Friends and Family,
I hope you are all doing well. I am writing to you to vote YES ON 8. Voting yes on 8 will protect the institution of marriage between a man and a woman. Every vote is important. Thank you for your support!
Sincerely,
Brian Chang
Brian,
What are you talking about? Marriage is a civic contract between two people who wish to share their assets and obligations. It affords them valuable legal protection in case one of the partners dies or gets really sick. It enables them to share health benefits and attend teacher parent conferences and lower their tax burden. This has nothing to do with forcing the church to endorse gay unions or marry them under their religious customs. Gays have been getting married for 6 months now and from what I can see, the fabric of our society appears to be in tact.
Are you really telling me that you support writing discrimination into our state constitution and denying people the right to all of these legal protections that heterosexual couples have access too? Constitutional amendments have historically been about granting more rights and obliterating discrimination as our society evolves in their attitudes and acceptance of individuality.
Less than 50 years ago it was illegal for people to marry if they were not the same race. The same argument was used then, that the sanctity of marriage would be destroyed if blacks and whites were allowed to marry. If you fell in love with a white woman 40 or 50 years ago, you would not have been allowed to marry her. Are you telling me that was a good law?
We need to evolve past all this nonsense. Gay members of the community do not deserve this hatred and discrimination. That want the same things as everyone else: a family, the right to be married to the person they love, the right to celebrate their feelings and their commitment to one another in front of their friends and family, and the right to all the same legal and tax rights as anyone else. If they have to pay taxes, they should have the exact same tax shelters as heterosexuals.
I must say, I am disappointed in you for encouraging prejudice and support treating a minority group differently. I hope you reconsider your vote on Prop 8. I'm sorry for dressing you down, but it had to be done. If you really feel like something would be fundamentally different about your own marriage because a gay couple can get married too, you might want to ask yourself why.
Jacqueline
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
6 comments:
Email Reply:
Jacqueline-
As a 41 year-old, never married teacher of 12 years (grandparents married for 70 years and parents for 41, though) and one of Brian's closest friends, I must say that I agree with Brian to a 100 percent degree. What I find very interesting about your argument is that you fail to address the fact that ALL LEGISLATION ever passed in this country is based on a moral argument and respective belief. Name one law ever enacted in this country that has not been based on a moral, ethical belief system behind the law. In short, we Christians who abide by God's word DON'T BELIEVE THAT MARRIAGE CAN BE SEPARATED BY CHURCH AND STATE. We do believe that a man and woman become ONE upon being married, and thus your entire argument about "marrige being a civic contract........." falls apart immediately, for we believe it is much more than that, just as our founding fathers thought.
With the aformentioned being said, please understand that we Christians truly believe in God's word in the Holy Bible as being the ultimate moral argument and respective belief system in this area of marriage being between a man and woman. We simply don't believe in your belief system on this issue and thus, desire to enact another legislation, like virtually all others in the history of our country, that is based on God's word. And by the way, 29 of our 56 founding fathers had a degree in seminary, and simply read the Declaration of Independence and respective U.S. Consitution to TRULY see that God was behind our founding father documents. It's really that simple, so your arguments below are really mute, with all due respect.
In addition, I've seen firsthand as a teacher and coach, and I write about it in my almost finished book, which is based on much research, on how the lack of a mother and FATHER in the household is having a horrible impact on our country.
And finally, I won't even get into the issues of my taxpayer money going to pay for benefits of gay couples that is strictly contrary to my core beliefs. I have every right to back legislation that goes against my beliefs. With that being said, you may want to trust in God's word on this issue, instead of the world that you have obviously given into, indeed. Take care and God bless.
Marcus Franco
Math Teacher/Head Girls Softball Coach- Costa Mesa High School
Marcus,
You absolutely have the right to vote on Prop 8 as you see fit, and as a believer in democracy I would never wish to see that taken away. However, you did not even address the issue I was really getting at, and that is discrimination. What does you faith say about that?
Many years ago we decided as a society that it is wrong to discriminate against people for the color of their skin, and we are still fighting that battle. Do you believe its ok to discriminate against minorities? Blacks were and continue to be vilified as a threat to society just as the gay community is vilified, do you agree with that?
Finally, I have to repeat that the church is not being required to endorse or condone gay marriage. You will never see gays having their union blessed by a religious institution at the behest of the state. If the founding fathers had wanted state and church to be integrated then they would have made it so. But they didn't. They founded these colonies with the desire to be free of state endorsed religious persecution so they very specifically mandated that church and state be separate.
By insisting that gays cannot marry you are essentially forcing your religion and your personal belief system on them, and the founding fathers definitely did not want that. They wrote religious freedom into the bill of rights so all faiths could practice and that includes allowing the gay community the same civil rights if the argument to keep them from marrying is founded in a religious code.
And what on earth are you talking about on supporting gays with your tax dollars. As a class, gays pay way more taxes than married couples do, so how are you paying for them?
Jacqueline
Dear Readers,
As we approach November, 4th, and prepare ourselves for a very interesting election, I believe that California is more focused on Proposition 8 more than anything else. This proposition as we all know, will take away individual rights from the Gay and Lesbian community by taking away their right to marry their partner of the same sex. Prop. 8 also claim that voting “No” will result in our children being taught about same-sex marriage.
I was born in Texas, but all of my schooling from Kindergarten to the present has been in California, and not once were we even taught about marriage between a man and a woman. We were barely taught about sex, so who was the genius that claimed that same-sex marriage is going to be part of a schools curriculum if Prop. 8 doesn’t go through? Another thing that doesn’t make sense to me is that people who are voting for Prop. 8 claim that they want to keep marriage traditional between a man and a woman, but nowhere in the definition of “Marriage” does it say that marriage should only be between man and woman. Instead it says that “Marriage is a legally recognized relationship, established by a civil or religious ceremony between two people who intend to live together as sexual and domestic partners.” Notice how it says “Two people” and not “Between a Man and a Woman.”
I am completely against this proposition because it violates a person’s rights and singles out a group of people who also happen to be human.
This issue of gay marriage being banned in California by Proposition 8 is a very sensitive, but complex matter of discussion. This issue is comprised of social perceptions that often are not black or white, left or right, but grayed out. Just as with any other decision making process people will draw on many factors for consideration, often contradicting or conflicting with society’s norms and principle. For some, religion will shape their perception, for others civil liberty interest will reign, while for some bipartisanship will invoke compromising endeavors. Sadly, bigotry and homophobia are the culprits of some perception. One thing is certain, when our social ideals and norms are facing dynamic shifts there will surely be a certain amount of uncertainty, anxiety and conviction. Our government is not founded in the basis of religious principles, provides some specific inalienable rights to its citizens, while protecting all peoples liberty. As long as our constitution mandate these matters, sociological practices and ideas should be progressively developed by it people.
In order to shape have better policies and laws in the future, we must come together as a united society in order to transform what we want our liberties to reflect. If one looks back into the history our nations constitutional past, he will notice that all the amendments after the first ten were inducted due to their present time necessity and practicality. For this was drafter of the constitutions purpose of providing provisions for amending it. Here is where the solution lies, in making the constitution work for and not against the citizens. Until the time when we reach a compromising solution to issue of allowing gay marriage, our local and state government can work on legislation that ease burdens on same-sex couples. Even president elect Barack Obama has proposed similar practices remarking that he, “personally considers marriage to be between a man and woman, and supports civil unions that confer comparable rights rather than gay marriage.” Perhaps even the practices of co-habitation and common-law marriage should be modernized to provide tax relief to same-sex couples. These are the type of even though maybe temporary solutions will diffuse a lot of the controversy until new ideals can be subscribed.
Overall this issue is a tough one for me to call its real solution. I know that understanding and empathy are the precursors for reaching harmony. All citizens deserve more than fighting sociopolitical matters solely. When I think of the power of streamlining values to reach accordance, I reflect much on how our nations people, young and old, white and black, liberal and conservative have banded together to elect its first African American President. This is proof, proof that tradeoffs of individual ambitions for collective resolution can unimaginable results.
By: Jarrell A Easley
“California Propistion 8” Ballotpedia.org 2008 Electronic Encyclopedia 04 Nov. 2008 http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=California_Proposition_8_(2008)
“United States Constitution” WikiPedia.org 2008 Electronic Encyclopedia 04 Nov. 2008 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Constitution
Jacobson, Louis “Seeds of social issues dot 2008 elections”
Stateline Org. 1 May. 2008. 4 Nov. 2008
http://www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=305727
Kovner, Guy “PROPOSITION 8: Split down the aisle”
Press Democrat Website 19 Oct 2008 4 Nov 2008
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20081019/NEWS/810190348/0/NEWS08
The 2008 Elections have come to an end and change has been promised to the American people repetitively by our president elect, Barack Obama. Sadly, discrimination is a dilemma that no president has been able to change. It is evident that discrimination is still an ongoing trouble that has infested itself among many members of society and it has completely obliterated their sense of logic and fairness. The gay community experienced a sentiment of sorrow and disappointment, as well as victims of bigotry as Proposition 8 passed on election night.
Gays and lesbians have been viewed by members of society as some type of outcasts and they have rigorously been subject to unfair and unequal treatment. I do not understand why some members of society are so bothered by the gay community and why they have always tried to put a ban or restrictions on their lifestyles. Let members of this group live in tranquility and let us not deprive them of equality and happiness. I am a strong believer for equality and I believe a gay person is entitled to the same happiness and equal rights as that of any other person who is not. How can one group of people determine what another group can and cannot do? No person likes to be told what can and cannot be done and more when it is the foundation of one’s happiness.
Many people have viewed marriage as the union of a man and woman because of religious beliefs, but beliefs are just beliefs and every individual is entitled to their own beliefs. No person can be forced to believe in something they do not. Marriage is nothing more than a formal agreement or contract in which a couple share their responsibilities and resources. A gay couple should be entitled to the same benefits and protection that comes along with any marriage should an emergency arise.
Marriage was never taught to me throughout my elementary school years and even it was taught, I think it would have no impact on a child. A child will grow up being taught and told many his or her surroundings including parents. Ultimately, their mind of logic will develop as they grow older and from there they will filter and determine what is right and what their beliefs are.
I was against Proposition 8 and I continue to be against the ban of gay marriage. I believe it is a violation of basic human rights, rights that have been proclaimed as unalienable by the constitution. If the purpose of the constitution was to inculcate freedoms and rights then what meaning does our constitution have when we are clearly in violation of those rights?
- Miguel
"Official Voter Information Guide." California General Election 54-57."
Citations to my blog posted on October 31, 2008-11-08
http://www.smartvoter.org/2008/11/04/ca/state/prop/8/
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/marriage
Post a Comment