Scrambling Eggs Is Easy

I haven't posted in forever, but I keep thinking about things that I'd actually like to post. For example, I meant to post after Prop 8 passed, on the theme of "life may suck now, but life is long." I've been glad to see the nationwide protests and the court challenges, and I'm still optimistic that gay marriage will be legal in California in the next few years. In the meantime, I've adopted a simple credo - gay marriage is valid and recognized in my book. I have a few gay friends and coworkers who got married recently, and as far as I'm concerned they're as married as I am. This may seem like an obvious statement to other gay marriage supporters, but as I see it it's a critical statement to make. If we, as members of our society, recognize explicitly that gay marriage is valid, then eventually the law will have to follow.

Anyway, I also wanted to post about what I've been reading lately. It's mostly centered on politics, which admittedly surprises me post-election. I guess this year I'm finally not burned out. The book I'm in the middle of is actually Barack Obama's The Audacity of Hope. I'm a little embarrassed not to have read this before the election, but the farther I get into it, the more excited I am for the man who we elected. He's not only smart, but in this book shows a true sense of honesty, humility, and a recognition that politics should be more than just horse races and gamesmanship. I'm halfway through, but highly recommended.

On the less serious side, I just reread RA Candide's Articles of Federation. This is basically The West Wing set in the Star Trek universe after the events of Nemesis and some subsequent books. It's a fun read, although most of the non-human characters seem to sound like the same Aaron Sorkin characters as the human ones do. But the author does a pretty good job of creating a plausible political system from what we've seen of the Federation government in tv and movies.

Posted via LiveJournal.app.

I've been meaning to write this post for a while, thanks to hermetic  and another friend for prodding me to do so.  I'm also emailing it to a bunch of family and friends.

On November 4, by means of Proposition 8, California voters will decide whether or not to add the following words to the California State Constitution:
I don't think anyone who knows me well will be surprised to know that I'm opposed to this proposition.  Some of you may be surprised, however, that I consider this the single most important item on the ballot this year.  More important than alternative energy, more important than Congressional races, and even more important than the presidential election.  Yeah, you read that correctly -- I am more concerned about Prop 8 than about who our next president is. (*)

The simple impact of Prop 8 would be to override the California Supreme Court's decision in May that stated that, according to the equal protection clause of the California State Constitution, the state cannot prevent people from marrying simply on the basis of sexual orientation.  Gay people who have freely chosen to commit themselves to a life partner, and accept the rights and responsibilities of being a married couple, will be told that their commitment is neither "recognized" nor "valid."

I'm a happily married straight man, so you might wonder why I care so much about a law that would never affect me personally.  The answer is that it will and does affect me personally, and very deeply so.  To put it simply, I do not want to live in a society where the rights of my friends and family are curtailed simply because they are gay or lesbian.  I believe that gay relationships have no less potential to be loving, caring, healthy, and ultimately society-benefitting than does my own marriage.  I believe that gay relationships are just as "valid" as my own.

I'm usually pretty good at finding the rational fundamental assumptions on both sides of an issue, even though I disagree with one or the other.  I don't think it's irrational to believe that higher taxes on higher-income people are unfair (although I disagree).  I don't think it's irrational to believe that affirmative action does more harm than good to minorities (although I firmly disagree).  I don't even think it's irrational to believe that illegal immigrants, because they are illegal, don't deserve any access to health or educational services (although I really, really, really disagree with that one).

But frankly, the only fundamental assumption that I can find that allows Prop 8 to make any sense is that gay people, and their relationships, are inherently inferior to straight people and their relationships.  That gay commitments are less valid than straight commitments.  I more than disagree with that viewpoint -- I find it fundamentally irrational and morally wrong.

I know that many religious people believe that homosexuality is immoral.  However, I know many other religious people who believe that gay relationships are just another expression of God's love.  No church, mosque, or synagogue should (or, I believe, will) ever be forced to perform a gay marriage, but neither should they be *prevented* from doing so. 

I am asking you to do at least one of the following, but if nothing more, please do #1 (I am doing all of them):

1)  If you live in California, please vote NO on Proposition 8.  If you're thinking to yourself, "I already was going to do that," then please consider doing either #2 or #3 also.  If your conscience simply does not allow you to do so, please abstain from voting on the measure.

2)  Talk to other people you know in California and ask them to vote no on Proposition 8.  Even if you know that they are voting no, please still talk to them and make sure that they vote.  If they don't live in California, they have friends or family who do!!  Please make sure to talk to the people who are most likely to vote yes and see if you can change their mind.

3)  Make a donation at http://www.NoOnProp8.com.

Feel free to send this message on to anyone you want or to use parts of it in your own appeals to others.  Everything you can do to help defeat Proposition 8 is greatly appreciated.

If you would like to talk to me more about Proposition 8, please email me or call me.  Please help me and so many others in defeating this measure.

All my best wishes,
Adam

(*) I'm still very concerned about who our next president is.  Just not quite *as* concerned. :)