Opening Another Can Of Worms....Yes On Prop 8

I hesitated to write something political on my blog again. I'm sure I will hear all about how I am teaching my children to discriminate etc. Which I am not! But, this is my blog and I don't care if my mom is the only fan left. Not that I mind all the debating. I love a good debate (Just ask my husband)My skin has gotten a lot thicker (homeschool mom of 5) I hear it all the time! This blog started out just a homeschool blog but has turned into my Family blog. I like to keep it mainly about family and homeschool. But in this case, I just want to express my views about what's happening in California right now with Proposition 8. It's an ugly fight. It's sad that we have to fight about it.

Please hear me out..
Proposition 8 is NOT an attack on gay couples and does not take away the rights that same-sex couples already have under California’s domestic partner law. I respect the rights of others to choose how they live their lives and form their homes, but not to change the definition of marriage for everyone else. Changing the definition of a societal institution is not a right. Being treated with kindness, love and dignity is. I wouldn't treat anyone any other way.

Being that I live in a very political neighborhood where there are city council members, school board members, and a city prop supervisor as my next door neighbor. I have helped with the campaign in our city on prop 8.

I've walked neighborhoods, made phone calls and helped with the rally's for the Yes on Proposition 8 campaign and it saddens me that there are so many assumptions about those who would vote "Yes." I've been told we are bigots, that we don't care about others' rights and freedom, that we shouldn't tell others what to do with their lives, and quite a few other words I can't repeat because this is a G rated blog. I haven't engaged in the arguments. I don't think could change any minds. I just thank them for their opinions and go on.

Let me just say I have friends who are homosexual. I don't treat them any different than anyone else. I have a coupleof hair clients that are lesbians and are very nice ladies. I just have to make that clear because a friend of mine saw a bumper sticker on another mom's car at preschool that said, "8 is Hate Vote No on 8." I don't think that's a fair assumption to make. Everyone I know who is in favor of Proposition 8 has no hatred whatsoever towards people who are gay.

I do believe, however, that if the same-sex couples had the title of marriage for their union (which is the only thing a "No" vote on this proposition would give,they already have all the rights of married couples), there would be A LOT of changes that would impact my family and the rights of me as a parent. I want to protect my rights and freedom. I want to protect my children.

I have done my own research and checked out the No on 8 website to see what it was about and saw that they are claiming the Yes on 8 ads stating that children will be taught about gay marriage in school if this doesn't pass isn't true. I can't see how they can claim that. This is already being done here in California and has been done in Massachussetts since gay marriage became legal. First of all, a first grade class in San Francisco was taken on a field trip to a gay wedding. That sounds like educating the children about gay marriage to me. Secondly, there have already been initiatives on Governor Schwarzenegger's desk to be signed last year, wanting to change the textbooks for school children to reflect the gay lifestyle. Another bill came across his desk recently to declare a day in school for Harvey Milk -- the first gay politician in California -- to teach the children about him and his significance. Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed that.

I don't understand how it's seen as okay for the values or morals of one group to be taught at a school when it's universally known now that schools are not the place to teach religion. If I had proposed a day for the school children to learn about Jesus, the life he lived and the influence he's had over time, there would be no question that this wasn't appropriate for school. Some parents would be outraged and many would support that. It's something that parents have the right to teach in their homes. They want to send their children to school, not worrying that the teachings will contradict the beliefs they hold & teach at home. Yet other differing morals like homosexuality is seen as a right for children to be taught at school by many. Just because homosexuality is not a religion doesn't mean it's a value-based teaching that doesn't belong in the schools.

If you don't agree with my stance on this, I hope you don't get angry or think I'm being unfair. We just see things differently and I respect that.

Here's some pictures of the rally. There was about 400 or more people. No one got egged that I know of. My daughter did ask me what the middle finger meant but besides that we got LOTS of thumbs up!


My two older kids clearly understand what they are rallying for. (There smarter than you think haha)





I love this cartoon it explains our family: