I've been trying to think about what to write about Proposition 8. It's something that I'm passionate about and have been very involved in, butI feel like everyone else has already said all that needs to be said. Plus, many of you are involved Californians like myself, so I'm not telling you anything that you don't know. But, for those of you that aren't supporters of Prop 8, or live elsewhere, here is what I have to say:
A Somewhat Befuddled History Lesson:
Proposition 8 would add a constitutional amendment to our state constitution which would define marriage as only between a man and a woman. This supports Proposition 22 which was passed in 2000 that made more specific the California Civil Code definition of marriage. Prop 22 contained the same wording that Prop 8 currently does. As we know, California is a state of renegades, so this ruling was overturned by local leaders in San Francisco who decided to perform homosexual marriages, and California State Supreme Court, which, when ruling on several different cases, decided that Proposition 22 went against the California State Constitution.
What We Are Doing:
We (Paul and I and our church in general) have been very involved with the "Yes on Proposition 8" campaign. We've spent several hours each Saturday since the middle of August calling voters and polling them on how they will vote on election day. This has decided the rest of our campaign, which yesterday was hanging door hangers on the doors of people who said that they would vote "yes" on Prop 8. We don't try to persuade people to change their vote when we call, but they do know that we are calling on behalf of "Yes on Prop 8" and they usually don't like us for it. Santa Monica being a liberal city, we have been called bigots, been threatened, been bitten by dogs (Paul) and had our cars keyed (my friends) by people who oppose the proposition. The next 2 days we will be busy hanging more signs, passing out fliers, babysitting the kids of people who are volunteering, and voting.
Why I'm Voting Yes:
I've come to terms with publicly being in support of Prop 8. It's okay with me if you think that I am a bigot, or the other 5-letter-word that starts with B. And I don't hate you if you're voting no. I love people, and being a believer in God and his plan for us, I love people in a brotherly/sisterly way. I don't like to hurt people's feelings, and if this passes, I know that the feelings of people, gay and straight will be hurt. I feel bad about this, but I would feel worse if I went against God's plan. He created us, men and women, to live on the earth, to tame it, and to populate it. God created us, men and women, with separate identities, functions, roles, and bodies to support families and to do his will. This has not always been easy for people and families, and it doesn't always work out, but it is the thing that works best through hard work and dedication.
I'm also voting Yes on Propositon 8 because I have read about churches, religious adoption resources, schools, medical professionals, and businesses that have been affected by legal battles accusing them of discrimination against gay couples, and I fear that happening to groups and individuals in our state. I think that taking away other's rights in the name of other's "rights" is the wrong thing to do, and the point at which everything starts to go downhill.
Camille and Grandma waiting in line to ride Thomas. Camille is holding her new Percy, which she was very excited to get.
Grace with Ben, half of the twin engines Bill and Ben.
Sir Topham Hatt. We were too scared to go say hi to him.
Camille at the train tables. We should have spent more time in this area- it was the funnest part!
Grace with the Lego trains. We knocked a few kids down to get this Toby to drive around.
In front of the train mural
On the train
See Thomas in the background?
This Thomas was HUGE!
