Prop 8

I want to start this blog by saying that I am not a political person. And I realize my last couple posts have been about politics, but oh well. We just had a historic election, so I guess it's ok.

I am hesitant to even post this. I think it is going to ruffle some feathers. But it has been on my mind a lot in this election and I haven't processed it much. So I guess this blog is a way for me to get out what I'm feeling into words.

It's about Prop 8.

If you live in California, you've no doubt heard all about Prop 8. Both sides have spent over 70 million dollars on this one prop. For those of you who live out of state, here's the sitch: if passed, the proposition 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."

First off, I don't like the way this prop was worded. Because it just fed into the "discriminatory" vibe that people against this prop have taken. I wish it had been stated for what it truly is: clearly defining marriage between a man and a woman.

Secondly, I dislike how this all came about. Let me go back to 2000. It was the year after I graduated college. I was doing my student teaching/subbing. I enjoyed going on runs in the afternoons after I got home from school. I still vivdly remember running by all the houses with lawn signs for Prop 22. Basically Prop 22 was similar to Prop 8. "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California". The prop passed with 61% of the CA votes that March.

But then this past May 2008, seven judges from the CA Supreme Court voted and struck it down (the vote was 4-3). Suddenly, same-sex couples could be married and we all saw that in the news this past summer. I remember being kind of bummed and confused. How could those 4 judges change something that 61% of CA had already voted on?? Not to sound like a 7 year old, but it didn't seem fair. Shouldn't CA voters been notified? Given the chance to vote on this again?

But no. It passed without our say. I felt like it was a bit shady. So now Prop 8 was all negative and making me and other people who wanted it to pass seem like jerks because we wanted to "take away" something we hadn't even voted on in the first place. I just felt like it was all backwards.

Third, I am hurt by the way this Prop has caused people to react. I've been seeing signs around town saying "8 is HATE" or "Don't be discriminatory!!" It hurts my heart. Because like probably everyone else in this world, I have dear friends who are gay or lesbian. I love them very much. Just as much as people who are straight. I don't like being told that I now HATE those friends because I am choosing to vote yes. Do you even know me?? Needless to say, those signs just seemed to upset me even more.

Fourth and final, I know why I voted yes on Prop 8. Because the bible states that marriage is between a man and a woman. It is so simple and yet has caused so many people heartache. I sometimes WISH I could fudge around with what the bible says. I struggle with that. But I of course can not.

People have attacked me, saying I'm trying to shove my religion on them. Oh my gosh, no! Ack! I never want to be that sort of person. If they ask why I voted yes, I would share with them what the bible says and then they'd jump all over me. Again, I would get bummed, because I felt like not only were they attacking me personally, but they were attacking my faith. And I don't appreciate that.

*sigh* I know there are so many mixed feelings with this topic. I'm sad our state has to be so divided. I'm sad watching/hearing all the bad things that have happened in the past few months regarding this prop.

Thanks for reading. I just needed to open it up. Please comment if you feel like sharing.