About 500 students gathered on the steps of Upper Sproul Plaza Friday afternoon to rally against Propositions 4 and 8 and hear Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom speak.

The event, hosted by the Vote Down 4 and 8 Coalition at Berkeley, dealt with state ballot initiatives concerning reproductive rights and same-sex marriage that voters will weigh at the polls Nov. 4.

The event was characterized by enthusiastic support, said junior Maria Krauter, the women's rights division director of the Berkeley American Civil Liberties Union and a member of the coalition.

"It was the most people I've ever seen on Sproul," said Krauter, a former employee of The Daily Californian. "I think that the students at UC Berkeley recognize that Proposition 8 is discriminatory and unfair, and students are willing to stand up for their own rights as well as the rights of their friends and community members."

During the rally, Newsom passionately encouraged students to reject the proposition, comparing same-sex marriage to interracial marriage and stressing the state's role in the struggle.

"Since the Bill of Rights, the Constitution has been amended a dozen-plus times," he said. "Each and every case, the Constitution was amended to expand people's rights, not to deny people's rights. Yet on Proposition 8, you are being asked to take rights away ... that is wrong."

Newsom has been a long-time proponent and major figure in the history of same-sex marriage, an issue hotly contested in the state and country.

The proposition, which would reverse the California Supreme Court decision last May to lift the ban on same-sex marriage, is the latest measure in the debate over whether same-sex couples should have the legal right to marry.

The court decision was controversial, and drew criticism from some.

"In May, the Supreme Court of California literally drew a line through the words 'between a man and a woman,' and in doing so changed the meaning of marriage," said Sonja Eddings Brown, deputy communications director for the Protect Marriage Coalition.

Brown said Protect Marriage spent close to $20 million and hosted hundreds of events to support the proposition.

She stressed that voters, and especially young voters, should think critically about the issue because the proposition will have widespread effects.

"I would encourage every college student to read everything that is available," Brown said. "There is so much disinformation, and the No on Prop. 8 folks want you to think this is just about love. It's not. It's about children's rights, it's about the rights of everyone ... to get married in California."

Those against the proposition also attested to the importance of the student vote in the election.

"Young voters are so crucial, because there's going to be millions of young voters coming out to vote for the first time this year," said Ashley Morris, regional director of the Vote Down 4 and 8 campus campaign. "We believe once they know these initiatives are on the ballot, they're going to vote no on Propositions 4 and 8."

Brown said Proposition 8 has strong support, and that her organization does not oppose the right of same-sex couples to join in civil union, but seeks to preserve the constitutional definition of marriage for all Californians.

"The reason that Proposition 8 really needs to pass is that marriage in California needs to reflect the rights of everybody that has a stake in it-gay couples, children, and traditional couples," she said. "Are we going to allow marriage in this state to be changed for everyone?"

Tags: GAY MARRIAGE, ELECTIONS 2008, STATE ELECTIONS 2008