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Loading ...Report from California: Dialing for gay marriage
I could say that I jumped onto a No on Prop 8 phone bank minute I heard about the plan to amend California’s constitution to eliminate same-sex marriage.
Well, I suppose I could say that, but I’d be lying. And I am against lying for a political cause, even though that sort of lying is exactly what ended up getting me to finally jump onto a phone bank.I’ll back up.
I go through an idyllic, stupid phase at the start of every single election season. “Sure,” I think, “They might sling the bull around a little bit, but no one’s going to be evil enough to just outright lie.” And then every single election season, my heart is broken anew and I am genuinely shocked and outraged each time. My more charitable friends have described it as touchingly naïve, whereas others have wondered if I was given chemical solvents to play with as a child.
Anyway, though my illusions were already shattered about this year’s Presidential elections, I was still feeling pretty smug about California. I’m a happy transplant, and I still think of my adoptive home as the Solar Energy for Transsexual Baby Seals State. I didn’t believe that in a million years Prop 8 could actually pass.
And then I saw the ad: A little girl comes home and happily announces that today in school she learned “that boys can marry boys and I can marry a princess!” The mom – and here I must really give the actress her due – perfectly conveys just the right amount of silent parental concern for “OH, MY GOD! A STORYBOOK TURNED MY DAUGHTER GAY!”
Then a Real Pepperdine Law Professor steps in and says that unless Prop 8 passes, California schools will be required to teach young children about same-sex marriage and parents won’t be able to object, and then for good measure he adds that churches might even lose their tax-exempt status.
On that last point, I will concede that it is possible that the Real Pepperdine Law Professor missed the day of law school when they talked about the separation of church and state. It’s also possible that he is very shy, and has been unable to bring himself to ask what people are talking about every single time the topic has come up since.
Or he could be, you know, lying his ass off to frighten people.
NEXT PAGE: Changing the mind of one voter
Those fucking religious assholes have won 100% against us . my partner and i are not celebrating Obama s victory-it is a sad day in the U.S.A. for all gay people !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Very interesting article, thanks!
I live in South Africa, where gay marriage is legal. In fact I got married a year ago to my husband, and it feels so right and good. If only everyone had the choice to marry, irrespective of their sexual preference.
Keep up the fight and good luck!
This just in from the No on 8 campaign, their new commerical will feature both Obama’s and Gov Arnold’s opposition to Prop 8.
This quote is from their latest e-mail:
“In response, we have been up all night crafting two strategies to set the record straight:
1) A new TV and radio ad highlighting Senator Obama’s firm opposition to Prop 8. It also echoes the chorus of opposition from California’s leaders — Governor Schwarzenegger, the California Teachers Association, Senator Feinstein and more.
2) Targeted automated calls to millions of voters from NBA legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson asking them to join him and Barack Obama in opposing Prop 8.”
Churches already limit who they marry without effecting tax status. Eg, to be marrid in a Catholic Church, most church’s will require prove that at least one party is catholic (via baptism certificate etc). Similiarly you can’t marry in a Catholic Church if you’ve already been married there once as they don’t recognise divorce. I don’t see how particular churches not conducting gay marriages would be any different.
Awesome article.
I work in a calling center and I can really relate to the warmhearted feelings after a good call. Doing it voluntarily though? Wow! You guys are amazing.
Good luck on NO on 8!
The high point of my three phone banking days in Sacramento was 75 year old Patricia who had cared for her elderly uncle for 15 years. He couldn’t afford the Power of Attorney for Health, so she had lots to tell me about being denied hospital visitation rights and being unable to discuss her uncle’s care with medical professionals. Her enthusiastic support of marriage for everyone was a great boost that still inspires my hope that Californians will deny Prop 8.
“What other argument could you possibly offer now?”
The same one because what you presented is not a solution but an alternative – but there are already alternatives, the problem I mentioned before is still there.
Also, that chosen person (if you can find one) is being appointed by the government as a deputized commissioner and is “[Family Code 401 (b)]..under the direction of the commissioner of civil marriages (county clerk) and shall perform other duties directed by the commissioner.” – in the example you gave for a fee.
Meanwhile, Family Code 402:
“In addition to the persons permitted to solemnize marriages under Section 400, a county may license officials of a nonprofit religious institution, whose articles of incorporation are registered
with the Secretary of State, to solemnize the marriages of persons
who are affiliated with or are members of the religious institution.
The licensee shall possess the degree of doctor of philosophy and must perform religious services or rites for the institution on a regular basis. The marriages shall be performed without fee to the parties.”
Part of Family Code 400:
“Marriage may be solemnized by any of the following who is of the age of 18 years or older:
(a) A priest, minister, rabbi, or authorized person of any religious denomination.”
(the rest stated in 400 are government related people like judges and such)
See how religion is being mixed in with a state matter? Why should religious officials and followers get specific treatment by the state? They should be treated like anyone else and if a marrying couple doesn’t want to use an official of the state to solemnize their marriage but some religious figure, then that religious figure should have to apply for a temp deputized commissioner status just like anyone else would have too do in their place not affiliated with any recognized nonprofit religious institution.