Reasonably Logical

Despite the title, the LA Times article below is well worth a read. It touches upon one of the issues that has arisen after the Prop 8 loss in California*: the silencing of the opposition. Personally, I feel that Prop 8 was an immense miscarriage of justice. However, it is very important to remember that there are a number of people out there - some in surprising spots - who whole heartedly disagree with me. That is their legal right. It is entirely inappropriate to go after anyone who may have supported Prop 8 on a personal level. No one’s job should be at risk for their politics. Discrimination based on support for Prop 8 is still discrimination. If nothing else folks, think about how you would feel if the shoe were on the other foot! (ENDA anyone?)

* In case you haven’t heard, the CA Supreme Court has taken up a case considering the constitutionality of Prop 8. I’d say there’s a close to even chance it gets struck down. Let us hope not.

Liberal Hollywood ponders next step in fight for same-sex marriage
After the passage of Proposition 8, some are calling for boycotts and firings. Others worry about free speech rights being trampled.
By Rachel Abramowitz and Tina Daunt, Los Angeles Times
November 23, 2008

In case you didn’t recognize the quote from the title of this post, it’s a famous one in support of free speech by Voltaire (probably).

Everyone, I have a birthday coming up at the end of November and I’d like to ask a favor of you. If you were otherwise considering giving me a gift, please don’t. Instead, I ask you to do two things: 1) Vote against Proposition 8 if you’re a California resident, and 2) make a donation to the No on 8 Campaign whether you are a Californian or not. The upcoming vote is likely to be a very close one and your support is much more valuable to me than any physical gift could be.

Here’s a few (of the many) reasons you should oppose Proposition 8:
- You believe in separation of church and state. Proposition 8 is a direct effort to introduce religious morality into the state constitution. Even if you don’t personally support gay marriage, the thought of having one particular religion’s idea of morality inscribed in the state constitution should scare you.
- You don’t believe a minority should be at the whim of the majority. Proposition 8 takes rights away from a minority group. If it passes, the majority of the population will be voting to directly strip rights from a minority. Given that everyone is a minority in some way (race, sex, age, occupation, etc..), do you really want to be setting that precedent?
- You believe in equal rights under the law for all. However you look at it, the CA Supreme Court has very clearly stated that denying gay people the right to marry is discrimination. Proposition 8 wouldn’t change that fact; it would simply inscribe discrimination into the state constitution.
- Finally, and most importantly, because I’m asking you to. This is an issue that is important to me personally, and I am asking for your support.

For the record, the above is not a generic form letter or anything like that. I wrote it (from scratch) because this is a cause I personally believe strongly in. I would greatly appreciate your support in opposing Proposition 8.

Yours,
Philip

I am sending an email with the text above to many of my friends and family in California and around the country. This is a cause I believe in, and I’m asking my friends and family to stand with me.

If you’re reading this, I encourage you to do the same. From what I’ve heard, this is going to come down to a very close vote. Every single person you talk to, and every single dollar you raise will make a potentially critical difference.

Update (11-20-08; Yes, after we lost.): Pam’s House Blend has a really good argument about why everyone - gay or not - should be downright scared by the Prop 8 decision. Go read it! But first, I’ll leave you with a poem to think on.
“In Germany, they came first for the Communists, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist;
And then they came for the trade unionists, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist;
And then they came for the Jews, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew;
And then . . . they came for me . . . And by that time there was no one left to speak up.”

For those who haven’t heard, the California Supreme Court struck down a law banning same-sex marriage in CA. Thus CA becomes the second state in the union to allow gay folks to get married. Already opposing groups are trying to organize constitutional amendments at both state and federal levels, but I don’t really see that happening. Yahoo! Now if only I hadn’t just given up my CA residency. Oh well, I’m in no need of a marriage license just yet.

The other big piece of news I doubt many folks have heard about. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals delivered a decision which could very well be the end of “don’t ask, don’t tell.” Essentially, the ruling said that just being gay isn’t a determent to troop moral. (Duh!) Instead, the military will have to prove that each individual soldier dismissed under the policy has individually caused harm to troop moral or military readiness. Of the two, this may very well be the more important in the long run.

Here are two news articles related to the “don’t ask, don’t tell” case. Read the top one first, its much more clear. The second one is somewhat confusingly written.

Federal court rules against military gays policy
GENE JOHNSON, Associated Press Writer
Thu May 22, 7:52 AM ET

Court: Gay officer can pursue lawsuit against military
CNN, May 22, 2008

Thought I’d share some pictures my father took of the lunar eclipse last night. I (almost) wish I’d stayed up to see it.

“Photo 1478 was taking at 2:50am.
Photo 1480 was taken at 2:56am.
Photo 1491 was taken at 3:35am.

All I’ve done is cropped the images a bit. I had a regular camera tripod, not a telescope with clock drive, so there is a bit of motion visible.” — My father

I got an email about a conference taking place at the end of June in Irvine. Apparently, the Exodus International conference is happening at the same time and this is sorta a protest conference. Since I’m going to be in the area anyways, I might very well attend at least part of it. Its a topic I could stand to learn more about.

http://www.soulforce.org/article/1226

This is a bill that should be a no-duh bill, but it probably won’t be. Call me a cynic, but I don’t expect it to pass easily.

CRISIS OF ABUSE AGAINST LGBT YOUTH ADDRESSED IN NEW LEGISLATION
Migden Bill, Sponsored by EQCA, Protects Youth in Juvenile Justice System
From Equality California
http://www.eqca.org/site/apps/nl/content2.asp?c=9oINKWMCF&b=40337&ct=3714261