Proposition 8

I know that many have been following the California election, most notably of all Proposition 8, concerning gay marriage. I know you will all have your own beliefs concerning this, but please, hear me out.

In the United States of America, Church and State are two separate things. Therefore, religious groups cannot constitutionally use the 'religious' argument against gay marriage; it is irrelevant. The religious groups cannot dictate what all of the people within the state are able to do. Not everyone follows the same faith, and there is not a State faith, nor will there ever be one. In addition, voting yes on Prop 8 would remove religious freedom. Those churches who do allow gay marriage would no longer be able to marry homosexuals legally, nor would the marriage be recognized by the state, due to a lack of a marriage license.

Secondly, it is discrimination in no uncertain terms. The 14th Federal Constitutional Amendment, which was used to remove racial segregation, gives equal protection under the law to everyone within a state's jurisdiction. Why should America, having stopped and nearly forgotten racial segregation, continue on with sexual orientation segregation? It is discrimination, and no rational argument can deny that.

Thirdly, gay marriage will not be taught in schools. As far as I know, the teaching of marriage, heterosexual or homosexual, is not a California education standard. Yes, children would hear about it in school, but where else do children regularly meet and exchange ideas with minimal adult supervision? That is to say, where else do the adults do not listen to what the children are saying, just watch them to ensure no harm comes to them, allowing children to easily and quickly spread ideas? In addition, parents can pull their children out of public school and either place them in a private school or home school them for any reason they so choose. Also, parents can take their child out of any school activity that violates their religious or moral beliefs.

On the Yes on Prop 8 website, www.protectmarriage.com, they state "Gays have a right to their private lives, but not to change the definition of marriage for everyone else." (link Why Vote Yes?) One could just as easily substitute the word 'Everybody' 'Religion' or 'Heterosexuals' for the word 'Gay.' Just because one person believes that another person shouldn't kill doesn't stop the U.S. from having a military. Just because an atheist believes we shouldn't have churches doesn't stop other people who believe we should have churches from having them.

Another word about gay marriage being taught in schools.
No marriage whatsoever is taught in schools. The Yes on 8 website cited Education Code 51890, so I looked it up on google. The first result I got was from www.leginfo.ca.gov, obviously a California government website. Here's the full link if you want to check it for yourself.
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=edc&group=51001-52000&file=51890-51891
Here is the section of Education Code 51890, copied directly from the page.
(a) For the purposes of this chapter, "comprehensive health education programs" are defined as all educational programs offered in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, in the public school system, including in-class and out-of-class activities designed to ensure that:
(1) Pupils will receive instruction to aid them in making decisions in matters of personal, family, and community health, to include the following subjects:
(A) The use of health care services and products.
(B) Mental and emotional health and development.
(C) Drug use and misuse, including the misuse of tobacco and alcohol.
(D) Family health and child development, including the legal and financial aspects and responsibilities of marriage and parenthood.
(E) Oral health, vision, and hearing.
(F) Nutrition, which may include related topics such as obesity and diabetes.
(G) Exercise, rest, and posture.
(H) Diseases and disorders, including sickle cell anemia and related genetic diseases and disorders.
(I) Environmental health and safety.
(J) Community health.

What I find interesting is the phrase 'legal and financial aspects and responsibilities of marriage.' Nowhere does it say marriage is taught in school, it says responsibilities, or the fact that one must do ones duty or, in the words of Princeton's online dictionary, ' form of trustworthiness; the trait of being answerable to someone for something or being responsible for one's conduct,' so therefore the duties or marriage; financial aspects, or the fact that money is involved, in the form of taxes, joint mortgages, loans, etc., childrens' college...the list goes on with such examples, and, lastly; legal aspects. The legal aspects simply mean how the state recognizes one is married and that you are responsible for the other, basically, one must have a marriage license to marry, and one must pay taxes, etc., with one's spouse. Nowhere does it state that marriage, or the definition thereof, is taught in schools. In fact, it is just a side note to family and personal health in Education Code 51890. Only the ignorant could have pulled that definition out. In fact, on the Yes on 8 site itself it states 'If the gay marriage ruling is not overturned, TEACHERS COULD BE REQUIRED to teach young children ... gay marriage...' Even they say it, if only subtly and in a veiled manner. Gay marriage, and marriage itself, is not taught in schools. Also, what's wrong with teaching young children about it? Is it alright if older children and teenagers are taught about it?

On the No on Prop 8 site, www.noonprop8.com, the home page says it all. Prop 8 is unfair and wrong.

I urge you all to go research this all yourself, and form your own opinions. Simply remember to take everything with a grain of salt: mudslinging is and will be used effectively, much to my chagrin. I just don't understand why people would stoop to such dishonorable lows.

I am anxious for tomorrow; I can't wait to see how this election year will turn out. I urge you all to vote, or if unable to, tell everyone you know who can vote to go do so! Every voice counts in what will govern your life, be you Californian, American, or simply a citizen of the world.

Cheers, everyone. Now go out and vote!