Monday, October 27, 2008

Mission Viejo students prepare to rally against Prop. 8

Okay, I'm going to be completely upfront with my bias toward this story: it's written by one of my best friends.

Yes, it's true - I'm posting an interesting, intelligent piece about a No on 8 rally.

Why, you ask? Because Scott is an amazing, talented writer, and although we don't see eye to eye on Prop. 8, I respect his viewpoint - and I think his story is a great read, too. Plus, as with any Prop. 8 story, there's a great discussion brewing in the comments.

So, go, click, comment and enjoy!

I'd like to say, it's so fascinating to me how many tangential arguments for and against Prop. 8 have come out of the woodwork. It seems like is a religion vs. secularism fight - but, really, all Prop. 8 is is 14 words that define marriage as between a man and a woman!

That's not to say that those 14 words don't have a world of unintended consequences and ramifications, either - but I don't think I've lived through such a heated proposition in my days.

Here's an excerpt of Scott's piece:

MISSION VIEJO – The Capistrano Valley High School students who organized a 250-person rally last year to support a popular teacher accused of making anti-Christian remarks are preparing to launch a similar effort Tuesday – this time, targeting California's same-sex marriage ballot initiative.

At first glance, the similarities aren't apparent between Proposition 8 and James Corbett's provocative classroom comments. But the students organizing the campus rally say the underlying issues are the same.

"We can sympathize with gay people because they are a minority and we are a minority," said Capistrano Valley High senior Doug Kalagian, 17, founder of the school's Freethinking Atheist and Agnostic Kinship student club.


For more information go to http://whatisprop8.com

2 comments:

Sarah Heiny said...

I suppose I don't exactly understand.

I respect your religious views. There are views I have that are not accepted by others, and I understand that it is difficult to get the point across when people don't understand where you're coming from.

What I don't understand is why it should be made a law.

If we are a country for religious freedom, doesn't that mean we should have a freedom FROM religion as well? Shouldn't we be able to not accept a religion, as part of our religious freedom?

I just can't get my mind around imposing a belief on someone else...

For example, I would never vote for meat eating to be illegal. Just because I think it's wrong doesn't mean other people should have to live by my beliefs.
Just because I think God wants people to respect animals, doesn't mean I have to make it a law - God can be the final judge. If your intentions are good, he knows them.

I haven't seen this brought up, either: Gay marriage is currently legal in the state of California. Marriage has been redefined. Aside from gay people getting married, have you seen any major differences in schooling and other things are you?

I honestly haven't paid too much attention, so that's an honest question. Most of what I've seen on this blog is stuff from Massachusetts.

Sarah Heiny said...

Still wondering..