Friday, October 31, 2008

I am voting NO on Proposition 8

...and I hope you will too.

Why? For many reasons.

Proposition 8 discriminates against same-sex couples. The California voter's guide (http://www.voterguide.sos.ca.gov/title-sum/prop8-title-sum.htm) states that Prop 8 "Eliminates the right of same-sex couples to marry." Gay marriage is currently legal in California, this proposition seeks to amend the state constitution to take away that right.

Proposition 8 has nothing to do with education. This proposition only has to do with amending a part of the State Constitution. California already has a law giving parents the right to opt out of health and family issues being taught in class. This happens every year when sex education is taught in schools and parents are given the option to remove their kids from this section of classes. The same is already true with regards to marriage teachings in school.

Proposition 8 does not affect the tax-exemption status of churches, and it does not have an effect on people being sued over personal beliefs. Again, same-sex marriage is already legal in California, and people are not being sued over it, and churches are not losing their tax-exempt status.

Same-sex marriage in California has to do with civil marriages, recognized by the State. Religious officiants are not required to perform a marriage which goes against their religious beliefs. Proposition 8 has nothing to do with religious marriages.

Proposition 8 is opposed by various ACLU chapters of California, the major newspapers of California, the California NAACP, the Japanese Americans Citizens League, the Anti-Defemation League of Southern California, the California Nurses Association, the California Teachers Association, Service Employees International Union California State Council, Catholic Democrats of California, and various Espiscopal, Presbyterian, Jewish and Lutheran churches and groups, to name a few.

This Tuesday, I hope you will exercise your right to vote, and I also hope that you will join me in voting to protect equal rights for everyone by voting NO on Proposition 8.

I know for many of you I am preaching to the choir, and if so, I would hope you will send information to your friends and family asking them to vote to protect equality in California.

More information regarding some of the claims floating around about Proposition 8 are available at http://www.noonprop8.com/about/fact-vs-fiction