Proposition 8

I was reminded that I wanted to write something about this issue when I scrolled down to the bottom of my page out here and saw that the Google Ad-Sense application I have installed had placed a "Yes on 8" banner advertisement.

That irritated me. Fuckers.

I will admit that throughout my life, I have not been a shining example of tolerance. I have made jokes at the expense of gay men and women, both those I have known and those I have not known. But as I have grow older and more people enter my life, I have come to understand how my lighthearted attempts at humor on those occasions actually truly hurt those who were the butt of such barbed jests. In short, I like to think I have evolved a bit and can sympathize with the difficulty such individuals face such as this latest proposition which snaked it's way onto the California ballot and will be voted on tomorrow.

In the event you have spent your life under a rock or simply have felt it did not apply to you so why bother reading the news stories about it further, here it is in a nutshell: In 2000, voters passed Proposition 22 with a 61% majority. Before Prop 22 was brought before the voters, Section 300 barred California from recognizing same-sex marriages as legal and valid, defining marriage as ".....a personal relation arising out of a civil contract between a man and a woman, to which the consent of the parties capable of making that contract is necessary." A separate section (308) noted ".....A marriage contracted outside this state that would be valid by the laws of the jurisdiction in which the marriage was contracted is valid in this state." This basically was viewed by those supporting Proposition 22 as something of a loophole. With the passage of Proposition 22, a new section - numbered as 308.5 - is definitive in it's wording as ".....Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California."

Despite the passage of Proposition 22, on May 15, 2008, the California Supreme Court struck down this initiative and related California law in a 4-3 decision, giving same-sex couples the right to marry.

Now we face Proposition 8. This is yet another attempt by the right-wing Christian Conservative base to effect discrimination against gays and lesbians, since they were bitch-slapped by the state Supreme Court. If it passes, Prop 8 would ".....change the California Constitution to eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry in California." A new section would be added stating ".....only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California." This proposition is being supported by all of the same whack jobs who want to overturn Roe v. Wade (which will never happen, so give it up) and who claim that gays marrying is a sign of the Apocalypse.

Give me a fucking break.

When I have confronted several people on this issue, they all say the same thing: "Well, it isn't that we are trying to discriminate against anyone....but why do they have to call it marriage? Why can't they call it something else?" This strikes me as being akin to saying "I'm not a bigot or racist.....I have black/Asian/Mexican friends.....".

The passage of Prop 8 would be the sanctioning of discrimination, plain and simple. I can appreciate that you may not agree with an individual's lifestyle, but how can you call yourself a true Christian when the entire concept of a Christian God is based on love? This does not mean God loves only YOU.....it means that God loves ALL PEOPLE. And if two people are in love - regardless of color, religion, or sexual orientation - shouldn't they have the same right to marry as YOU do? How is their committing to each other affecting you? Do you honestly believe it somehow lessons your own marriage? It was not all that long ago that African American people were not allowed to marry anyone outside of their own race. That had been the law. But somehow, somewhere along the road, more intelligent individuals prevailed and realized that was bullshit racisim and struck it down. For years, Armenians and other immigrants were barred from buying land in the Central Valley of California, simply based on their ethnic background. Do you think that would fly in today's world?

I am Agnostic, bordering on Atheist. I believe the Bible to be a work of fiction, some great stories that served a larger purpose of keeping the general populace in control with some fairly specific laws. But it was written thousands of years ago. It is no longer relevant to today's standards. You cannot use it as the backbone of your argument to discriminate against gay and lesbian individuals. If there is a God, I can promise you that he doesn't give a shit what gay and lesbian people do sexually.....as long as they love and respect each other and those around them. Fear governs those who are supporting this proposition. Fear and hatred and they do everything they can to mask it, to try and show that they are not trying to discriminate. But that's all this proposition does. It is even written into it as plain as day. Here is the actual wording:

"ELIMINATES RIGHT OF SAME-SEX COUPLES TO MARRY. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT. Changes the California Constitution to eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry in California. Provides that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California. Fiscal Impact: Over next few years, potential revenue loss, mainly sales taxes, totaling in the several tens of millions of dollars, to state and local governments. In the long run, likely little fiscal impact on state and local governments."

I get sick to my stomach when I see these idiots on TV, holding prayer meetings in lame attempts to make certain this passes. I get angry when I see how the Mormon Church is funding the "Yes on 8" push from outside of California. What right do they have to meddle in the affairs of our state?

This proposition may very well pass. As I write this, the final race for it is pretty much neck and neck with the "No on 8" enjoying only a very slight lead.

Does this proposition's passing or not passing affect me directly? Nope. But as someone who chafes at being told what I can and cannot do on any level - especially by those who do not have the brain power to think for themselves and have to have "faith" in some invisible man in the sky to tell them how to live their lives - I am hoping it fails. No one has the right to tell anyone else they cannot marry the person they love. And I can tell you right now if someone told me that, they would be facing a beat-down. So imagine how those who will be affected by this proposition feel if it passes. It is discrimination, no matter how it's supporters try to hide or camouflage it even from themselves so they can continue believing they are "good people". And I only have one thing to say to all of them who support it, even as much as some are my friends:

"Wake the fuck up, dumbass."

P.S.
And by the way, I already voted, bitches.