Zia, of Chinese descent, saw a personal connection to her role in representing San Francisco as a married lesbian in a city that took a historic stand on marriage rights. She was part of a group of about 4,000 gays and lesbians that were married at San Francisco's City Hall in 2004 with the blessing of mayor Gavin Newsom.

"I accepted the invitation to carry the torch because I really believe in human rights," she said, "and I really believe issues like these need to be brought forward."

The city, Zia continued, "did this for equality and...as a human rights issue."

In the recent weeks, violence and protests have erupted in the continued dispute over the region of Tibet, with allegations of hostility and bloodshed at the hands of the Chinese government prompting protests in other stops, including Paris and London.

Mayor Newsom defended the decision to secretly change the route of Wednesday night's torch relay in hopes of preventing similar disruptions in San Francisco.

"The crowds," Newsom said, "were so large and there was so much uncertainty that we had to make a tough decision and it resulted in many people missing the opportunity of a lifetime.

"I'm sorry," he added. "I wanted this to be a perfect event. I want this world to be a perfect world. I want what happened in Paris not to have happened. I want what happened in London not to have happened."

The following video is from CBS' The Early Show, as broadcast on April 9, 2008. A transcript follows.

TRANSCRIPT:

Kelly Wallace: Well, despite the threat of protests, about forty people are set to carry the Olympic torch through San Francisco today, and one of them is Helen Zia, a journalist and a Fulbright scholar, and she joins us this morning. Good morning, Helen.

Helen Zia: Good morning, Kelly.

Wallace: Why, Helen, is it so important for you to carry this torch today through San Francisco?

Zia: Well, I accepted the invitation to carry the torch because I really believe in human rights, and I really believe issues like these need to be brought forward. I was selected partly because I'm a writer, an American of Chinese descent, and because I was married with my partner along with 4,000 other gay men and lesbians in City Hall here in San Francisco, a city that did this for equality, and for--as a human rights issue.

Wallace: Now, you know--

Zia: And--

Wallace: Go ahead.

Zia: And, I think, the idea that people can come together in peace, even though we may disagree with each other, even though, you know, we may...come from very different points of view, and can even protest against each other, be alongside each other, is something that is an Olympic ideal.

Wallace: Let me ask you--

Zia: And I--

Wallace: ...you know--let me just jump in, Helen. You know that protests, of course--

Zia: Sure.

Wallace: --are planned today in San Francisco.

Zia: Yeah.

Wallace: You saw what happened overseas in London and Paris. Are you concerned for your own safety?

Zia: I’m concerned about the safety of all of the runners, of all the people that are going to be here, including the protesters. I was very sad to see that torchbearers who were in wheelchairs were attacked in London and in Paris. And the message that the protesters are bringing is one of peace.

This plaza I’ve stood in and marched not long ago for peace in Iraq and against the human rights violations that our own government is doing. We can have a peaceful demonstration here. We’ve done it many times in San Francisco, and I’m very hopeful that we can send a message around the world, including to Beijing, that people can protest and disagree with each other on huge issues, but can do it peacefully. I think if that can happen we’ve accomplished a lot here.

Wallace: All right, Helen Zia. We have to leave it there. We will be watching, of course, what unfolds in San Francisco today. Thanks so much for being here.