WRITE For RIGHT

Today is “WRITE TO MARRY DAY” where bloggers across California & the country are encouraged to post about Proposition 8. Coincidentally, my Vote-By-Mail ballot arrived in today’s mail. I need to vote absentee because I’ll be working the polls next Tuesday, election day.

On Page 1 of the Ballot I had the distinct privilege of casting my vote for Sens. Barack Obama & Joe Biden. I found myself oddly emotional in the quiet of my office to be able to make this historic choice after this long, long, election season. I became emotional again (read: enraged!) when I turned to Page 5 of the Ballot & under State Measures finally read the exact wording of the Proposition 8:

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

What part of the above has any place in a Democracy? In the United States of America are we now using the polling place to ELIMINATE rights? The Supreme Court of The State of California in a majority ruling found that it is unconstitutional to prohibit people of the same gender to marry one another if they choose. But on November 4th we’ll use the ballot box to formally write discrimination into law & inscribe into the Constitution the ELIMINATION of rights of a certain group of people?? Why? Because the MORMON CHURCH thinks it’s wrong and are carpet-bagging this issue by funding it from Utah? Because ROME is against it? That Sir, is UNAMERICAN!

If voting for Barack Obama is about taking back the country from the fundementalists, the Christianists (not Christians!) the richest 1% and the racists then voting NO on Proposition 8 is part & parcel of this same movement!!

It is almost funny to walk around my neighborhood. The plethora of NO ON 8 Signs is overwhelming. Folks just don’t have one sign. Whole yards & walls & windows are covered in them. And I don’t live in a primarily “gay” neighborhood, but a Jewish one. There are more NO ON 8 signs than Obama signs. This makes me feel very good. So I was shocked to find the above leaflet on the ground near my house today. Republicans & haters are so good with ‘code” aren’t they? No idea what they “REAL EQUALITY” is that they’re referring to; but we all can recognize the allusion to “ABUSIVE AFFIRMATIVE ACTIONS” for being the race-baiting that is surely is.

The other photo shows my front window with its OBAMA & NO ON 8 Signs surrounded by Halloween lights!!! (I AM TheGayGardener after all!) The NO ON 8 Sign is a little crooked I may have been a little drunk when I hung it up! This election is very stressful!!

To my friends & foes, family & Church members, neighbors, clients & followers of TheGayGardener: I want you remember my face, to think of me, and the thousands like me, to make this personal, when you vote on Tuesday. Could you really, REALLY deny me the most basic right that all of you have enjoyed your entire lives? I have great faith in you & in my fellow Californians to do the right thing and say NO! to Hate! VOTE NO ON 8! (FILL in circle #115 on your ballot if you’re in Los Angeles County)