PROP 8: YES/NO ?

There have been a lot of mixed feelings about Prop 8 that’s been floating around these days. Just the other day, there was an entire Yes On Prop 8 bonanza in the park. I can pretty much say that I’m surrounded by very liberal thinking friends but I do have friends who are for it. Here’s my spiel.

Before we actually talk about the issue, I’m going to have to say that a lot of No on Prop 8 discussions can get hostile. I myself am against Prop 8 but I believe we all need to be a little bit more mindful towards the other party. Honestly, some discussions about this proposition sounds like it’s fueled by a lot of anger and frustration (“How can they even think like that?”) and that’s just not how we go through these things. Students around our age who are voting for the proposition must feel very intimidated when surrounded by arguments like this. There has got to be a lot less emotionally driven arguments (“That’s just fucked up”) and a lot more ideologically backed arguments. You’re not making a point when you argue that people who vote for Prop 8 are stupid, but you are making a significant impact when you argue on a separation of church and state basis. I live in a very conservative city (Temple City) where the numbers of McCalin signs outnumber those of Joebama’s. To say that those who are for Prop 8 outnumbers those who are against it is an argument based on an entirely different demographic. I’m talking about the college students, the aspiring scholars, the young adults, the graduating high school class. These are the new wave of liberal thinkers.

Here is why I’m against Proposition 8.

I am a Christian and I do not think that voting against this proposition conflicts with my faith. I know that this is a difficult issue to come clean with my peers but I personally do not believe in homosexuality. I’m not going to go preaching it and I’m certainly not going to judge gay people. I have gay friends but I do not distance myself from them because of their sexual preference. If anyone has any questions about this or do not agree with my stance and wants to inquire more, feel free to drop a comment. Now, simply put, if we put a ban on gay marriage we might as well put a ban on adultery. Some argue that marriage is a holy ritual; one that is granted by God. I agree with this but our country allows certain privelages with “marriage”; privilages that cannot be acheived with civil unions. If the ritual of marriage is seperated from the legal mess, then that’ll work for everyone. The problem is that we have integrated government with religion in this way. America is a land of religious freedom meaning free of religious persecution. When the Framers put that in place, they were careful to make sure religion is a private issue not one to do with government. Now where that can get ridiculous are in places such as removing “In God We Trust” from the dollar bill or getting rid of the 10 Commandments from court houses. And with the issue of gay marriage being taught in schools, sorry but there’s no way around it. For the No on Prop 8 supporters, this will happen. These cases will pop up more frequently and gay marriage will seep into school systems. It isn’t an isolated case regarding it being taught in schools and if gay marriage is instilled into our state, it will be discussed in schools. How can one discuss marriage without introducing the two subjects whether it be man and woman or man and man or so forth. If a teacher were to describe marriage as “joining a man and a woman in holy matrimony”, he or she would be wrong and sued and yada yada yada. Now for the people concerned that gay marriage will be taught in school, let’s just hope your child won’t flip a coin to decide whether to go gay or not. Your child will be presented the fact that there is a freedom of choice in marrying a man or a woman. Now here’s where the parents come into play. Parents should instill whatever traditional beliefs they want into the child; that’s a private matter. Being informed of homosexual marriages will not cause a child to alter his or her sexual preferences. If the child has been raised with traditional beliefs, then there isn’t anything to worry about. I know that there are gay people who would rather be straight if they were given the opportunity to decide, but the problem is they can’t. It’s like telling a lefty to write with their right hand. We should not be oppressing homosexuals by alienating them from their peers, but rather let them be open about it. It’s tough to be gay and in school. There are times of identity crisis and awkwardness when surrounded by “guy” friends (“Check out those tits!”). Being informed of a right to homosexual marriage can allow one to be open about his or her sexual preference to others.

Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

We as men should not be allowed to put laws like this on one another. Not all of the Ten Commandments are laws in our nation nor are the seven deadly sins. These are God’s laws; laws that transcend man’s laws. The faith we have in God is even more beautiful when they are unrestricted by man. If it becomes illegal for us to cheat on our spouses, not participate in charity, envy your fellow man, then there is no personal restraint one can instill on his or herself. It’s this struggle that proves our faith and we must be given room for error. The ban on gay marriage is persecution. As you make your arguments, ask yourselves whether these are words of Pharisees or words of a free Christian.

God Bless.