rant on:
Dear friends!
Last year on November 4th, I got married to one Mr. Freak. We declared in front of our family and friends that we would laugh with each other, share joys and sorrows and love each other enthusiastically for the rest of our lives together. Afterward, we skated down the boardwalk.
It was the best day ever.
This November, the right to that rite is under attack. You probably know where this is going. Your favorite liberal says NO on Proposition 8.
First of all, since when do we let nosy out of state interest groups tell Californians what they should do? A good chunk of the funding for this measure isn't coming from California, it's coming from out-of-state. This is an issue for Californians to decide, not the Church of Latter Day Saints.
These people have no idea how our state government works! You've probably heard a lot of whinging about liberal elitist activist judges, legislating from the bench. Now, in other states that might be true. But in California, while the Governator appoints our justices, the Supreme Court judges are confirmed in the general election by the voters. In other words, our judges are elected by Californians, to make decisions about Californians.
The most common argument I’ve heard for Prop 8 is that it would "save marriage!" Save it from what? If these activist groups really wanted to save marriage in California, they would be meddling with divorce laws instead of singling out our gay citizens for discrimination. Again.
How do you expect to save marriage, by banning it?
Proposition 8 fans also say that it will force teachers to teach children about gay marriage. Say what?? Again, these out of state interest groups simply don't know what they're talking about, because this is just flat-out wrong. California parents have always been able to pull their children out of health and sex ed classes, and Proposition 8 does absolutely nothing to change this-- it has nothing to do with schools at all. It's a scare tactic.
So what does it do?
Well, it would eliminate rights that are guaranteed by the California constitution, and would make discrimination the law of the land. Since it's an amendment, it can't be changed by those judges that we elected. It would keep committed partners from marrying and hinder them from starting families, a right that most people take for granted.
People that are for this amendment say we need it. It would keep the gays from changing the definition of marriage, they say. However, if anyone has been changing the definition of marriage, it's straight people. Long ago, a "traditional marriage" meant that a groom would have to exchange an exorbitant amount of money or stuff in order to literally buy his bride from her family. (Dad, if you read this, I think Michael still owes you a cow and a bar of silver.) When we stopped treating women like property, this definition of traditional marriage also had to change.
Perhaps the would like to change the traditional marriage where the bride and groom are married as children? Or the traditional marriage where a wife would never hold a job? Just because something is a time-honored tradition, doesn't make it always right.
This isn't the first time that California has been at the forefront of the right to marry by upsetting "traditional marriage." In 1948, it was still illegal to marry someone of a different race. Not just socially awkward, or kind of weird, but actually *illegal* to marry a person of another race. California was the first state to declare this "traditional marriage" was not only unfair, but also unconstitutional. Californians realized this 19 years before the rest of the country, and 50 years later, we have a chance to make history again.
This November 4th, Election Day, is my anniversary. Even though gay marriage is legal, my marriage to Michael isn't threatened because somewhere, other couples we don't know and haven't met are getting married. We love each other as much as we did the day we stood in front of our friends to exchange rings, and California hasn't fallen into the ocean yet.
The one thing that the Proposition 8 fans have right is this: When two people are willing to commit to each other, and love each other, and use that love to build a family and a lasting relationship, it's a wonderful thing. It should be celebrated and encouraged-- but this rite, and right, should be for everyone.
On our anniversary, we'll be voting no on 8.
*mwah!*
-K
ps. If you like this rant, go ahead and forward it. Better yet, forward it to someone who might not agree with you. No use in preaching to the choir. ;)
Last year on November 4th, I got married to one Mr. Freak. We declared in front of our family and friends that we would laugh with each other, share joys and sorrows and love each other enthusiastically for the rest of our lives together. Afterward, we skated down the boardwalk.
It was the best day ever.
This November, the right to that rite is under attack. You probably know where this is going. Your favorite liberal says NO on Proposition 8.
First of all, since when do we let nosy out of state interest groups tell Californians what they should do? A good chunk of the funding for this measure isn't coming from California, it's coming from out-of-state. This is an issue for Californians to decide, not the Church of Latter Day Saints.
These people have no idea how our state government works! You've probably heard a lot of whinging about liberal elitist activist judges, legislating from the bench. Now, in other states that might be true. But in California, while the Governator appoints our justices, the Supreme Court judges are confirmed in the general election by the voters. In other words, our judges are elected by Californians, to make decisions about Californians.
The most common argument I’ve heard for Prop 8 is that it would "save marriage!" Save it from what? If these activist groups really wanted to save marriage in California, they would be meddling with divorce laws instead of singling out our gay citizens for discrimination. Again.
How do you expect to save marriage, by banning it?
Proposition 8 fans also say that it will force teachers to teach children about gay marriage. Say what?? Again, these out of state interest groups simply don't know what they're talking about, because this is just flat-out wrong. California parents have always been able to pull their children out of health and sex ed classes, and Proposition 8 does absolutely nothing to change this-- it has nothing to do with schools at all. It's a scare tactic.
So what does it do?
Well, it would eliminate rights that are guaranteed by the California constitution, and would make discrimination the law of the land. Since it's an amendment, it can't be changed by those judges that we elected. It would keep committed partners from marrying and hinder them from starting families, a right that most people take for granted.
People that are for this amendment say we need it. It would keep the gays from changing the definition of marriage, they say. However, if anyone has been changing the definition of marriage, it's straight people. Long ago, a "traditional marriage" meant that a groom would have to exchange an exorbitant amount of money or stuff in order to literally buy his bride from her family. (Dad, if you read this, I think Michael still owes you a cow and a bar of silver.) When we stopped treating women like property, this definition of traditional marriage also had to change.
Perhaps the would like to change the traditional marriage where the bride and groom are married as children? Or the traditional marriage where a wife would never hold a job? Just because something is a time-honored tradition, doesn't make it always right.
This isn't the first time that California has been at the forefront of the right to marry by upsetting "traditional marriage." In 1948, it was still illegal to marry someone of a different race. Not just socially awkward, or kind of weird, but actually *illegal* to marry a person of another race. California was the first state to declare this "traditional marriage" was not only unfair, but also unconstitutional. Californians realized this 19 years before the rest of the country, and 50 years later, we have a chance to make history again.
This November 4th, Election Day, is my anniversary. Even though gay marriage is legal, my marriage to Michael isn't threatened because somewhere, other couples we don't know and haven't met are getting married. We love each other as much as we did the day we stood in front of our friends to exchange rings, and California hasn't fallen into the ocean yet.
The one thing that the Proposition 8 fans have right is this: When two people are willing to commit to each other, and love each other, and use that love to build a family and a lasting relationship, it's a wonderful thing. It should be celebrated and encouraged-- but this rite, and right, should be for everyone.
On our anniversary, we'll be voting no on 8.
*mwah!*
-K
ps. If you like this rant, go ahead and forward it. Better yet, forward it to someone who might not agree with you. No use in preaching to the choir. ;)