Thursday, October 16, 2008

Proposition 8 in California

Like me, you may not be a resident of California. Also, like me, you may not be aware of the facts of Proposition 8. My family members are part of the campaign in California for Yes on Proposition 8. The following is a Fact Sheet about the proposition. And following that you can read more of what I have to say.

Proposition 8 protects the people’s will and overturns activist judges.
In 2000 over 61% of Californians voted in favor of Proposition 22 to reaffirm that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California. However, because this language wasn’t put into the state Constitution when it was approved, four activist judges from San Francisco wrongly overturned the people’s vote. In November 2008, Proposition 8 gives California voters the opportunity to reverse the court’s decision and restore the definition of marriage as between a man and a woman in the state Constitution.

Proposition 8 is simple and straightforward.
Proposition 8 contains the same 14 words that were previously approved in 2000 by over 61% of California voters: “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.” By putting these words directly into the state Constitution, the court cannot strike them down as unconstitutional.

Proposition 8 is about preserving marriage; it’s not an attack on the gay lifestyle.
Proposition 8 doesn’t take away any rights or benefits from gay or lesbian domestic partners. Under California law, “domestic partners shall have the same rights, protections and benefits” as married spouses. (Family Code §297.5.) There are no exceptions to this. Proposition 8 will not change this.

Proposition 8 protects our children.
Proposition 8 protects our children from being taught in public schools that same-sex marriage is the same as traditional marriage. In health education classes, state law requires teachers to instruct children as young as kindergarteners about marriage. (Education Code §51890.) If the same-sex marriage ruling is not overturned, teachers will be required to teach young children that there is no difference between gay marriage and traditional marriage.

Proposition 8 protects marriage as an essential institution of society.
Proposition 8 protects marriage and the important role of a traditional family. While death, divorce or other circumstances may prevent the ideal, the best situation for a child is to be raised by a married mother and father.

YES on Proposition 8 does three simple things.

It restores the definition of marriage to what the vast majority of California voters already approved and human history has understood marriage to be.

It overturns the outrageous decision of four activist Supreme Court judges who ignored the will of the people.

It protects our children from being taught in public schools that “same-sex marriage” is the same as traditional marriage.
---------------------------------------

Those are the facts about it. That is a lot more straightforward than what I have learned from any media attention I have heard. To outsiders it has often sounded like an anti-gay-marriage proposition, like all these religious groups are on a tirade against them when actually they are just trying to protect the majority decision that was voted on 8 years ago. And now I've started about 5 different sentences but nothing is making sense or really flowing. This issue has made me realize how important it is for me to be aware by my own research about the issues for which I'm voting. And I'm going to have to leave it at that. And, maybe you can't vote on Prop8 but you can donate to the vote yes campaign. Just click the button on the right.

2 comments:

emi. said...

awesome post!

vote yes on prop 8


there is a good discussion here:

http://prop8discussion.wordpress.com/2008/10/09/legislation-and-social-issues/

Lark said...

good job on this post!
Yes prop 8!