Not to be trite when it comes to the slogans used in opposition to Proposition 8 on the California Nov. 4 ballot, but it would be flatout erroneous to take away the right of same-sex couples to marry. The California Constitution was just amended in May, and already bishops and school board members are opposing the new amendment.
Propostion 8 will change the California Constitution to eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry and will only allow marriage between a man and woman to be valid under state law. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) have been on a civil cultural movement to gain the rights of marriage since 1970, and it has been prominent in politics since 1990. The inevitable fight for equality on their part will continue until they are justified.
The rights of the LGBT are both cultural and civil, and, as the American civil rights state, under the law, the state will protect from discrimination based on gender, religion and race, as well as the individual freedom of belief.
Culturally, it is a lifestyle many people choose to lead and no different from a heterosexual choosing to marry or stay single, divorce and remarry. These are personal decisions that these people are allowed to make.
The state of California as well as Massachusetts are now leaders in a movement that have been compared by LGBT to the Civil Rights movement as they continue a process of moving toward equality under the law.
Those in favor of Proposition 8 are claiming that if same-sex marriage is not overturned, “Teachers could be required to teach young children there is no difference between gay marriage and traditional marriage.”
However, California law prohibits a child from being force taught anything dealing with health and family life without parental consent. In order to hide children from the reality of the world, you’d have to lock them away, and, in so doing, teach the children bigotry.
Those opposed to same-sex marriage are using scare tactics to keep a tradition that is flawed. Originally, marriage was constituted by religion, but now the state has also been involved.
Marriage is a term the Federal United States Law had defined under The Defense of Marriage Act in 1996 as only between a man and woman but has since been redefined under California law.
While everyone is trying to define marriage, LGBT are stuck trying to keep their right to receive equality under the law. It would be OK for LGBT to receive a domestic partnership but not be recognized as “married.”
Odd. If those in favor of Proposition 8 say LGBT receive the same rights in a domestic partnership, we could keep the law the way it is and allow them to be acknowledged as married under the state. There’s obviously no difference; however, there is. According to Samuel Thoron, former president of PFLAG, “In everyday life and especially in emergency situations, domestic partnerships are simply not enough. Only marriage provides the certainty and the security that people know they can count on in their times of greatest need.”
It’s time we recognized that no matter what LGBT do in their life, it’s not going to affect anyone but themselves. It’s not up to the government to choose partners for people, nor is it the duty of any person to tell another whom he or she should love. If the Bible and tradition is anyone’s rebuttal for state or federal law decisions, then we have a problem, America. Same-sex relationships are nothing new; they are as old as Greek mythology and probably older. LGBT marriage is legal, and it doesn’t hurt anyone. California should not take this step back but move forward, or at least allow these citizens to keep their equality.