8:30 PM
• Location: MLK memorial in Yerba Buena Gardens

Saturday May 30^th

Meet in the Middle 4 Equality: 1:00 p.m., Fresno

Meet in the Middle 4 Equality calls for an effort to knit a community that cries for FULL Access, Equality & Justice 4 ALL.  Regardless of the decision meet on the steps of City Hall in downtown Fresno at 1pm. Busses leave from the San Francisco LGBT Community Center to Fresno at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday. To RSVP for a seat on the bus, and for more information, visit http://www.meetinthemiddle4equality.com/.

Sunday May 31^st

The weekend following the court decision, clergy and worship leaders are encouraged to address the theological, social and emotional effects of the court decision during their worship service.  A liturgy will be provided for congregations to use during their worship time. Sponsored by The Bay Area Coalition for Welcoming Congregations, California Faith for Equality, and Equality California*

*The coalition of co-sponsors also includes Jewish Mosaic, California Council of Churches, Progressive Jewish Alliance, Freedom in Christ Church of San Francisco, Metropolitan Community Church, The Fellowship, Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of California, Glide Memorial Church, Marriage Equality USA, and the Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies at the Pacific School of Religion.

The Center is proud to have signed on to one of the Amicus Briefs to the California Supreme Court supporting petitions challenging proposition 8. Our thanks to the National Center for Lesbian Rights, together with their national legal colleagues at Lambda Legal and the ACLU and private counsel from Munger, Tolles & Olsen and the Law Office of David Codell, along with the record-breaking number of religious organizations, civil rights groups, and labor unions, numerous California municipal governments, bar associations, leading legal scholars, and others urging the Court to strike down Prop 8.