On Tuesday July 27th, the National Organization for Marriage “Summer of Marriage Tour" came to Mad-Town (Madison, WI) for a rally at the Capitol to spew their hatred for the LGBT Community and to say that Gays have no rights and can never have any rights to be joined in a civil union, and to speak of the sanctity of Straight Only Matrimony. In opposition protesters Gay, BI, Transgender, and their "Straight Allies" from all across the state turned out by the hundreds to show their support for full equality. Among them was the Socialist Party of South Central Wisconsin.

The march began at 11:45 and the protesters reached the Madison Capitol building where the N.O.M. rally had just started. The protesters were stopped at the sidewalk by protest organizers. A few protesters didn't stop at the sidewalk they went straight up the capitol steps to confront N.O.M. Sam Klepfer of the Socialist Party of So. Central Wisconsin and member of the SP-WI State executive committee motioned for the protesters to come to the top of the stairs and they did it was at this time that the organizers lost control of the rally. 466 protesters stormed the capitol steps and surrounded N.O.M. who were safely surrounded by yellow police line tape and only a hand full of police. The protesters started screaming, "We have Rights". Members of the local Anarchist Black Bloc were also there and were reaching across the yellow tape and giving "free hugs" as a peaceful message that one Anarchist said to a NOM supporter We are all one people and we are all equal should be able to hug each other" to the NOM supporters some welcomed the hugs and others didn't. Matty O'Dea Secretary of the SP-So. Central Wisconsin and Vice Chair to the State got into a verbal conflict with one N.O.M. supporter who called Matty a "F@$#ing Faggot" after Matty yelled "You cant spell Revolt without Love."

One organizer made it known that the Capitol Police had stated that the organizers need to get the crowd under control because they didn't want a riot on they're hands and that The Capitol Police were starting to get nervous. This came about after one LGBT Protester yelled out "REMEMBER STONEWALL 1969" The protest ended in peace no arrests were made and the protesters feel that their voice was heard by the N.O.M. bigots.

from Socialist Party of South Central Wisconsin