Yes on 8

Some of you may not know this about me. Some of you may know this. I am not one to openly discuss my views in regards to politics. I feel it is just so easy to get into heated battles of words because two or more people try to sway the other to their point of view but in reality that will never happen to those who are firm in what they believe. However, I have learned during this election time that there comes a time when we all have to take a stand in what we believe no matter how controversial the topic. For me that topic, that issue, that belief is: Yes on 8. I'm sure by now most of you can see where my line is drawn.....I have two icons on my blog depicting how I'll be voting. But I still wanted to share my views on the whole thing.

First though please do NOT call me a bigot. If you truly know me, you will know I am far from. If you insist on still calling me that, let me share some definitions of a bigot with you. I looked in various dictionaries both online and ones I have on hand. They all pretty much said the same thing but these three stood out to me:
1) A person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her opinions & prejudices, esp one who regards or treats the members of a group with hatred or intolerance.
2) An intolerent person: somebody with strong opinion who refuses to accept different views.
3) A person who has strong beliefs and who thinks that anyone who does not have the same belief is wrong.
I believe in marriage between a man and a woman only. I understand and I accept that others have different views. However, understanding and accepting does NOT equal agreeing with or changing my own views. Wouldn't it be a boring world if we all thought the same thing 100% of the time? I think so. I don't agree with the gay and lesbian lifestyle. I believe it is against the laws of God. However, I do not hate those that live that lifestyle. I may not openly seek out to become friends with gays and lesbians but if a friend, family member, co-worker, neighbor, etc told me they were then I'd still continue to be their friend, I'd still continue to love that family member, I'd still interact how I did before with that co-worker or neighbor. Someone who is truly hateful and intolerant of the lifestyle would never do that. But I am LDS, I am Christian. I have certain beliefs. Those beliefs include marriage between man and woman only and families. Yes on 8 means protecting marriage means defining marriage as between man and woman only and the undertones of it involve protecting our children...which in my case, is my family. If I voted against it, wouldn't I then be called a hypocrite? In my mind, yes it does and therefore I must vote Yes on 8. But this does not make me a bigot. It means I am standing up for my beliefs. I understand that there are those voting no. That is okay. That is their right to do so. I don't agree, I don't understand, but they are free to vote anyway they want just as I am.

Besides my beliefs playing a part in why I'm voting Yes on 8, there is another reason as to why I am. I am choosing to copy and paste here because I have a little one needing my time and because this person explains it better than I:
California voters passed Proposition 22 in 2000 by more than 61%, saying that a marriage in California is between a man and a woman. Earlier this year, four activist judges based in San Francisco wrongly overturned the people's vote, legalizing same-sex marriage.
The Supreme Court’s decision to legalize same-sex marriage did not just overturn the will of California voters; it also redefined marriage for the rest of society, without ever asking the people themselves to accept this decision.
In 2000, I was part of the 61% who voted that marriage should be between man and woman only. When that was overturned, I felt that was a slap in the face saying "your vote really doesn't count." I began asking "If judges can do this with prop 22, what other issues will they do this with?" So by voting Yes on 8, I am letting my voice be heard again, letting the judges know that I am unhappy with them overturning my first vote.

I believe one of the consequences of this overturning and a No on 8 vote is that it opens the door wide open to openly teach about gay marriage and homosexuality in our schools at a young age. I recently found an interesting article about this, I urge you to read it if you haven't already, esp if you live in CA and have children in school or who will be in school in the future:
http://www.ldsmag.com/ideas/081103school.html
Please do not tell me that certain things are not taught in schools. I have a daughter in 1st grade. I went to our district website and looked up the info for myself. Here is part of the curriculum under History-Social Science for 1st graders in our district:
"Recognize the ways in which they are all part of the same community, sharing principles, goals, and traditions despite their varied ancestry; the forms of diversity in their school and communtiy; and the benefits and challenges of a diverse population."
Sure some of you might be thinking "but it says nothing specifically about same sex eduation or teaching about gay marriage" or anything along those lines. But you can see where if Prop 8 is not passed that it opens the door wide open to any teacher who wants to discuss it in class whether through a book or an entire lesson on it. Don't tell me that I have no voice as a parent because I send my child to free public schools. Remember nothing in life is free. A portion of our tax dollars goes towards that free education......the free education that my child is receiving. So yes, I do and should have a voice in my child's education. First grade is much too young to learn about these kind of things in my opinion, esp without my knowledge. So my vote is to prevent this from happening further.

My Yes on 8 vote is not taking away the rights of gays and lesbians. I refer you to the California Family Code section 297.5:
Registered domestic partners shall have the same rights,protections, and benefits, and shall be subject to the sameresponsibilities, obligations, and duties under law, whether theyderive from statutes, administrative regulations, court rules,government policies, common law, or any other provisions or sourcesof law, as are granted to and imposed upon spouses.
They already have the same rights, protections, and benefits of spouses. Those rights will NOT be taken away. In the same light, a Yes on 8 vote is not telling them who they can or cannot love. They will still be free to love who they want to. But a Yes on 8 protects my freedom to belief one of my core Christian beliefs.....that marriage is between man and woman only.

Now I am not asking you to go out and vote yes. That is not my goal here. My goal is for those that so strongly disagree with me and call me names like bigot can see where I am coming from. I do not ask that you agree with me. I only ask that you respect my choice to use my freedoms to vote how I want to vote, to understand why I'm voting the way I am and respect that I am doing this after much thought, prayer and study for myself and my family. If any of you are offended by my entry I am sorry, this was not my intention.....I just felt it was time to not be silent anymore and to share some of my main reasons as to why I'm a supporter of this proposition.