From a reader:
Yesterday my husband and I had the privilege of meeting a family a few streets over from us. We drove past shortly after an unwelcome car had been parked in front of their house (explained by the homeowner, below). We stopped to offer our support. Like many who are displaying "Yes on 8" signs in our neighborhood, the family is Mormon. Another neighbor told us that several high schoolers had been threatened and even beaten up for expressing support for Prop 8.
Yesterday my husband and I had the privilege of meeting a family a few streets over from us. We drove past shortly after an unwelcome car had been parked in front of their house (explained by the homeowner, below). We stopped to offer our support. Like many who are displaying "Yes on 8" signs in our neighborhood, the family is Mormon. Another neighbor told us that several high schoolers had been threatened and even beaten up for expressing support for Prop 8.
From their neighbor:
In response to having lawn signs stolen on a regular basis in our area, we decided to display our position on Prop 8 with a large banner.
This afternoon a couple of women pulled up in front of our home and started painting on the windows of their car. I guess they disagreed with us.
As they were painting these messages, my husband came out and asked them if they would like to have a conversation. The "conversation" consisted of them calling us bigots, promoters of hate & prejudice, parents who didn't protect their children and un-Christian (this last comment causing my 11 year old son to cry because he IS a Christian and is so very proud of it!) My husband and children tried to engage in conversation to share our concerns and point of view and were met with increased intensity and anger. Their entire message was that we were closed-minded, motivated by hate and prejudice.
In the end, we left them to their project...knowing that sharing and trying to understand one another's point of view was NOT something they were interested in. Here's what we were left with in front of our home. (See photos below.) By the way...we live across the street from a kindergarten playground...what a nice thing the kids will be able to see at recess and as they walk to and from home.
Now for the good news...since this happened this afternoon we've had all kinds of people drive by taking pictures, talking with us and expressing support. In fact, a wonderful family from our school stopped by to tell us how sorry they were. They are voting No on 8 and long ago we decided that we would be that balancing force for each other in the universe. I was impressed by the way they went out of their way to make sure all was well with us and to let us know that they supported us even though we disgree on this issue.
THIS is the American way... I wish this whole election process would be designed to promote these types of feelings among neighbors instead of the hate and intolerance that seems to be becoming such a prevalent part of our daily lives.
Well, that's what's happening at our house this weekend. Hope all is well with you and...don't forget to VOTE!!!
6 comments:
I find it interesting that proponents of proposition 8 are, for the more part, respectful of the other side, but those campaigning against the proposition choose name-calling and intimidation as their preferred tactics.
I truly do wish that SSM argumentation was more substantive, more honest, more reasonable. I say that because if our defense of marriage is to be defeated someday, then, at least I would be able to acknowledge that their disagreement was well-established.
As it stands today, even now this late in the SSM campaign, their argumentation rests entirely on the thin, and nasty, creed of identity politics
. And, sadly, a large portion of SSMers are blind to the perils of such an approach to lawmaking and to their fellow citizens.
Contary to the bogus charges of bigotry and hatred, support forProposition 8 is humane, liberal, and it buttresses our constitutional framework.
* I mean small "l" liberal, in the classical organic sense, not the contemporary sense of hyper-radical individualism and atomisation.
We had to delete this post because the blogger was posting hate speech against Prop 8 supporters.
We respect the other side and invite your respectful comments.
Thank you.
Wow.
I, uh, Wow.
And the "No" people think this will help their cause?
If (and that was a big if) I was on the fence about voting and living in California, the shameful behavior of the antis would definitely send me over to the Pro Prop 8 side in a heartbeat!
BUT I'm not on the fence. I'd vote Pro Prop 8.
When I pass houses that proudly display the very misleading happy-go-lucky blue family and yellow-backdrop Yes on Prop 8 sign, I swell up with tears.
I am 19 years old. I am gay.
What you, my fellow Californian and American, impose on me with the signs you display in front of your house is a feeling that I am not welcomed in your great society.
The fact is, and maybe I am being a little too forward on this, but the fact is that any "Marriage" by your Bible's definition is UNCONSTITUTIONAL in The United States of America, for the simple line engraved within the founding documents "seperation between Church and State" still holds true, even today.
Perhaps a lesson on Loving V. Virginia would lend an empathetic view towards your agenda.
Those people were Christians too.
The only YES ON PROP 8 sign I have torn down was that on public property... I have, however, contemplated taking down signs on people's actual lawns - I have yet to do so.
In my perspective, I feel like I am walking past a bunch of "FUCK YOU FAG!" signs... and although that is not what you intend, the unintentional goal was met - and quite forcefully.
If you make the argument that your definition of marriage lives in the United States by passing Prop 8, then be prepared to face a storm of legislative action taking this to the US Supreme Court - forcing the judges to seperate Church from State and allowing ALL to get married.
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