Monday, October 20, 2008

On Proposition 8

I don't support gay marriage. I've had gay friends, and I have nothing against gay people generally, but marriage between people of the same sex is a societal perversion. If this is offensive to anyone, I am sorry that you are offended. But I refuse to be among the silent majority on this issue.

I've recently quoted Orson Scott Card regarding Obama on this blog, and I'm about to do so again. The primary reason for this is that I consider some of his articles to be required reading for people who care about this country. He's not very widely-read--no one is anymore. So I'll do my part to get his words out to a slightly greater number of people. This is how the article starts:

On one extreme, we have the idea that the Constitution is a written document that can only be altered by a deliberately time-consuming process of amendment.

On the other extreme, we have the idea that the Constitution means whatever a group of judges says it means.

The Constitution itself belongs to the first group -- it declares that it can only be changed through the amendment process.


Later, regarding Proposition 8, he says:

In California, if Proposition 8 fails to pass, gay-marriage proponents will claim that this constitutes public approval of gay marriage.

Of course this is not true. Many people who have telephoned people about Prop. 8 have heard the person who answers the phone say, "No gay marriage! I am voting no on Prop. 8!" But when you try to explain that if you don't want gay marriage, you have to vote yes on Prop. 8, they often get confused.

But let's step back a little. There should never have been a Proposition 8.


You can and should read the whole thing here. I hope that many more wise people will begin to offer similar sentiments in the near future, but for now, digest this article. I guarantee it will be the most important thing you read today.

5 comments:

  1. Thanks for your comments! As some of those who are part of the "grassroots" effort out here, we've seen how bad things can get if this doesn't pass. It's very scary.

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  2. I would say that you take a discriminatory stance. I too do not agree with gay marriage, however, I do not feel that it is by any means, mine or anyone else's right to take away marriage from these people. It's discriminating anyway you look at it and it really doesn't affect anyone else but those who are gay.

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  3. I agree with the other anonymous. Who is to say that our societal views are correct? Other societies have different cultural norms when it comes to kinship. Is it ok for us to say that gay marriage isn't correct? No, definitely another form of racism. And why exactly would allowing gay marriage ruin society? I don't see how it really affects people who aren't, in fact, gay. The argument that children learn about it in school is an ignorant one, as learning things regardless of what you deem good or evil is a necessary part of life. It saddens me that there are people so closed minded about these things. Anthropology teaches us to be open to other cultures. I submit to you that homosexuality is another sort of culture. Being Mormon, I would assume you know something about being discriminated against for your beliefs and practices. I would hope you wouldn't be too keen to continue on the circle of discrimination in this instance.

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  4. This is kind of random, but I really enjoy that that guy said, "I agree with the other anonmous." Did he mean to go anonymous? If he didn't, he's an idiot because there was only ONE anonymous person. I just wanted to bring that to someone's notice. But I have meant to go anonymous before and forgotten, so I understand his plight. But he's still slightly an idiot.
    And even though I'm Mormon, I've never been discriminated against for my beliefs and practices. I don't pretend like I'm still feeling the effects from the REAL martyrs of our religion....
    This was random. And late. Sorry.

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