A California Republican

Here’s the thing about California’s Prop. 8 - - - it passed because 5.5 million people voted that they wanted marriage to remain between a man and a woman only.

Mormons voted for it. Mormons voted against it. Catholics voted for it. Catholics voted against it.

The largest block in favor of it was African American voters who were in favor of Prop. 8 almost 75% to 25%. White people were generally against it.

So those who did not support Prop. 8 say that Prop. 8 is a hate filled law. They say that Prop. 8 is hurtful. They say that Prop. 8 isn’t inclusive. In fact, they say that Prop. 8 is wrong.

It may be all those things - but it was passed by 5.5 million people who voted, lawfully, in the election. No one cooerced them. No one made them vote. No one spray painted things on people’s cars to make them vote for Prop. 8. The No on 8 campagin says that the Yes on Prop. 8 campagin’s tactics were misleading. Maybe. Maybe not. But they were legal and true, even if they did present a “worse-case” scenario.

In contrast to the No on Prop. 8 people. They say they want to be included, that everyone’s views should be taken into account. They say that everyone has a right to their own views. But this is true only if you believe as they do. I am all for peaceful protest. But when your protest turns into vandalism, or something where people who son’t agree with you fear for their safety, or when you completely block the way to someone’s holy place and harass anyone trying to get in. . . then I think you have gone to far.

To show their outrage at Prop. 8 passing, people have vandalized churches all across California. The LDS churches have been the hardest hit. But Catholic churches and Jewish synagogues have been tagged as well. There has been a lot of damage to churches from these vandals. People against Prop. 8 have made the LDS church close down the LA Temple because patrons of the temple fear for their safety. There is a large No on Prop. 8 group that is campaigning and holding a protest in front of the temple. They harass people, and don’t let walkers through their ranks to go to the temple.

So much for being in favor of letting everyone express their views.

They made a commercial which was blatantly untrue, and was a form of religious persecution and was - quite frankly - disgusting. The commercial depicted two Mormon missionaries going into the home of a married same-sex couple and tearing their house apart, tearing their marriage license apart, and physically assaulting the people to tear off their wedding rings. Really? This is the image that the No on Prop. 8 people want going around? That they are religious bigots? That they fear Mormons so much? Especially when no Mormon would do this. Not one. Mormons don’t think that marriage should be extended to include same-sex couples. Guess what - about 5 million other people agree. But Mormons would never do what this commercial is suggesting. The commercial made me sick. Physically sick.

So the message that the No on Prop. 8 supporters want out there is that they are inclusive of all views, and that marriage should be re-defined to include same-sex couples.

Because if you don’t believe as they do, then they will commit crimes against you and vandalize your churches. They will make a commercial that depicts your religion as a farce, and will present the world with an extremely hateful view of your religion. Don’t look too closely, but I believe religious stereotyping went out with Hitler.

I am appalled at these tactics. I am all for peaceful, lawful protest. I am all for commercials that want to depict things in a “worse-case” scenario - people have the responsibility to learn for themselves. If they want to make a commercial that shows their rights slowly but surely being taken away, fine. But do things lawfully.

They are challenging the validity of Prop. 8. The lawsuit in the California Supreme Court says that they believe the initiative process was wrongly used because only the Legislature can put something on the ballot that so “drastically” redefines something in the California Constitution. I don’t find this “drastic” revision comment anywhere in anything about what can or cannot be put to the vote of the people through an initiative process. I tried, but couldn’t find it. They are mad -  I understand.

But in 2000 the group fighting against defining marriage as between a man and a woman didn’t say that people were taking away a fundamental right. If it is a fundamental right, it doesn’t suddenly come into existence at some point. it would always have been there. This fundamental right argument has only been made now because the California Supreme Court (a big bunch of judicial activists) says it was one. No one asked the people. No one asked anyone.

So the people have spoken for now. If you object - fine. But object in a lawful manner.

And just so you can think about it - you are as guilty of hate as you are accusing the Prop. 8 supporters are being when you make your arguments. People didn’t vote for Prop. 8 because they hate homosexuals. People voted for Prop. 8 because they want marriage to stay special and traditional - between a man and a woman only.

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