I have found myself backed up against a civil rights rock and a conservative hard place.
In the last few weeks there has been a lot of misinformation presented by media outlets, radio waves and print Let me be clear: The passing of Prop. 8 will amend California's Constitution to ELIMINATE the civil right for Gay and Lesbian Couples to marry and dissolve the unions of over 11,000 CA couples who are married. Currently we are all equal citizens in California.
-VOTING NO DEFEATS THE BAN LETTING EQUALITY STAND AND KEEPS DISCRIMINATION OUT OF OUR CONSTITUTION. -VOTING Y** BANS/DISSOLVES SAME-SEX MARRIAGES AND CHANGES OUR CONSTITUTION TO LIMIT RIGHTS OF CALIFORNIANS.
Enough is Enough. It is time for us to question the true "values" of the individuals and organizations that make their living persecuting entire groups of American citizens. It is time to question the fairness of states who force all citizens to pay for the marriages of couples through tax incentives and tax breaks while withholding that very right from some. It is time to question the people who truly believe we are not all equal citizens under the law.
I am asking each and everyone on of you to forward this email, parts of it or your own version of it to your ENTIRE e-mail distribution list: Conservatives/Liberals, Californians/Other State Residents, Old Bosses/Coworkers, Fathers/Mothers/Sons/Daughters. If you believe that all Americans are equal citizens, truly equal citizens, I need you to support me in defeating this Proposition no matter what circles you travel in. To see one more "Y** on 8" lawn sign proudly displayed w/out question is letting one more bigot chip away at the civil liberties of all Americans. That sign will be targeting each and everyone of us some day. If you don't stand up now for what is right, who will be standing up for you when they want to take away your civil rights?
I want to keep this short; but there are a couple of points that need to be passed on.
1. How does Civil Marriage Equality affect church sanctioned Marriage? It does not. Churches are not affected in any way now, nor will they be. To state otherwise as the Y** on 8 campaign has been doing is absolutely false. http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_10757746?source=most_viewed
2. How will the thousands of married Gay and Lesbian families with children wake up on November 5th and tell their children they are no longer a family in the eyes of California. What if the populace was able to vote to dissolve heterosexual marriages and you woke up to find you were no longer legally a family w/ all the state protections--how would you explain that to your children? http://www.camajorityreport.com/index.php?module=articles&func=display&ptid=9&aid=3742
3. Christian "values" may be steamrolling the Y** on 8 campaign; but what will Christians do when/if their religion is no longer the majority and they've opened the door to legislating religious values into our constitution? Two words: Tehran, Iran. We're on a very slippery slope. Sincerely. http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-353.html
In today's whirlwind of media/information/lives: Stop. Think. Act.
We are currently equal citizens in the state of California. All I'm asking you to do is help me keep it that way. Keep discrimination out of our constitution. NO ON PROPOSITION 8.
Jewels, who I would simply call my dearest friend in the world had the honor of officiating the wedding of her two moms in a ceremony this summer. It broke my heart that I was stuck in LA with Project Not-So-Fun-Way and had to miss all the love, excitement and family for the occasion. I got to relive the event through the amazing photos and was so great to see all the love they have in their family.
As you know Prop 8 would take away the civil marriage between Julie's two moms and would be a sucker punch from the right wing to a family that has nothing but the utmost care and respect for each other. Where are the right wing's priorities? You don't know family until you've been to a Sunday, 15+ person dinner/game night at the Manzitto-Colings's place.
The following is an open letter from Julie's Moms: Robert and Dee Manzitto-Colings.
Please read, pass on and Vote NO ON PROP 8 this November. Keep our families intact. Thank you.
********
It has come to my attention that there is a possibility that Dee's and my marriage may be revoked if this bill passes. I can't tell you how much this destroys our belief in the democratic system in the USA. I will never impose my religious, sexual, philosophical, moral beliefs upon another person... I know what is right for me. To be denied the right to stand in front of our family and friends to commit ourselves in legal marriage to each other is a travesty of justice. We harm no one. We cling only to each other. Perverts, whether straight or gay, have nothing to do with love, commitment, and a right to a legal marriage document which ties two people together. Look at our family photos from our wedding day, and you tell me if this is wrong for our children, grandchildren and us... Please help us by spreading the news to vote no on prop 8.
I don't pretend that this was "holy matrimony" as that term has religious conotations to it, and my church denies us the rite of holy matrimony. We had a marriage, a marriage which was and is devoid of religious rules... I prefer that our blessings come from our love which is a gift from our God. Please ask your family and friends to vote no on prop 8.
There is no question that I have posted/urged/commented on the three ring circus that is this years' presidential race. One thing I have never asked is for donations/financial support for my political beliefs.
That said, California's civil liberties are at stake. For those of you who don't know Proposition 8 is a prop for this Nov. ballot that would amend our constitution to limit marriage to one man and one woman. Due to the landmark Supreme Court decision this summer California is the second state to allow full Marriage Equality. Whatever your religious views are civil marriage is a right that is protected for everyone in our state and federal constitution.
I have a lot of patience and enjoy the debate of the right vs. the left but I do not have ANY tolerance when these conservative viewpoints threaten my ability to have the same family rights of my hetero friends. We are NOT second class citizens. Civil marriage is a right that is promised every man/woman in this country regardless of religion, race or gender.
Right now the polls have swapped and Prop 8 is winning public support. The YesOn8 is raising $800,000 a day and have out raised NoOn8 $25mil to our $15mil and is airing their ads to prove it.
I'm asking everyone I know who believes in civil equality for Californians and the right for me to have my own legal family to skip that pumpkin spice latte, that vodka sodee or that morning muffin this week and donate $5 or $10 to: DONATE HERE - www.noonprop8.com/page
On top of this I am also asking everyone I know to reach out to 10 people before the election to talk about this issue. We need to reach out to our friends and family and talk about the reality of what Prop 8 will do to LGBT families statewide and the precedent it will set for the rights of other states.
This isn't about right vs. left. This isn't about Republican vs. Democrat. This is our civil liberties. This is my legal right to a family. This is about utilizing California's state constitution to LIMIT rights for a group of people for the first time in our country's history. Currently we are equal citizens under the law here in California. I am asking you to please help keep us that way.
In over 10 years of driving I've only struck a few things w/ a car: a few metal poles, a suicidal bird (a great story for another time) and one 1961 red, Ferrari 250 GT (another great story for some other time). Last night all that changed.
I was on my way to my friend Sandro's house running a little late. No, I wasn't going too fast. I wasn't texting or talking on the phone. I was literally on my way when suddenly something entered my car's headlight beam just to my left.
I looked just in time to see a black cat, no collar, lunging for its life to beat my four, Goodyear performance tires. Time stood still. I don't know the demographics of my blog readers but does anyone remember the Wonderful World of Disney? You know when Donald Duck was stuck in arithmetic hell and all those chalk lines were chasing him as he explained mathematics? In terms of the X, Y axis I was the X and the black cat was the Y. That's all I could see in my head as the cat disappeared under the darkness of my car.
I slammed on my brakes with all my might and waited for the "thump-thump". I didn't hear anything. I looked in my rear view mirror and as the smoke cleared from my brake pads--there was nothing. "Oh god, is it slung up into my engine??" I thought. I pressed my breaks again and in the red glow of my lights I saw the cat quickly (and spastically) walking-ish back the way it had come.
It was dark. I wasn't close enough to see how much damage I had inflicted. Oh god. I began to sweat. I felt like I had hit a small child and would be followed by the police if I didn't stop and at least try and do something.
But what could I do? Sincerely, what could I do? What are the chances of finding a stray cat on the streets of LA even if there was a trail of blood to follow. What would I do even if I found it. If it was suffering I certainly wouldn't be able to put it out of its misery, would I? If it was mangled but alive would I be able to pay the $1500 to fix it up even if I could find an all night Emergency Vet? There was no collar, a stray?? Would I be a horrible person if I just kept going? Ugh god.
It was then I had to make a decision. I had to be an adult and weigh in with my inner conscience and decide the best possible outcome. I called my friend Sandro for advice. The cat was gone--nowhere in sight--and we began to rationalize the options and best case scenarios. The more I've thought about my moral dilemma and relating to the world around me I have to ask...Is this how the government currently feels?
Weird jump I know. But seriously, these are the thoughts that pop into my head. I have to believe at some deep, fundamental level the Republicans were just driving along (yah, few miles over the speed limit) and hit that poor cat who got in the way, AKA, Us, the American people. The question is, do they stop the car to pull over and try to help? Do they even have the conversation about what the options are? Or do they keep on driving down Fountain Ave. in their SUV with their American Flag "Support our Troops" sticker?
The major difference between my little black cat and the American people is the people have been holding up signs saying HERE I AM! LOOK AT ME! I mean we've seen it. From Katrina, to the recent devastation in Texas to the way 9/11 was handled. Americans have all but (and in some cases have) been waving signs asking for help.
This is the fundamental difference between liberals and conservatives. Liberals believe in a system that takes care of each other--from the richest rich to the poorest poor. We are Americans. Whether you're riding high or have fallen short there are protections in place to do just that--PROTECT. Conservatives seem to think government just stands in the way of a free market that's waiting to give everyone riches if deregulated and left to its own. (Psssst...an unregulated, free market eventually devours itself. How much more PROOF do you people need?!)
We are seeing the direct result of vicious Reagan-era economics coupled with the myriad of conservative policies unleashed by the Clinton Administration to Gramm/McCain deregulation to the last eight years of the Bush crime family.
My little-black-cat analogy may be a little bit of a stretch to some of you, but to me it hits home. As I pulled away in the dark I realized that right now we are that little black cat that disappeared into the night. But it doesn't have to be that way. I may have killed a cat (Aughhh, I hate even saying that) but this country is too important for us to lick our wounds in solace. Stand up. Be heard. Ask for help.
Vote.
*Cue music here. Memory, from Cats. "Hit it." Ugh God. I mean, "5,6,7,8..." :\
