I keep reading about the Federal tax benefit for marriage. You realize California voting down Prop 8 would have no effect on FEDERAL laws, right? As a side note, my fiance and I have a "domestic partnership" right now so that she can be on my medical insurance before we're married. I pay for her copays post tax and it cost me a whopping 80 bucks a month extra for this. We made a choice to be together and all choices have a cost. This one cost 80 bucks. Should I get a petition going demanding a new W-2 box? No. Clearly the rest of the country doesn't agree with that and not in a 1700s "slaves are ok" way-in a way that is still respectful and open to the gay lifestyle. I think there would be more sympathy if this issue wasn't forced down our throats. I'm happy that you can be proud of your life, but much like you probably don't want to know about my pride in, oh hell, being straight, I don't want your life shoved in my face. As much as I respect your right to love whomever you want, you should respect my belief that marriage is between a man and a woman. As other posters have said, many "open minds" seem slammed shut.
I think there are a lot of people who don't even know why this was on the ballot. Californians had already passed Prop.22 when a group of judges decided to overturn the results YEARS later. Do you not realize what a dangerous legal prescient that would set??? There would be legal cause for any voter approved measure to be overturned solely by the will of the judiciary branch of local and state governments. That, to me, is of far more importance that letting homosexuals get married, especially since so many posting on this board do not realize the religious implications. There is a separation of church and state in this country; imposing the gay agenda onto churches (aka religions freely chosen by the people) would be the exact opposite of that right.
If this is all about equal rights, then a yes vote won't end that. We all have equal rights at the moment-to marry someone of the opposite sex. No on 8 is for ADDITIONAL rights. Not having equal rights=sitting in the back of the bus=separate facilities=not having the right to vote. CA has domestic partner laws for heterosexual and homosexual couples. All that No on 8 gains is a dangerous prescient-that the courts can overturn voter approved measures on a whim. Don't be goated into a no vote for "equal rights." There is far more at stake than granting special rights to a high single to low double digit minority of the population.
As a side note, my fiance and I have a "domestic partnership" right now so that she can be on my medical insurance before we're married. I pay for her copays post tax and it cost me a whopping 80 bucks a month extra for this. We made a choice to be together and all choices have a cost. This one cost 80 bucks. Should I get a petition going demanding a new W-2 box? No. Clearly the rest of the country doesn't agree with that and not in a 1700s "slaves are ok" way-in a way that is still respectful and open to the gay lifestyle. I think there would be more sympathy if this issue wasn't forced down our throats. I'm happy that you can be proud of your life, but much like you probably don't want to know about my pride in, oh hell, being straight, I don't want your life shoved in my face. As much as I respect your right to love whomever you want, you should respect my belief that marriage is between a man and a woman. As other posters have said, many "open minds" seem slammed shut.