Voolavex

Prop 8 – In Defense of Traditional Marriage? November 7, 2008

“Proposition 8 is a California State ballot proposition that would amend the state Constitution to restrict the definition of marriage to a union between a man and a woman. It would overturn a recent California Supreme Court decision that had recognized same-sex marriage in California as a fundamental right. The official ballot title language for Proposition 8 was “Eliminates Right of Same-Sex Couples to Marry”; the entirety of the text added to the constitution was: “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.”

This is all it said.  When you read it sounds kind of simple and silly.  I mean who has the right to decide who can marry?  Why should anyone care?   

There used to be a law that kept miscegenation from happening in this country. For those of you who are not familiar with the concept I quote Wiki: Miscegenation comes from the Latin miscere, “to mix” and genus, “kind”. The word was coined in the U.S. in 1863, and the etymology of the word is tied up with political conflicts during the American Civil War over the abolition of slavery and over the racial segregation of African-Americans. The reference to “genus” was made to emphasize the supposedly distinct biological differences between whites and non-whites. In fact, all humans belong to the same genus, Homo, to the same species, Homo sapiens and to the same subspecies, Homo sapiens sapiens. The folks who wrote Prop 8 made sure there would be no confusion about terminology.

The 14th Amendment to the US Constitution – which trumps the states says this:“Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”

It also says that if one state says something is legal in the said state, then the other states have to respect it.  Equal justice and equal rights are the primary issue that Prop 8 addresses and it is simply wrong..  Its inclusion into the state constitution creates a special class of citizen who is not permitted to fully experience or enjoy the privileges and rights guaranteed to others.  In fact it ensures that people who are homosexuals are not equal citizens of this country and thus not governed by the same laws nor given the same rights the constitution guarantees in Amendment 14.  In essence: “Round ’em up and keep them all together where you can make sure they don’t want things “regular” people want. ”  Sonofabitch.  Maybe we should whup ’em and sell ’em too?

The supporters don’t care. The claim they make is this : “we need to protect traditional marriage and to restore marriage”.  To be perfectly honest I had no idea that marriage was being threatened.  There was a time when “living together” was a big deal and I think marriage was feared to be threatened then, but now weddings are very popular and except for people like Gene Simmons, lots of folks want to get married.  That works for me.  Some people don’t.  That’s fine too.  And it is a widely discussed decision between people who are facing marriage.  Neither the state nor the union has any  specific moral requirement for marriage.  I was married in a civil union ceremony in a judges’ chambers.   He said I was married and although no clergy were present and no religious prayers were uttered – he said it was marriage all the same.   I’m happy.   (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_union). 

But there is a hidden agenda lurking in picture and  it really makes things sticky. Why?  Because the majority of this proposition was underwritten by the Mormon Church.  God help us if the Jews had tried this (and there are plenty of religious Jews who don’t approve of or accept same-sex unions.  But they didn’t try to change the California constitution.  Way too smart for that.)  Go to this blog for a donor tracker – it takes hours to go through but you can sure see who is and isn’t your supporter http://atomicgaywonk.blogspot.com/2008/08/proposition-8-money-tracking-resources.html.  It’s worth your time.

 But why, of all people, do the kinda’ odd Mormons imagine they have some duty to protect traditional marriage?   They say it is a moral question and my feeling is that civil laws do not decide what is moral.   The best judge on earth will tell you that the law deals with legal statutes and not morality questions.  If the Mormons don’t want same sex Mormon marriage – that’s their choice.  The same goes for the Christian church, the Jews, the Muslims and the Hindus.  Your faith, your rules. Leave it if you don’t like it.  You see though, once this kind of agenda gets attention and support it become insidious.  If we can do this – hmmm- why not try something else?  They are a missionary faith – they invade the privacy of homes to sell their beliefs and they actively seek converts.  That’s one way they got to talk about the Proposition 8 on a one to one basis with folks.  And it worked.  For the informed minds or minds that want to be informed, part two continues this post and there are some really good parts – so try to read it too,

In any event I am stewed like a prune about this whole Prop 8 matter and actively support the Gay on every level.  They are right to be outraged.  I am outraged.