A very cool day was had at the LA TIMES. I went to buy some copies of the historic Nov 5^th paper. Upon arrival I found two lines. I was informed that one was for just buying copies of the paper and the other was if you wanted to copies of the paper and/or an actual printing plate of the cover page…Wow…I bet you can guess what line I went into. That solves the yellowing of paper over time issue.

After about 35 minutes I finally made it to entrance to the La Times entrance on spring street.

 

Interestingly enough, while in line I was interviewed by a times reporter who's doing a story on Proposition 8. In my section of the line, there were three black men, representing three generations and a young latino woman. All three black men voted for Prop 8 while the young woman and myself voted against it. Not surprisingly, from the men's viewpoint the prop 8 argument centered around gay marriage being an abomination...My latina line mate and I argued our talking points back to try and get them to understand...no go, no way, no how. Once again instilling in me the fact that since the crusades it's almost impossible to get people to think out of their box, when in their minds, it was God who put them in there. But at least it was a civil conversation and we all agreed we respect each others right to their opinions. That's what I said out loud...in my head I was thinking I wish I was ignorant...I hear it's quite blissful.

I received a call today from the reporter who interviewed me asking where in LA I lived. When I told her she laughed. It turns out that figures have been released showing that of all the areas in LA county, mine was the biggest proponent of Prop 8. I told her that didn't surprise me. It hasn't been easy living here...and after this article comes out...I'm sure it wont be made a lot easier for me. You think pissing of Scientologists is scary...try pissing off Mormons.

So..back to the line. It was a real mix of people sharing the wait. But the mood was electric. Everyone beamed with an immense pride. It reminded me of how people came together after 9/11, but there was no hint of profound sorrow here...just sheer elation. One elderly woman who exited after purchasing her plates and newspapers just bursted out "OBAMA...YES WE CAN"...that lead to "Yes We Can" chants breaking out in the two lines. I could hear the chant like a sparkling fuse run it's course down the line and around the corner.

Finally getting inside I got a glimpse of the aluminum printing plate they were offering. This guy took his out to show us waiting in line. Pretty cool! But the reason why I think this cover is so important...underneath the smaller headline DECISIVE VICTORY MAKES HISTORY was a smaller headline...In California gay marriage ban takes early lead. This cover will no only chronicle just how far we've gotten...but how much farther we still need to go.

The reason the line moved so quickly was due to the efficiency of the ladies working the table.

This lady was the one who waited on me. She asked me what I wanted...for a moment I almost felt like doing Dorinda Fox's line she gives each year at her polling station...something funny...but instead I got all politically gushy and told her, "I already got what I wanted...I'm just here to buy a reminder." How's that for a line from an after-school special. I'm surprised I didn't hear patriotic music swelling in the background. I can be such a dork sometimes.

These are two of the men who felt that gay marriage should be banned. When I explained that Obama supported the Proposition...one of them replied, "Hey I voted for him...but I didn't agree with everything he said. I even e-mailed him about prop 8" That lead to a discussion about how Obama is really making his administration available to the country through the use of the internet. I personally love how people get that.

I found it interesting that there was absolutely no advertisements of any kind about the La Times doing this sale. This was all done by word of mouth or by calling the paper directly, who only mentioned the papers and not the plates over the phone. Everyone I spoke to found out about the plates the way I did...just by showing up. You were allowed to buy as many copies of the paper that you wanted to, but were limited to only two plates at a time. You could, however, get back in line and purchase two more plates if you wanted to. I realizes the paper was smart not to advertise this. It would have been bloody mayhem...at least these long lines were controllable.

Some interesting figures:

Parking Lot:

$12

La Times:

Printing Plates $10 each and you got two free copies of the newspapers with each plate.

Newspapers sold for .50 each.

Ebay:

Sales of the plates start at $100 and have sold for $300

Sales of the newspaper start at $10 and have sold for $40.

Owning a piece of history:

Priceless.