Thursday, November 06, 2008

Contradicting my general hopefulness about this political moent is my distress that Proposition 8 banning gay marriage passed in California. Here is a quote from a California center (sorry for incomplete attribution) on that issue.

"Never before in California's history has a group who currently enjoys a basic right, been singled out, and then had those rights ripped from them by a vote of their fellow citizens. This decision is so radical and so egregious, that every voice must first be heard, no matter how unlikely a changed outcome might be.

We are all diminished whenever discrimination is sanctioned and fundamental rights are stripped away from any of our citizens. We are all diminished when some families in California are denied access to the security and protections they deserve."

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I originally thought 'civil union' was preferable to calling gay relationships 'marriage' as long as civil union rights for gay couples were legally equal to those in traditional marriage.

I changed my mind when thinking it through from their kids' perspectives. Kids raised by a gay couple need to not feel second-rate, having 2 mothers or 2 fathers. So I am in support of 'gay marriage', for the benefit of the children.

With divorce rates over 50% within evangelical church memberships, I think evangelicals should spend more time cleaning up their own act and less time interfering in others' lives.

Mary said...

I too was saddened/ disheartened by Proposition 8 in CA passing. Two men we know who were in a committed relationship here for ten years (or more?) went to CA to get married and were very excited about this.

I am hoping somehow that this will not be allowed, that these people who have married, will not have their rights stripped away. I hope that high profile people such as Ellen Degeneres will put up a good fight and inspire others to continue to fight as well.

Peggy said...

As a California voter I was appalled that Prop 8 passed. People in my community--both gay and strait--worked so hard to defeat it. The pro-8 advertising was so very dishonest and misleading claiming to protect children and parents rights. It played on people's irrational fears and this just disgusts me. When people are in committed relationships that they choose, they should have the right to marry. I don't even think the state has a right to forbid consenting adults to have a marriage with more than one wife or husband. Committed people should all have the right to marry. Already this is Prop is being challenged in court and I hope it is declared illegal.