No on Prop 8

I am not a political person.  Up until this election, I had never contributed to a political cause in my life.  But Proposition 8 on the California ballot seems so hate-inspired and massively unfair that I have taken up arms against it.  This is the anti-gay-marriage amendment to the California constitution, which reads simply,

ELIMINATES RIGHT OF SAME-SEX COUPLES TO MARRY. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT. Changes the California Constitution to eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry in California. Provides that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.

I’ve seen the tears on my gay friends’ faces as they finally got to marry the loves of their lives, many of whom have been together for years.  Since the California Supreme Court decision that struck down “separate but equal”, many of the long-term gay couples I know have chosen to wed.  To take that away from them seems, well, monstrously unfair.  And hate-filled.

Ironically, Prop 8 would go into the California Constitution right in the middle of the Equal Protection Clause:

…placing it between the state Equal Protection clause and nondiscrimination in business and the professions.  (Wikipedia)

I would not be mentioning all this if Prop 8 had not recently pulled ahead in the polls.  The fact is that the forces against Prop 8 are being outspent nearly 2-1 by the anti-gay-marriage crowd, and it’s having an impact.  If you don’t like this any more than I do, you can donate at http://noonprop8.com/contribute .  I’ve contributed three times already and will likely do so again as we get closer to the election.

I don’t plan on making any more political statements anytime soon, but to me this is such anathema that I would not feel right keeping quiet.  So, here it is.

We now restore you to your usual weaving-and-other-crafts blog.