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Oct. 15th, 2008 07:04 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
drewkittyAn initiative Constitutional amendment trumps all existing law. If Proposition 8 passes, it will write discrimination into the state Constitution.
Churches are given an exemption from taxation so that they do not meddle in politics. If they choose to grasp the nettle, then surely they will not object to paying their fair share.
I see no way in which a conservative person's rights will be hurt by Proposition 8's failure. No marriage will be broken and no person harmed, by defining marriage as between a man and a man or a woman and a woman. No pastor or clergyman will be made to officiate at a ceremony they personally disapprove of. In short, no humans will be harmed by this measure's squalid defeat.
If Proposition 8 passes, many people I know of and some people I know personally will be harmed by it. This is not a hypothetical for me. I have close friends, whom I believe are very sincere, who plan to marry next year in a triad -- this will dash their hopes forever of having their marriage recognized by law. I have gay friends who will be denied not merely marriage, but the right to HOPE for marriage.
If we pass this Constitutional farce, on a par with declaring PI to be 3 and legislating the timing of the tides, what is next? Unmaking the marriages of Roman Catholics because that Church conspires to discriminate? Any declaration that a marriage is 'lawful' or 'unlawful' leads down a slippery slope. Perhaps Mormon 'eternal marriage' will be next?
You may have heard of George Takei, the actor who played Sulu in Star Trek. Can you look him in the eye and tell him that he is not allowed to marry the love of his life? For he has, and Proposition 8 will unmake his marriage.
See http://www.georgetakei.com/news.asp
From http://pageoneq.com/news/2008/nups091608.html
A constitutional gay marriage ban on November's ballot, Proposition 8, Takei said, is "against the basic fundamental ideals of democracy.
"You know, we're a pluralistic society, and there are many, many faiths and beliefs here. Now, we respect everybody's faiths--their right to their beliefs, but there's no right for any one faith group to write their own particular beliefs into civil law that applies to everyone. That's not democracy...and we are going to make sure that democracy prevails here."
"I think, basically, the majority of Californians are fair, decent-minded people," he added, "and they will recognize the beauty of our marriage, the truth of our marriage; and they will not take it away from us."
Recalling his internment experience during World War II, Takei chose the venue for his marriage to make a point. "As gay Americans, we have been stereotyped and characterized as something frightening and threatening," he said, "as Japanese-Americans were before the war."
Might as well ban interracial marriage while you're at it. You'd have to look me and my ex-wife in the eyes then. We're not married now, but we'd spit in the eyes of anyone who dared tell us our marriage wasn't "VALID."
Churches are given an exemption from taxation so that they do not meddle in politics. If they choose to grasp the nettle, then surely they will not object to paying their fair share.
I see no way in which a conservative person's rights will be hurt by Proposition 8's failure. No marriage will be broken and no person harmed, by defining marriage as between a man and a man or a woman and a woman. No pastor or clergyman will be made to officiate at a ceremony they personally disapprove of. In short, no humans will be harmed by this measure's squalid defeat.
If Proposition 8 passes, many people I know of and some people I know personally will be harmed by it. This is not a hypothetical for me. I have close friends, whom I believe are very sincere, who plan to marry next year in a triad -- this will dash their hopes forever of having their marriage recognized by law. I have gay friends who will be denied not merely marriage, but the right to HOPE for marriage.
If we pass this Constitutional farce, on a par with declaring PI to be 3 and legislating the timing of the tides, what is next? Unmaking the marriages of Roman Catholics because that Church conspires to discriminate? Any declaration that a marriage is 'lawful' or 'unlawful' leads down a slippery slope. Perhaps Mormon 'eternal marriage' will be next?
You may have heard of George Takei, the actor who played Sulu in Star Trek. Can you look him in the eye and tell him that he is not allowed to marry the love of his life? For he has, and Proposition 8 will unmake his marriage.
See http://www.georgetakei.com/news.asp
From http://pageoneq.com/news/2008/nups091608.html
A constitutional gay marriage ban on November's ballot, Proposition 8, Takei said, is "against the basic fundamental ideals of democracy.
"You know, we're a pluralistic society, and there are many, many faiths and beliefs here. Now, we respect everybody's faiths--their right to their beliefs, but there's no right for any one faith group to write their own particular beliefs into civil law that applies to everyone. That's not democracy...and we are going to make sure that democracy prevails here."
"I think, basically, the majority of Californians are fair, decent-minded people," he added, "and they will recognize the beauty of our marriage, the truth of our marriage; and they will not take it away from us."
Recalling his internment experience during World War II, Takei chose the venue for his marriage to make a point. "As gay Americans, we have been stereotyped and characterized as something frightening and threatening," he said, "as Japanese-Americans were before the war."
Might as well ban interracial marriage while you're at it. You'd have to look me and my ex-wife in the eyes then. We're not married now, but we'd spit in the eyes of anyone who dared tell us our marriage wasn't "VALID."
