So here, as promised, are a few pictures from outside the State House this afternoon. They are nothing compared to sushiesque's, mind you, which really capture the colors and flavors in the marriage equality camp.

That was probably the most interesting thing for me—how lively, colorful, and celebratory the one side was:


And how dried-up, spiritless and uniform was the other:


One thing disappointed me—I mean, aside from no go-go boys in hot pants with pom-poms cheering for our side—and that was snide little overheard comments in the marriage equality klatch about the cumulative intelligence quotient of their enemies across the street. Remember, as one bumper sticker I saw recently put it: Stupid Is Everywhere.

And one other thing: rather than a hearty, good-natured "We've got spirit, yes we do! We've got spirit, how 'bout you?" the equality side offered up a version of "Going to the Chapel" that was little more than a taunt.

But that came from a self-appointed "protest leader"—whose self-appointed role was to fire up the crowd. I wasn't sure how self-congratulatory it was wise to get before the vote, though. Personally, I think it's bad luck and bad form.

There is definitely a "protest subculture," I'd call it, and its members can get a little carried away with the righteousness of their cause at times. It's always good to have everyday people in the mix, and there were, thankfully, plenty of just plain folk, gay, straight, what-have-you, who came out to support equality who brought their own messages of support on their own home-made signs.

The anti-equality people were going for a more uniform approach. It seemed to me that the whole lot of them had been bused in from a nursing home, or something, and handed a green sign with white lettering reading: "Let the people vote!" The idea, I guess, was to act like it was purely concern for the democratic process that had motivated them to come out.

But there were those who didn't get the memo, apparently, and were more frank and earnest about why they were there:


Most poignant of all was this little guy:


I'm not sure if he was for or against marriage equality, to tell the truth.  And I don't think he knew.  When I sidled up to him I realized he didn't speak English.  He was standing in the midst of several young Russian punks who had brought their own signs, too—the ones with the No Contortionists! Or leap froggers! Or Heimlich Maneuverers! Or whatever it is they're supposed to be depicting—the ones you see in the picture above Adam and Steve, here.

I got the feeling they just wanted to get on TV. They had been sort of shunted to the side by the  Let the People Vote people, though, who, as beleaguered as they were, were admirably on-message.

I didn't see any real religious nuts, and fewer signs than usual on either side about whom Jesus loves or God really wants to smite. But I did see this monk, surveying the carnival atmosphere of the equality camp with palpable disgust:


I wanted to tell him, you're on the wrong side of the street, dude. But about twenty other people beat me to it.