Fellow Laderians,
Tuesday, November 4, is General Election Day in California and the rest of the country. Of course, we’re all focusing on the McCain-Obama contest for President of the United States, a very exciting campaign which will undoubtedly result in a very close election regardless of who is elected. I have my own favorite, but I think most of us can agree that we have excellent clear cut choices and either candidate will make an excellent President.
If you aren’t registered to vote, go to www.ocvote.com where you can register online. You have until October 20 to register for this election, but do it right now or you’ll forget. And, if you’re like me and you hate those long lines at the polls on election day, you can even sign up to have permanent absentee ballots mailed to you so you can vote in the comfort of your own home. There are a bunch of voting links on this website under "Community Links."
While the Presidential race is getting all the attention, there is another important issue that will face Californians when they cast their ballot this November. Proposition 8 is a referendum calling for an amendment to the state constitution to ban same-sex marriages. This measure would overturn the State Supreme Court ruling in May that legalized same-sex marriages. Proposition 8 defines marriage as a union only between a man and a woman. If passed, this measure would legalize a form of discrimination against one segment of our society.
No less than President Bush has said allowing same-sex marriages will destroy the very fabric of our society, but no one has yet to explain to me how. Please, someone write to me and explain how the marriage of two people of the same sex is going to affect one single segment of our society as we know it now. I realize that most religions, including mine, are against same-sex marriages, but allowing or disallowing people of the same sex to get married is a legal matter, not a religious matter.
The lines between the separation of church and state are becoming more and more blurred as religious zealots cobble huge voting blocks to force their religious beliefs on the general population. But there was a reason why the framers of the U.S. Constitution called for the separation of church and state . . . so people could practice their religion as they see fit without government interference. Escaping religious persecution was why people came to this country in the first place, and using the ballot box to "legally" force religious beliefs on the general population runs counter to this basic tenant of our constitution. Think about it! Once the government is forced to "legalize" religious beliefs, it then has the power to decide what those religious beliefs should be.
The arguments used against same-sex marriages are remarkably familiar given that they are essentially the same ones made against granting equal rights to African Americans and other minorities, allowing women the privilege to vote and, while it may be hard to imagine now, allowing people of different races, different religions, and different nationalities to marry.
When I look at the faces of same-sex couples getting married since the May ruling, I see people with the same loving glow and happiness as any other couple on their wedding day. Many couples have been together for decades waiting for this joyful occasion. I can’t for the life of me think of any reason why anyone want to deny them this opportunity!
The truth is, this is one of the last great bastions of bigotry and prejudice in this country and we Americans love our bigotry. We seem to revel in it, cherish it, and celebrate it as if bigotry were a virtue. But eventually common sense prevails and we end up doing the right thing. This time, let’s get it right the first time and vote "No" against Proposition 8.
Jim Schmitt, Editor and Publisher