For those who don't know, they're doing outreach in a part of the state that voted heavily for Prop H8.
Analysis: Valley 'a symbol' for gay rights backers
March, rally set today for same-sex marriage.
Published online on Friday, May. 29, 2009
By John Ellis / The Fresno Bee
Organizers of today's rally supporting same-sex marriage say they chose Fresno for the high-profile event because the battle eventually will be won or lost in California's heartland.
But the choice of location may say less about getting votes in the central San Joaquin Valley than it does about political symbolism -- and the tireless efforts of one local activist.
Proposition 8, the measure last fall that banned same-sex marriage, did well in the Valley, but voters here supplied only 5% of the support. By contrast, more than 40% of votes in favor came from just three Southern California counties: Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego.
But organizers say Fresno still makes more sense as the place to kick off their efforts to legalize same-sex marriage through a November 2010 ballot measure.
The city plays a symbolic role as capital of the state's conservative heartland. It has civil-rights connections to farm-labor leader Cesar Chavez.
It also is a good place to hone arguments for same-sex marriage, say supporters, reasoning that if hearts and minds can be changed here, the battle for Southern California will be relatively easy.
http://www.fresnobee.com/local/story/1436943.html