Dear Same Sex Couples of California and the World;

I'm sorry. I voted no.

I'm sorry that the scare tactics of many close-minded and willfully ignorant people have come together to make discrimination legal. Prop 8 is is disgusting and abhorrent and I deeply apologize for what has happened.

Please consider donating to the No on Prop 8 campaign

I'm not commanding you or demanding. I'm not telling you that we'll face "Armageddon" if you don't. I won't lie or manipulate the facts to scare you.

I'm talking those who refuse to let discrimination into our Constitution, those that understand the difference between a civil marriage and a religious one, those that see the pattern of bigotry and hate repeating itself once more and find it disgusting.

You can donate online at http://www.noonprop8.com. They'll take any amount $5 and over. Five bucks- that's less than a bottle of cheap booze. That's a pack of smokes. That's a triple non-fat mocha latte. WAY less than drugs or concert tickets or lip gloss or a fast food value meal. It's not much but it means that the No on 8 campaign can put more people on the ground and more media out to combat the blatant lies and fear mongering we are see every day from the Yes on 8 side.

Think about it. For five bucks you can tell your kids and grandkids that you stood up to the out-of-state interests who are funding the Yes on Prop 8 campaign. It's not much, five bucks, but it can mean the difference between our current Constitution and a Constitution that legally treats Californians differently.

California is better than Prop 8. We, as humans, are better than Prop 8.


Thank you.

Who would Jesus blackmail?

Why I will vote NO on Prop 8 -Brenna

I was raised as a Mormon and taught all of my life that homosexuality was a sin. My parents were the only liberal people in my family. I grew up watching everyone around me be rude and hateful to gay people. After all they had chosen to be "sinful" and "follow Satan". My parents however taught me to be open minded and love everyone no matter what. I had a gay uncle, I have many gay friends now, I am no longer a member of the Mormon church and I refuse to vote for such a discriminatory proposition. What do I specifically dislike about this proposition? I hate the commercials I see every other commercial break that are filled with lies about how California will all basically burn in hell if it doesn't pass. I hate that some people are trying to deny others their rights for the sole reason that they "think" it is a sin. But most of all I can't stand that we all can't just let each other live our own lives how we believe they should be lived. Please I beg all of you, VOTE NO on PROP 8. Don't take away someone else's happiness because of your fear!

If one more "Yes on Prop 8 Sign" ruins my day... -Kakshi

There's a house down the street for me that has a "YES on Prop 8" sign on their lawn. The first time I saw it, I drove back home to tell my Mom about it, even though I was late for something, because it enraged me so much (and I am proud beyond words to say she is voting NO on 8). It ruined my day...every time I drive past it, I want to vandalize it, I want to knock on their door and call them the devil...I don't even know.

THEN, I was starting to feel better, planning exactly what I would do to this sign when, driving to the courthouse today, I see both a Yes on prop 8 AND Prop 4 (give up on Prop 4, it ain't gonna happen) bumper sticker on someone's car. I didn't even know what to do, I was trying to chase them down...I wanted to yell something at them, but of course I didn't.

But WHY are there so many misconceptions about Prop 8?!

Supporters say Prop 8 protects marriage. So, protecting marriage means that those marriages that have taken place (either between two men, or two women) since the Supreme Court decision will be, in effect, undone? How is killing something protecting it???
Supporters also argue that it will "encourage" people to be gay, and it will eventually lead to the end of the human race, since people won't be reproducing anymore (no joke, I've heard this several times!)

1. Being gay isn't contagious, it isn't a choice and...there's no real way to explain something so basic to people who can't understand it. It's like saying that giving women more rights during suffrage would turn more people into women…didn’t see too much of that.
2. If there are teenage girls, there will always be on overflow of babies.
3. If you don't give gay people the right to marry because they can't reproduce as a couple, will you say that I won't be allowed to marry if I find out that I can't have children? OBVIOUSLY, and thankfully, that isn't the case...I'm still a human being that has fundamental rights, period.

The teaching kindergartners about gay marriage argument...Where do I even begin:
I don't think it's a problem to teach people that marriage is between any two people to begin with. Umm...correct me if I'm wrong, but how can you be against Prop 8 but not approve that people can be informed that they can marry whoever they want? And who picked the arbitrary age of 5 to be the age when children will be taught about gay marriage? Granted, what I was taught at 5 didn't have an impression on me, but regardless, who WAS taught about marriage in school at 5? About relationships? Sex? If you were, please let me know. Because as of right now, I have yet to be corrected. Sex ed. was when we were taught about sex and relationships, and I was 12. So, JUST BECAUSE gay marriage is legalized, all of a sudden, the educators of California will decide that 5 year olds are all of a sudden ready to grapple with the complex issues of romantic and sexual relationships? PLEASE. Try again, Prop 8 supporters.

This is directly from the protectmarriage.com website: "By saying that a marriage is between 'any two persons' rather than between a man and a woman, the Court decision has opened the door to any kind of 'marriage.' This undermines the value of marriage altogether at a time when we should be restoring marriage, not undermining it."

Then why are so many straight people getting mother flippin divorces?!!!! Yes, yes, I can see conservative, straight people have the BEST track record for restoring marriage. Sometimes I'm even confused that the institution of marriage even exists when we look at our divorce rates. What is the point if no one stays married? What is the "value" of marriage? Marriage is about LOVE, about sharing a meaningful life with someone, about bringing children into a home that is safe, loving, and nurturing. You don't need to be straight to do that. Trust me, at the TRO clinic, I see my share of violence in families, and the effects on children. So far...all the clients I've helped have been straight...

Please do what you can for Prop 8. I'm going to take this time to also say, while you're voting, VOTE FOR OBAMA! BUT, thanks to the Electoral College, our votes for president don't matter as much as they should (thankfully I live in California, so my vote for Obama means something). BUT THEY STILL MATTER! But for Prop 8, as Californians, every vote directly affects the results, so EVERY SINGLE VOTE matters! VOTE NO ON 8! Or we won't be friends anymore...for serious. And tell your friends. Maybe use better arguments than mine written in delirium. The end.

The Mormon chruch and Prop 8 -Andee

I am having a hard time understanding how the leaders in the Mormon Church feel it is okay to limit the rights of others. It has happened in the past, and is still happening.

What is so wrong with equality?

I refuse to believe that one group of people has the right to determine how everyone else should live their lives. That is exactly what the Mormon Church is trying to do.

If you believe gay marriage is wrong, and you want the members of your church to believe it’s wrong, fine… but the minute you stand up on your soap box and ask the members of your church to limit the rights of others you are crossing the line.

I am ashamed that I once considered myself a member of the Mormon Church. It might seem harsh, but it’s no more harsh than limiting the rights of people you don’t even know.
In the past the Mormon Church believed that allowing those with dark skin to hold the priesthood was wrong. The church limited the rights of those with dark skin, and even called them cursed and told them their skin would lighten if they accepted the gospel.

The church doesn’t allow women the same rights that it allows men. Why? Why can’t a woman hold the office of bishop? Why can’t a woman bless her own child? There is no good answer, and again you are limiting the rights of those in your own membership.

Now the fight has turned to those who are gay and lesbian. Being gay isn’t a choice. It’s not something that can be changed, and it’s certainly not something that can be, or should be “fixed.”

Gay marriage will not hurt heterosexual marriage in any way. There is no threat from anyone here.

I sincerely ask that the members of the Mormon Church take a stand for equality for EVERYONE. No one sitting in an office building in Salt Lake City should make decisions on how non-members live their lives.

This is not okay, and I promise to take a stand and speak my mind on this issue wherever it is brought up in my presence.

I am also planning on resigning my membership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, My resignation stems from many issues, including learning about how the translation of the Book of Mormon truly happened, as well as how racist and sexist the organization truly is.

This is the final straw, and I am taking a stand. Whatever happened to loving thy neighbor?

How you can participate

1. Leave your reasons in the comments
2. Send an email to ivotednoonh8@gmail.com