Woman electrifies Prop. 8 protests

Phyllis Burgess believes God wants her to share a message of love and fidelity.

But as she carries her oversize Styrofoam cross to anti-Proposition 8 rallies, the 69-year-old Palm Springs retiree appears to inspire much angst, provoking No on 8 supporters to shout that hers is actually a message of hate.

Burgess admits she voted yes on Proposition 8, the voter-approved measure prohibiting gay marriage in California, but the eccentric grandmother said she is not actually against same-sex marriage.

Rather, she said her concern is for the rights of ministers who may not want to perform such ceremonies.

However, in all the Proposition 8 debate, there's never been a clause mandating ministers perform same-sex marriages. Participation in such services are at the minister's discretion, just as it is in the case of heterosexual marriages.

Nevertheless, Burgess said she wants to ensure that a minister's right of refusal is protected.

“The cross is a symbol of what I represent,” she said Saturday, holding it, along with a poster touting “Shake the Hate out of 8,” in front of more than 500 people who rallied outside Palm Springs City Hall, urging the repeal of Proposition 8.

Hers may not be an opinion or a method that everyone agrees with, but no one can deny that Burgess' participation in this polarizing debate has provoked many people to leave their homes and take to the streets.

“I have no campaign. No funds. I have no backing. Yet one woman, carrying the word of God's love, has resonated,” she said.

Standing up and out

One protester doesn't usually draw much attention. But when a disturbance broke out at the Nov. 7 rally in Palm Springs and she was allegedly assaulted, Burgess became a lightning rod.

Since then, her story has been the talk of online blogs and she's received attention from the national media, including an interview with equally polarizing Fox News commentator Bill O'Reilly.

Praised and chided, Burgess has been bombarded with phone calls from supporters nationwide who have seen her story.

She has also been called a “wacko” at rallies, while online chatters at mydesert.com have suggested someone track down her home address.

It's that kind of talk, coupled with the scuffle, that prompted her visible police escort Saturday.

It's also what spurred Frank Doria into action.

The Coachella man said he watched the Nov. 7 incident on television. Angry, the Yes on 8 supporter said he drove that night to Palm Springs to join the rally.

But he was too late. Soon Saturday, he stood by Burgess outside Palm Springs City Hall to show his support for Proposition 8 and for Burgess.

“They have the right to voice their opinion,” he said. “But don't be violent.”

Burgess' sign read “Shake the hate out of 8.” Ironically, its a similar message that the No on 8 crowd held up on their signs.

“I'm a woman with a mission,” she said. “I'm representing so many people who are afraid to be here.”

‘Fidelity'

Burgess wasn't always a community activist. She's lived here 30 years and said she used to work in fashion.

She was inspired to get involved in gay issues last May, when she came across a gay homeless man who “unraveled a horrible story” of sexual abuse.

He stayed with her for nearly three weeks. His story, she said, changed her life and shaped her mission.

More had to be done to preach “fidelity” — a word she said God gave her.

She said she demonstrated at the Palm Springs Pride Festival just before Election Day — an experience she described as confrontational.

So before she attended the No on 8 rally on Nov. 7, she said she called Palm Springs city officials and let them know she would attend.

Her appearance led to the scuffle that was caught on video. The clips have hit YouTube.com and been replayed by local and national media.

After some flip-flopping, she ultimately decided not to press charges against those who confronted her.

“I had no idea what their impression of the cross was,” she said Saturday, wearing a neck brace she said was unrelated to that incident.

Knowing how divisive she's become, though, police officers were by her side at all times.

Being ‘neighborly'

In online forums and during Saturday's rally, organizers have urged fellow No on 8 supporters to ignore Burgess and other protesters. They're the minority here, they said.

Still, several shouted at Burgess.

“Your 15 minutes are almost up,” one yelled.

“Judge ye not,” another said.

At one point, a group chanted “Phyllis is divorced.”

Burgess said she wasn't married, but didn't want to talk about her family for safety reasons.

“I prayed I would have fidelity,” was all she said.

Once the rallies subside, it's unclear what's next for her.

A MySpace page Burgess created Nov. 11 — showing a picture of her and her cross — has gotten more than 500 hits, but she only has three friends.

She said she intends to launch another Web site.

On Monday, she said she'll meet with city officials. She wants to work with the city's Human Rights Commission.

By the end of Saturday's rally, a half-dozen people were in the grassy area police cornered off for Burgess and her fellow protesters.

One woman immediately walked up to Burgess, saying, “I just wanted to meet you.”

Burgess took the woman's greeting as a sign.

“You know what God wants now,” she later tells some protesters.

“He wants us to be neighborly.”