Should Proposition 8 Fail --- The Consequences
1. Children in public schools will have to be taught that same-sex marriage is just as good as traditional marriage.
The California Education Code already requires that health education classes instruct children about marriage. (§51890)
Therefore, unless Proposition 8 passes, children will be taught that marriage is between any two adults regardless of gender. There will be serious clashes between the secular school system and the right of parents to teach their children their own values and beliefs.
2. Churches may be sued over their tax exempt status if they refuse to allow same-sex marriage ceremonies in their religious buildings open to the public. Ask whether your pastor, priest, minister, bishop, or rabbi is ready to perform such marriages in your chapels and sanctuaries.
3. Religious adoption agencies will be challenged by government agencies to give up their long-held right to place children only in homes with both a mother and a father. Catholic Charities in Boston already closed its doors in Massachusetts because courts legalized same-sex marriage there.
4. Religions that sponsor private schools with married student housing may be required to provide housing for same-sex couples, even if counter to church doctrine, or risk lawsuits over tax exemptions and related benefits.
5. Ministers who preach against same-sex marriages may be sued for hate speech and risk government fines. It already happened in Canada, a country that legalized gay marriage. A recent California court held that municipal employees may not say: “traditional marriage,” or “family values” because, after the same-sex marriage case, it is “hate speech.”
6. It will cost you money. This change in the definition of marriage will bring a cascade of lawsuits, including some already lost (e.g., photographers cannot now refuse to photograph gay marriages, doctors cannot now refuse to perform artificial insemination of gays even given other willing doctors). Even if courts eventually find in favor of a defender of traditional marriage (highly improbable given today’s activist judges), think of the money – your money – that will be spent on such legal battles.
And think of all the unintended consequences that we cannot even foresee at this time. Where will it end?
It’s your children, your grandchildren, your money, and your liberties.
Lets work together to protect them.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Vote YES on Prop 8
Here are some reasons why to vote YES on Prop 8:
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6 comments:
Unfortunately, all these six "consequences" are, in fact, false.
Allow me address them point by point.
1) The only section of the California Education Code that mentions marriage reads thus, and concerns one point of the curriculum: “Family health and child development, including the legal and financial aspects and responsibilities of marriage and parenthood.” There is nothing in the code about teaching anything about defining marriage.
What's more, California law also states that any parent may remove their child from any class if they disagree with the material being taught.
Plus, children SHOULD know the law of the land and why we don't discriminate against people. It should all, of course, be age-appropriate.
If you disagree with what is being taught at school, you are free to teach your children different.
2) This one is COMPLETELY false. If you read the May 15 Supreme Court decision, the justices say the EXACT OPPOSITE: "[A]ffording same-sex couples the opportunity to obtain the designation of marriage will not impinge upon the religious freedom of any religious organization, official, or any other person; no religion will be required to change its religious policies or practices with regard to same-sex couples, and no religious officiant will be required to solemnize a marriage in contravention of his or her religious beliefs."
On top of that, it's clear that churches have always had the right to discriminate against whoever they wish in terms of marriage. The LDS church doesn't allow anyone but those with temple recommends to be married in their temples (and until 1979, wouldn't allow black people to marry in their temples), and Catholics won't marry divorced people in their churches. Each church will be able to deny marriage to any couple they want.
3) That Massachusetts case with Catholic Charities had nothing to do with same-sex marriage. It was due to Catholic Charities unwillingness to obey Massachusetts's anti-discrimination laws.
What's more, Catholic Charities did not close its doors. They are still open and functioning, doing charitable work. Just not adoptions.
Besides, adoption agencies will always have the right to deny couples the right to adopt -- but only based on their fitness as parents, not their sexuality. Gay couples who do adopt often adopt the toughest cases, the kids no one else will adopt. You would rather the kids with special needs languish in orphanages or foster homes rather than be with two loving dads or moms?
4) This also has nothing to do with marriage equality and everything to do with anti-discrimination law. Bob Jones University had to allow mixed-race couples in student housing if they wanted to maintain their tax-exempt status. However, they could have chosen to forfeit that status and continue to discriminate if they wished.
But if you want public money, you have to obey public laws. Remain fully private and you can discriminate all you like.
5) Ridiculous. First, the minister in Canada was not preaching against same-sex marriage, but fomenting hate in general toward gay people. Besides, we have the First Amendment here. Ever hear of Fred Phelps? The "God Hates Fags" guy? 'Nuff said.
6) Also ridiculous. Churches will be no more or less likely to be sued if Prop 8 passes.
Thank you for reading, and thanks for allowing comments on your blog. If there is going to be a debate about this issue, I think it's important that both sides tell the truth.
Well Said Tom, once again this proposition is about spreading hate and intolerance. We have never amended the U.S. constitution to remove rights, lets not do it with California's!
Proposition 8 is a ridiculous attack on human dignity. The truth is this: Same-sex couples exist, and will continue to exist whether Prop 8 passes or not. Same-sex couples enjoy virtually all the same rights and privileges afforded to male-female unions - with two 'glaring' exceptions; Rights to Receivership, and Visitation Rights!
That's right folks. Modify the California State Constitution so that 'marriages' can only be between males and females, same-sex unions will continue to occur. Only those loving couples cannot inherit their partners (or their own 'joint') wealth and real estate, and those couples cannot visit each other as one lays dying in the hospital.
Is THAT fair? Does THAT sound like a proper practice for HUMANS? Inheritance and Visitation by spouse or next of kin?
That's the bottom line. Vote NO on Proposition 8. Don't let the prejudices of some stodgy old bureaucrat from the 19th century tell you otherwise. Every 'Pro' 8 campaign ad is rife with lies; No church will have to change a damn thing, No church will lose it's tax standing, No school will change the ways it teaches children.
For once in your life - have the compassion to defend basic human rights and dignity.
Vote NO on Proposition 8.
I just wanted to cover one point FLS made that Tom did not. We are making bank here in SF due to all the gay weddings. It has been a real boost to our local economy.
All Prop 8 does is change the definition of marriage. Why not keep marriage the way it has been for centuries and instead change the inheritance and visitation rights?
The mainstream American media won't paint an accurate picture of where the gay agenda will end up, but these guys will :
http://irrationalpublicradio.com/pe6.html
A frightening scenario.
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