Re: CA Prop 8: What if...?
- From: jesdenm <jesdenm@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:05:26 -0800 (PST)
Please Support CA-Prop. 13 - Eliminating Right to Divorce
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/11/9/12930/9102/113/657880
Warning: the following open letter to Californians is offensive - not
only for its unfair singling out of minority groups, but also for the
poor sources that it cites. That said, this letter explains how I
feel following the election.
* Democratic Consultant's diary
*
Dear Registered Voters of the Great State of California,
On Tuesday, November 4, 2008, the People of California truly
triumphed. Californians played a critical role in electing Barack
Obama the first African-American President of the United States;
Californians affirmed the need for our farm animals to be treated
humanely; Californians voted to protect a teenager's right to have an
abortion. Perhaps most importantly, Californians voted to amend our
constitution and eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry.
The will of the people has been made clear. However, our work is not
done. Therefore, I hope you will join me in pursuing the next
critical step in improving our state marriage laws. Specifically, I
hope you will support California Proposition 13, which is summarized
as such:
13 – ELIMINATES RIGHT OF MARRIED COUPLES TO DIVORCE. INITIATIVE
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
Some of you may be thinking, "What? That makes no sense. I voted to
eliminate same-sex marriage but I definitely support the right to
divorce." However, I would assert that you just weren't thinking
things through when you voted Yes on Proposition 8. I will show you
why eliminating the right to divorce makes even more sense than
eliminating the right for same-sex couples to marry.
California voters voted "Yes on Proposition 8" for the following
reasons:
* To protect/restore traditional marriage
* To protect Californian families
* To protect our children from exposure to ideas that are
inconsistent with traditional marriage
* To preserve the sanctity of marriage, as defined by our
religious beliefs
Let's review how Proposition 13 does an even better job of
accomplishing these goals than Proposition 8.
HOW PROPOSITION 13 PROTECTS/RESTORES TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE
A common cry among anti-gay marriage proponents across the country is
that gay marriage is an attack on traditional marriage, and as such
the electorate needs to move swiftly to "protect" or "restore"
marriage. However, there is no clearer threat to marriage than
divorce. In order to truly protect marriage, we must ban divorce.
Contrary to everybody's apparent fear, granting gay people the right
to marry does not result in the dissolution of traditional families.
Both Massachusetts and California granted this right to its gay
citizens. However, we haven't even seen an anecdote – let alone an
epidemic – of heterosexual couples divorcing in Massachusetts or
California as a direct result of gay marriage. There has not been a
single instance of a married man saying, "Oh well, gays can marry now,
so I'm going to leave my wife and children" (trust me, we would know
if there was such a case). In fact, the divorce rate in Massachusetts
actually fell following the approval of gay marriage.
In the United States, 0.5% of all people aged 15 to 64 get a divorce
every year. This divorce rate is higher than most industrialized
countries, indicating a clear attack on American marriage. As shown
above, this is not the fault of gay marriage in Massachusetts.
However, if we move to ban divorce in California, then we can ensure
that over 99% of all marriages are preserved. In fact, there would be
no factor – divorce, gay marriage, or otherwise – that could threaten
marriage. Some of our less responsible citizens may try to go to
Nevada to get a divorce, but under our amended constitution we don't
have to recognize that divorce.
HOW PROPOSITION 13 PROTECTS CALIFORNIAN FAMILIES
The signs in support of Yes on 8 were so cute – stick figures of a
man, woman, a boy and a girl. Surely, gay marriage threatens the
stability of this family...somehow. I don't have any data to support
my assertion, but I'm pretty sure that it's true.
What I do have data on are the crippling effects of divorce on
families in the United States: Only 63% of American children grow up
with both biological parents – the lowest figure in the Western
world. I am one of the 37% who did not get to live with both of my
biological parents. In fact, I have lived through 3 different
divorces. Many victims of divorce, like my older sisters, end up
having an irrepressible need for attachment and end up jumping into
marriage – only to end up getting divorces of their own. Other
victims, like me, end up with the exact opposite problem – our
crippling fear of commitment stops us from getting anywhere close to
something resembling marriage.
Have I tugged at your heartstrings and completely distracted you from
the issue at hand? Good. Heartrending true stories aside, I think
you will agree with me that nothing destroys families quite like
divorce. This is why we need to vote to eliminate this threat to our
families.
HOW PROPOSITION 13 PROTECTS OUR CHILDREN FROM EXPOSURE TO IMMORAL
IDEAS
A new argument against gay marriage that appeared this election cycle
– and a very big reason why many of you voted for Proposition 8 – is
to prevent our public schools from teaching children about gay
marriage. I agree that our children should not be corrupted by
exposure to concepts that are not consistent with "traditional
values." I would therefore not only vote to stop schools from
teaching children about gay marriage, I would also vote to stop
schools from teaching concepts such as evolution, slavery, and
dictatorships. By teaching children that dictatorships exist, for
example, we give them the opportunity to decide that they like
dictators and might want to become one someday. Clearly this is anti-
American and against our values.
Unfortunately, California is not ready to stop exposing our children
to science, history, and international political systems. However, it
is clear that Californians today care very deeply about whether and
how marriage is taught in schools. We must therefore capitalize on
this interest and stop all teachers from using the word "divorce" in
Californian classrooms. By teaching our children that divorce exists,
we cheapen the institution of marriage by implying that marriage is
not permanent. Indeed, nothing cheapens the institution of marriage
more than divorce. We must make it clear: marriage is a permanent
civil contract between a man and a woman, and there are no exceptions.
Some might say that this position – amending the constitution to
influence a lesson plan – is a little bit extreme. It might seem as
though there could be a better way to reinforce traditional marriage
in the classroom. However, the voters made clear that the only way to
stop a concept from being taught in schools is to eliminate it
outright. After all, if we could have voted on a law that prevented
schools from teaching gay marriage, rather than a constitutional
amendment that eliminates rights, then wouldn't we have done that
instead?
HOW PROPOSITION 13 AFFIRMS OUR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS
We all know that we need the government to approve and adhere to our
religious beliefs. Equally, if we do not influence civil law to read
exactly like our religious laws, then God becomes very, very angry
with us and sends various natural and unnatural disasters our way.
After all, God has made clear that He would prefer his believers be
required by the government to follow His laws, rather than voluntarily
follow out of obedience and love for Him.
Many religious organizations got involved in the passage of
Proposition 8, and many religious leaders strongly encouraged their
followers to not only vote for – but donate to – Proposition 8. One
Mormon family in California gave $30,000 in support of Proposition 8.
If you think that's impressive, then consider the $1,000,000 donation
that was given by Mormon Alan Ashton...of Utah.
It is inspiring to see so many people of faith work so hard to push
their religious views through the ballot box. Unfortunately, I think
many of them believe that their work is done. Surely, it is not. Gay
marriage is never mentioned in the Bible. In fact, if you go back to
the original Hebrew and Greek translations of the Bible, then
monogamous gay relationships between two consenting adults is never
mentioned, either (http://www.religioustolerance.org/hom_marj.htm).
Oddly enough, in the English translation, passages get broadened from
(paraphrasing) "homosexual prostitution is bad" in Hebrew/Greek to
"all homosexual activity is bad" in English.
God's position on gay marriage, or even gay relationships, may be
unclear, but not much is unclear about His position on divorce.
Malachi 2:16 (NIV) states: "'I hate divorce,' says the Lord God of
Israel." Matthew 19:6 further asserts: "So they are no longer two,
but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not
separate."
Christians of all stripes, our work is not done. Just as we are
offended by homosexual marriage, we must be even more offended by
divorce. Furthermore, since so many religious individuals donated
with such zeal to pass Proposition 8, I fully expect that the same
people will donate as much (if not more!) to pass Proposition 13.
ARGUMENTS AGAINST PROPOSITION 13
Some may say that they did not vote for Proposition 8 for any of the
above reasons. However, I don't believe them. Opponents of
Proposition 8 often claimed that people were in favor of Proposition 8
due to hatred and/or fear of homosexual individuals. However, this is
the Great State of California that we are talking about. This is a
state where unicorns outnumber bigots.
Some have further asserted that people voted for Proposition 8 out of
fear that their children might become homosexual. However, that also
does not fly. It makes no sense that the mere presence (or lack
thereof) of gay marriage would turn people into homosexuals. It is
not a disease; it cannot be caught through mere exposure to the
concept. Californians are much smarter than that. If I'm wrong, then
I will sell my unicorn farm.
THE ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES AFTER PROPOSITION 13
Imagine what we can do after passing Propositions 8 and 13. We don't
have to stop there. Proposition 14 can eliminate the right of
Hispanics to marry white people – they can instead register for
domestic partnerships. Proposition 15 can eliminate the right of
Jewish people to engage in business contracts with Catholics – they
can instead do business based on trust. Proposition 16 can eliminate
the right of people over 65 to drive each other – they can instead
accompany one another on public transportation. Proposition 17 can
eliminate the right of women to own property – they can instead get
married to a man who can own the property for them.
This may all sound ridiculous now, but fundamental rights in
California can be eliminated with only a simple majority vote. I am
confident that we can achieve this majority. While many demographic
groups were evenly split in the recent election, one group in
particular may now be predisposed to eliminating rights. More than
two thirds of black voters voted Yes on 8. Clearly, this is a group
who agrees that the majority should be allowed to vote on the
minority's rights. Furthermore, this group also agrees that it is
possible to be separate but equal. We welcome them to our coalition,
and we also look forward to voting on their constitutional rights.
In summary, I thank you for your support of Proposition 13 as we place
it on the next statewide ballot. I will be collecting both signatures
and donations as we work together to further protect marriage from its
greatest threat: divorce. I hope that you have been inspired by your
fellow Californians this past November 4. After all, less than 4
million Californians voted for McCain, but almost 5.5 million
Californians also voted to eliminate the right of same-sex couples to
marry. This means that well over 1 million Californians said "Yes we
can" with the rest of the country, but concurrently added another old
adage to the end:
Yes we can...no they can't.
We should follow their lead.
Sincerely,
A Concerned California Citizen
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/11/9/12930/9102/113/657880
.
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