Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) President Neil Giuliano has cautioned people protesting the loss of gay marriage in California, where voters approved a constitutional ban on gay marriage. Florida and Arizona voters also agreed to forbid gay marriage on November 4.

In California, however, voters not only banned gay marriage, they also reversed a California Supreme Court ruling issued in May that allowed gay marriages to begin. That ruling was based on the equal protection clause of the California constitution. On November 4, voters decided to alter the constitution, leaving 18,000 gay marriages hanging by a thread.

Anger that had been simmering for months on the Internet over the notion that it is fair or democratic to revoke rights granted by the constitution and sanctioned by the California Supreme Court quickly boiled over onto the streets of California and Utah. A grassroots movement patched together from Facebook and MySpace pages delivered thousands of gay youths to city halls and church steps, stunning veteran gay activists.

Gay marriage proponents blame the loss of gay marriage on the meddling of the Mormon Church, whose members were strongly encouraged to give of their time and donate money.

Many of the protests occurred outside of Mormon Temples. For example, a large demonstration took place in New York City outside the Manhattan Mormon Temple near the Lincoln Center on Wednesday.

Gay marriage foes have failed on at least one count: Silencing gay marriage backers. In fact, their win has become a boon to gay rights activists who have struggled for years to find an issue that would resonate with gay youth. Problem solved.

In an interview with OUTTAKEOnline CEO Charlotte Robinson, Giuliano said calling the protests the second Stonewall was “too strong” a statement to make and cautioned the protesters about their message.

“I think it is important that people are exercising their right to demonstrate and protest,” the former Tempe, Arizona mayor said. “But I think we do have to be careful and protest on the content of what happened in the election and the fact that it was funded primarily through a church's communication effort without commenting on that church's beliefs and that church's right to have those beliefs within their religious doctrine.”

“It's wrong that the churches got as engaged as they did, that doesn't mean the churches don't have a right to believe whatever they believe, but their behavior was wrong.”

Hear the complete audio interview at OUTTAKEOnline.com.