My Honest Feelings about Prop 8

Brent and I have been walking the precinct, encouraging California voters to vote yes on prop 8 (my previous post about this is here). For all of my friends who mean so much to me, and who may agree or disagree with our choice, I wanted to put down my own feelings about prop 8.

Regarding prop 8, I think both sides are asking the other to make a major sacrifice, and should go into the voting booth acknowledging that.

Opponents of prop 8 feel that the word “marriage” brings a basic dignity to the relationship of two adults. They feel it is discriminatory or even hateful to target the LGBT community by withholding this title from gay or lesbian couples, especially since, let’s be real, gays and lesbians as a group have faced a long and exhausting barrage of discrimination in the past. Opponents feel that a committed life-long relationship can be nothing but a positive step for the LGBT community. So then, supporters of prop 8 are asking this community to accept “domestic partnerships” as the highest status of a life-long relationship.

Supporters of prop 8 are worried about a developing legal trend that consistently allows gay rights to trump religious rights (in Massachusetts, New York, etc.) And beyond that, are worried that the fear of discrimination alone will become more important than religious rights. (Whereas, gay couples in Cali. will continue to have extensive domestic partnership rights if prop 8 passes.) And, let’s be real, citizens have a legitimate fear that the gay lobby will continue to be pushy. For example the same organizations opposing prop 8 here fought for gay marriage to be taught in Massachusetts public schools, where it is now, indeed, taught. Parents who sincerely believe the LGBT lifestyle is a belief system that goes against their own do not want it taught to children at an age when judgment has not yet matured. Opponents of prop 8 are asking religious people to put basic religious rights on the line and are asking parents to allow what they see as an opposing belief system to be taught in schools or face charges of discrimination.

As each of us decides how to vote, I think we will all go with what our heart tells us is right.