GLBT supporters gathered for the Equality Torch Relay on June 6 marching through 18 cities in San Diego County, including East County where public GLBT rights rallies have never been held. During the rally a bystander in Lemon Grove attacked Ron deHarte, executive director of SD Pride.

“This guy comes up to me and starts screaming and hollering ‘You’ve got to get out of here,”’ deHarte said. “He said. ‘What are you doing here?’ You’ve got to get the fuck out of here,’ all the while, grabbing at the rainbow flag.”

deHarte said shortly after this the man began to physically assault him.

“He started whaling on me, kicking me, grabbing the flag at the same time,” deHarte said, adding what he thinks made his assailant stop attacking him was the camera from KUSI news. A cameraman recorded the end of the incident and a video has been posted on Youtube.

“By the time he turned his camera on, I was already moving away from this guy and walking toward the camera guy, walking backwards. I think that’s why the guy laid off; he saw the camera guy standing behind me.”

deHarte said he thinks the assailant punched him on his lower jaw, and kicked him. He said the next day his lip was swollen and the inside of his cheek was cut.

deHarte maintains that the Torch Relay was very successful.

“The story that’s not being told is the story about the people in the community who stood up and saw what was going on, and they did something,” he said. “Clearly they were helping out, and thank goodness they were because they found him very fast.”

deHarte added he does not think the actions of his assailant are representative of the community of Lemon Grove. He also said he has never been involved in a similar situation before.

The torch relay gathered more than 2,000 participants in 18 cities within San Diego County, from South Bay to East County to North County. The Equality Torch Relay commemorated the 40th Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in New York City.

Each relay included rallies in front of city halls. At the end of the day, the torches and their supporters united in front of the San Diego County Administration Building.

deHarte said a review will be conducted to decide whether SD Pride will continue Equality Torch Relays in the future.

At the Unification Rally in front of City Hall, District 3 Councilmember Todd Gloria commented on the state of GLBT rights.

“When I think about those setbacks, I think about how this year we’re celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Stonewall. I would submit to you that we are at our own Stonewall today. We cannot stand quietly; we cannot.”

Diversity was a common theme among the speakers at the rallies.

Transgender Health Project at Family Health Centers of San Diego Director Tracie O’Brien described her experience as a transgender woman.

“[I have survived] 20 years on the fringe of society in a subculture within a subculture looking for a place to belong,” she said.

“Being an African-American, a transgender person, having to continue to have that impact on my life. To be verbally or physically assaulted by the whim of a stranger, to have people look at me or through me today or yesterday, or to be called the n-word for no apparent reason. All of this was and continues to be apart of my truth as an African- American transgender person.”

City Commissioner Nicole Murray-Ramirez had a message for GLBT youth.

“I say to you, you are the civil rights movement of the 21st century. And let it be known that the torch of leadership of activism has been passed to the new generation and they will lead us to the promised land of equality and justice for all.”

Shonee Henry, also a city commissioner, talked about her experience with the GLBT community. Henry is heterosexual and happily married, but has embraced the struggle for GLBT rights.

“This community gave me the encouragement that nothing is impossible. They helped me achieve my dreams, from an immigrant who came from the Philippines with $20 in her pocket. Always in America can hopes and dreams turn into reality.”

Tan also mentioned the story of Shirley Tan and Jay Mercado, two Filipino Lesbians who have been together for more than 20 years.

“Because all federal law is written in a way that explicitly excludes same-sex couples from enjoying 1,138 benefits of marriage, Ms. Mercado and Ms. Tan have not been able to enjoy one of these benefits and have unfair and unequal treatment under the law.”

Henry mentioned this situation might break the family apart.

“Should Ms. Tan ultimately find herself deported, her family will have to make the difficult decision of whether to stay in the U.S. ‘The children no longer to be able to live with their mother or leave the life they have known.”

Henry stated the issues are a result of the Federal Defense of Marriage Act, which states domestic partnership and same-sex marriages in states where they are legal are not valid relationships when it comes to sponsoring one partner for permanent residency. Henry voiced support for the Uniting Families Act and Senate Bill S.424, both dedicated to ending discrimination of similar families.

The Youtube video showing deHarte’s attack can be found at www.tinyurl.com/lgdeha.

For more information on the Uniting Families Act of 2009, visit the Human Rights Campaign Web site at www.hrc.org/laws_and_elections/6985.htm.