Like many other Californians, I woke up this morning with bittersweet emotions.  Yesterday, we as a state, and a country, elected our country’s first African-American President.  Yet, at the same time, California wrote discrimination into its state Constitution.  

Discrimination in our Constitutions isn’t exactly something new.  Our much-praised US Constitution had recognition and toleration of Slavery written into its pages. It recognized slaves as only part of a person for the purpose of the census.  It took over a century, and a bloody Civil War to take that discrimination out of the Constitution.  

Until the data is finalized for this election it is pointless to try and figure out exactly how we lost the battle against Proposition 8.  I strongly suspect we will see certain communities in California voting against it in very high numbers (latino & African-American come immediately to mind, but we will see when the data is fully available).  We will also see the Central Valley and the Inland Empire voting against in large numbers, as well as San Diego and Imperial Counties.  

Expect to see me looking at that data when it is available, but for now, I offer these words below the fold.

Eight years ago our fellow Californians voted by around two-thirds to prevent us from marrying one another.  Yesterday, only little more than half voted for the same thing.  In eight years, we have made great strides towards equality.  

The fight is not over.  We have suffered a significant defeat, but we are by no means out of the fight.  If in eight years we have made such progress, there are many years, and many elections ahead for us to go the final distance and restore what has been taken away from us today.  

It took our African-American friends nearly two centuries to overcome the discrimination that was written into the United States Constitution.  Today we see the victory in that struggle with Barack Obama being elected to the office of President.  He did it with more than just the support of African-Americans, but with the support of Americans from all walks of life, and that is where we should place our hopes for the future.  

The fight to end discrimination is a fight that continues on over the years.  We will not give up, and eventually we will win.  The fight won’t be easy, but it will be victorious in the end.  

As this vote shows, we have lots of work ahead of us to win the hearts of our fellow citizens.  Yet, it is in the public arena that we will achieve final victory, not in the courts.  Let us spend the next few months, and years, preparing our arguments, reaching out to the Californians that voted against us, and let us prove to them why they should vote for our cause next time.  

It might be two years, or four years before we are ready to take the battle back to the public vote, but that is where we will need to win this fight once and for all.  As we saw last night with the victory of Barack Obama, it can be done.  Now it is up to us to make change happen here in California.  

full disclosure: I work for the Courage Campaign

The Catholic League condemned the Courage Campaign’s ‘Home Invasion‘ ad opposing Proposition 8 via press release earlier today. Catholic League President Bill Donohue said in part:

Radical homosexuals have a long history of anti-religious bigotry, so it is not surprising that with a pro-marriage initiative on the ballot in California (Proposition 8 would secure marriage as a right between a man and a woman only), they would resort to gutter tactics. This group is not some fringe operation-it works closely with George Soros’ MoveOn.org, another organization that has not shied away from bashing people of faith.

Making Bill Donohue’s list is no small feat. In the past he’s attacked Bill Maher, Marilyn Manson, Joan Osborne, secular Jews who run Hollywood and hate Christianity and John Edwards bloggers Amanda Marcotte and Melissa McEwan. He has also declared the Catholic Priest scandals “a homosexual scandal, not a pedophilia scandal.” Somehow, it seems, Bill Donohue and Catholics are constantly under attack from some agent of intolerance. But when it comes down to it, Proposition 8 is an attempt to insert religion into the California Constitution. It just is. And its proponents proudly sell that point. We’re glad they worship passionately in they way they see fit, but it has no place in our Constitution.

In related news so far today, the Catholic League and Mormon Church picked up a new Yes on 8 ally. As already noted today, arranged-mass-marriage enthusiasts The Moonies have jumped aboard the push to “save traditional marriage.” Which simply serves to confuse the “traditional marriage” waters all the further.

You can volunteer for the No on 8 campaign right up until polls close at 8pm. Every vote counts.

I have received an internal memo from the Mormon Church dated March 4, 1997.  This memo discusses strategies for what the memo calls “HLM” (gay marriage) in Hawaii and California (I assume that HLM refers to “homosexual legal marriage” but if you have your own preferred acronym, feel free to use it).

Like I said–this memo is devastating.  And it demonstrates that they have been planning this Proposition 8 referendum for more than a decade.

I’m in Seattle right now campaigning for Darcy, so this will be a quick post.  See more below.

Above is the first page of this memo.  It indicates, as you see, that the Mormon Church had been planning to coordinate with the Catholic Church to defeat “HLM” in Hawaii and California.  Below are images of devastating quotes from this memo.

This memo overtly discusses strategy for making sure that “HLM” doesn’t make any more progress than it absolutely has to:

Please note especially the last paragraph.  “There may have to be certain legal rights recognized for unmarried people…”  Take a look at what that implies.  The Mormon Church, if it had its way, wouldn’t even want to see gay couples have hospital visitation rights.  It’s not just about marriage–for them, it’s about making gays into second-class citizens.  Even hospital rights are a “concession” that have to be made to prevent full marriage equality.

The memo goes on to extensively discuss the fight that was taking place at that time for marriage equality in Hawaii, but comes back to California…

Yep, you got that right.  They were thinking of this in California way back in 1997.  They were saying, “referendum is expensive.  We have the money, but we don’t have the public face.  So let’s join with the Catholics, because they have a better reputation.”

The memo ends by describing a “cordial” visit with the Chairman of the Catholic Bishops Conference:

Like I said: there’s more where this comes from, according to my source.  But keep this in mind: as early as 1997, the Mormon Church was planning a referendum in California–using their money, but the public face of the Catholics.

So why am I going after the LDS church so much on this?  Because they’re trying to hide their money behind the Catholics to pass this constitutional amendment–and they deserve to be exposed.

Help defeat Proposition 8.  TAKE ACTION!

And in case you haven’t seen it:

This is a ad against Prop 8 that I and my brother thereisnospoon wrote, and a friend of mine edited, with a lot of help from our friends at Courage Campaign.  It has already made news in local Salt Lake City media–for good reason.

And speaking of the Courage Campaign:  here’s a video of one of their actions.  They delivered over 17,000 signatures opposing LDS Church involvement in California government to the LDS offices.

UPDATE 2:  Darcy Burner just wanted to chime in.  She says, “good luck in preventing the state of California from institutionalizing horrible, awful discrimination.”

Darcy Burner stands with us.  Stand with her.  I’m sure there’s a way to phonebank from remote.

When all is said and done, this is the bottom line.  If you vote for Proposition 8, you’re not voting against gay marriage.  You’re voting for a church taking over your government.

There are 72 hours left to determine whether California will take a massive step backward on human rights and allow the far right to dictate policy here – or whether we can rally voters to make a stand for equality. Polls don’t vote – it’s time for us to go all out on GOTV to defeat Prop 8.

This is especially important given how motivated our opponents are. They are raising money hand over fist and have thousands of fervent followers planning to get out the vote on Monday and Tuesday. We know their GOTV operation is exceptional.

Your job now is to volunteer to defeat Prop 8. Our goal is to reach 1000 netroots volunteers for No on Prop 8 GOTV. Have you signed up yet? You need to take action, NOW, to make sure that our supporters get to the polls.

As I write this Yes on 8 supporters are gathering at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego for “The Call.” See their crazy video – this is what is going to be unleashed on California over the next 72 hours. Are you going to help us fight back?

“The Call” organizers are billing this as “a confrontation between light and darkness will happen this November. To the victor goes the soul of the nation.” Some of their featured speakers – a who’s who of the theocratic right:

Lou Engel, founder of The Call: “The powers of darkness shall not prevail – this is a call for war. California is the Armageddon of the cultural wars of today.”

James Dobson, Focus on the Family (he has donated over $550,000 to the Yes on 8 campaign): “Tolerance and its first cousin, diversity, ‘are almost always buzzwords for homosexual advocacy.'”

James Garlow, Skyline Church: Garlow said of gays: “Homosexuals are not monogamous. … They want to destroy the institution of marriage. It will destroy marriage. It will destroy the earth.”

Tony Perkins, Family Research Council: Tony Perkins says humanity will not survive if Prop 8 loses:  “It’s more important than the presidential election….  We’ve picked bad presidents before, and we’ve survived as a nation.  But we will not survive if we lose the institution of marriage.”

These are the people who will be the new power brokers in California politics if Prop 8 passes. They will be emboldened to unleash the full brunt of their far right agenda on California and ALL of us are going to be its targets.

So let’s make sure they don’t get that chance, and that Prop 8 is defeated. Sign up to defeat Prop 8 now!

“We believe ALL families matter and we do not believe in discrimination,

therefore, our family will vote against Prop 8.” — Barbara Young

Loved the gravestones, Barb.

RIP inequality, Nov. 4

Those who forget

the past

are condemned

to repeat it.

No to 8!!!

And omens don’t get much clearer than Steve’s #8 getting retired last month, do they?

Thank you for doing the right thing and standing up for all families.

And this one’s special because a few years from now my daughter is gonna look a lot like Lily:

And Steve, thank you for the reminder that Family Comes First.

Always.

AP: Former 49er Steve Young voting No on Prop. 8

SF Chronicle: Steve Young lines up against Mormon church on Prop. 8

CBS5: Steve Young’s Home Displays ‘No On 8’ Signs

RIP prop 8!

Chino Blanco

If this doesn’t make you tear up, nothing will, you heartless bastard.

Please join the ACLU of Southern California and the No on Prop 8 campaign to help defeat this unfair initiative on Election Day.  This coming weekend (Nov. 1st and 2nd) we’re training volunteers willing to go to No on 8 friendly polling stations and make sure that our supporters remember to vote NO on 8, so there’s NO confusion.  The trainings will bring everyone from the Silverlake office together to discuss the Election Day plan, what to say to voters and to pick up polling place assignments.  Come down to the ACLU/SC office at 1313 W. 8th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90017 (right off the 110).  The training times are Saturday (11/1) from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm, and  2:00 pm to 4:00 pm, and Sunday (11/2) from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm and 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.  

Email the intrepid Todd if you can make it.  [email protected]

Thanks!  

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* The following email landed in my inbox a few hours ago. *

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Good Morning All,

I have spent some time working on these thoughts.  Please take some time reading them.  I hope you will feel inclined to pass them on to others not on this list.  The Brethren asked us to use the internet to share our thoughts and feelings during this election cycle.  This is my contribution.

Thank you in advance,

Brian L.

Elder in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Citizen of the United States of America

On the night of Wednesday the 22nd of October the youth of our ward showed their willingness to follow their priesthood leaders by placing nearly 300 signs for the Yes on Prop 8 campaign.  Fifty more signs were placed that night by others.  Less than twelve hours later all 350 signs had been taken, stolen, vandalized or destroyed.  I have had 4 signs stolen from my front yard and feel the need to take them in at night to prevent further theft.  In my mind this election is no longer about gay marriage.  It is no longer about fancy commuter trains or open space preserves.  It is no longer about the Office of the President of the United States of America.  It is about FREEDOM and LIBERTY.  The freedom to speak, worship and teach the truth.  Who’s civil rights are being trampled on with the stealing of 350 expressions of free speech?  Who lacks tolerance?  None of this is new.  As the saying goes, “Those who do not learn from history are condemned to repeat it.”  Many voters this year will cast their votes based on misinformation and lies.  It saddens and angers me to think that so few have so much power to determine the future of our country.

When Elder Perry spoke in our last Stake conference he reminded us of the covenant we live under in this country.  He reminded us of the blessings promised, and the associated consequences.

Wherefore, I, Lehi, have obtained a promise, that inasmuch as those whom the Lord God shall bring out of the land of Jerusalem shall keep his commandments, they shall prosper upon the face of this land; and they shall be kept from all other nations, that they may possess this land unto themselves. . . . But behold, when the time cometh that they shall dwindle in unbelief, after they have received so great blessings from the hand of the Lord . . . . behold, I say, if the day shall come that they will reject the Holy One of Israel, the true Messiah, their Redeemer and their God, behold, the judgments of Him that is just shall rest upon them.  Yea, He will bring other nations unto them, and He will give unto them power, and He will take away from them the lands of their possessions, and He will cause them to be scattered and smitten. . . And he hath said that: Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land; but inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from my presence. (2 Nephi 1:9-12)

I am amazed and saddened as I learn of increasing numbers of the members of the LDS Church here and across the country who endorse candidates that do not stand for the ideals and morals of the gospel and deliberately and publicly speak out against the direction of the prophet.  In 87 B.C., only five years after King Mosiah instituted a system of judges to govern his people a man rose to power attempting to overthrow that system and the freedoms it provided.  Amlici was described as being, “. . . a very cunning man, yea, a wise man as to the wisdom of the world . . .”  He wanted to be king and he convinced many to follow him gaining much influence and power.

Now this was alarming to the people of the church, and also to all those who had not been drawn away after the persuasions of Amlici; for they knew that according to their law that such things must be established by the voice of the people.  Therefore, if it were possible that Amlici should gain the voice of the people, he, being a wicked man, would deprive them of their rights and privileges of the church; for it was his intent to destroy the church of God. . . And it came to pass that the voice of the people came against Amlici, that he was not made king over the people. (Alma 2:1-7)

The Nephites knew the question was not merely one of politics, but threatened their freedoms accorded them by God.  When instituting the system of judges King Mosiah said, “Now it is not common that the voice of the people desireth anything contrary to that which is right; but it is common for the lesser part of the people to desire that which is not right; therefore this shall ye observe and make it your law-to do your business by the voice of the people.  And if the time comes that the voice of the people doth choose iniquity, then is the time that the judgments of God will come upon you; yea, then is the time he will visit you with great destruction even as he has hitherto visited this land.“  (Mosiah 29:26-27)  The time has come to see which side the voice of the people chooses.

God has given us great blessings and freedoms.  It is not up to us to willingly give them up. In the early days of the LDS Church in Missouri during the height of persecution, some saints tried to sell their property rather than lose it to the mob for nothing.  Joseph Smith received the instruction that, “Let not that which I have appointed be polluted by mine enemies, by the consent of those who call themselves after my name;  For this is a very sore and grievous sin against me, and against my people, in consequence of those things which I have decreed and which are soon to befall the nations.”  (D&C 101:97-98)

Prophets throughout history have spoken on the subject of government.  Each modern day prophet has spoken on Gods involvement in the creation of this country and its constitution.  President Ezra Taft Benson gave two addresses at BYU devotionals on the subject, one in 1977, and the other in 1986.  He said, “And one of Lucifer’s primary strategies has been to restrict our agency through the power of earthly governments.”  Lucifer uses perverted or counterfeit versions of Gods plan to accomplish this.  “Another notable counterfeit system to the Lord’s plan is collectivized socialism.”  Because a government derives its powers from the governed, “It cannot claim the power to redistribute money or property nor to force reluctant citizens to perform acts of charity against their will.  Government is created by the people.  No individual possesses the power to take another’s wealth or to force others to do good, so no government has the right to do such things either.”  The following are quotations taken from these two addresses.

1) “As citizens of this noble land, we have marched a long way down the soul-destroying road of socialism. If you question that statement, consider the recent testimonial from the Nobel prize-winning economist, Milton Friedman. He indicated that government spending in the United States at all levels amounts to over forty percent of today’s total national income. If we continue to follow the trend in which we are heading today, two things will inevitably result: first, a loss of our personal freedom, and second, financial bankruptcy. This is the price we pay when we turn away from God and the principles which he has taught and turn to government to do everything for us. It is the formula by which nations become enslaved.“

2) “Today, two hundred years later, we must sadly observe that we have significantly departed from the principles established by the founders of our country. James Madison opposed the proposal to put Congress in the role of promoting the general welfare according to its whims in these words:  ‘If Congress can employ money indefinitely to the general welfare, they may take the care of religion into their own hands; they may appoint teachers in every state, county and parish and pay them out of their public treasure; they may take into their own hands the education of children, establishing in like manner schools throughout the Union; they may assume the provision of the poor. . . . Were the power of Congress to be established in the latitude contended for [and it was an issue then], it would subvert the very foundations, and transmute the very nature of the limited Government established by the people of America.’ [quoted in Donald L. Newquist, Prophets, Principles, and National Survival, p. 342] That statement, given as a warning, has proved prophetic. Today Congress is doing what Madison warned about. Many are now advocating that which has become a general practice since the early 1930s: a redistribution of wealth through the federal tax system. That, by definition, is socialism!“

3) The constitution was designed to work with only a moral and righteous people. “Our constitution,” said John Adams (first vice-president and second president of the United States), “was made only for a moral and religious people.  It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

4) I have faith that the Constitution will be saved as prophesied by Joseph Smith.  But it will not be saved in Washington.  It will be saved by the citizens of this nation who love and cherish freedom.  It will be saved by enlightened member of this Church-men and women who will subscribe to and abide by the principles of the Constitution.”

If only we could follow the example of Captain Moroni and Chief Judge Pahoran as they met the crisis of freedom in their day by standing up for their principles as they raised the title of liberty.  “In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children. . .and he bowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should a band of Christians remain to possess the land . . . And therefore, at this time, Moroni prayed that the cause of the Christians, and the freedom of the land might be favored. . .  And he said: Surely God shall not suffer that we, who are despised because we take upon us the name of Christ, shall be trodden down and destroyed, until we bring it upon us by our own transgressions.“ (Alma 46:12-20)

Many did not respond to this call to freedom.  Of these we read, “And now, when Moroni saw that the city of Nephihah was lost he was exceedingly sorrowful, and began to doubt, because of the wickedness of the people, whether they should not fall into the hands of their brethren.  Now this was the case with all his chief captains. They doubted and marveled also because of the wickedness of the people. . . And it came to pass that Moroni was angry with the government, because of their indifference concerning the freedom of their country.“  (Alma 59:11-12)  In a letter to Pahoran Captain Moroni further condemns this attitude of apathy, “Behold, could ye suppose that ye could sit upon your thrones, and because of the exceeding goodness of God ye could do nothing and he would deliver you? Behold, if ye have supposed this ye have supposed in vain.  And now behold, I say unto you, I fear exceedingly that the judgments of God will come upon this people, because of their exceeding slothfulness, yea, even the slothfulness of our government, and their exceedingly great neglect towards their brethren, . . . For were it not for the wickedness which first commenced at our head, we could have withstood our enemies that they could have gained no power over us.” (Alma 60:11-15)

There are only two sides to take.  Fence sitting is no longer an option.  It is raining.  Are you going to get on the boat?  We cannot be lukewarm on the issue of freedom and liberty.  I do not presume to tell anyone how to vote.  I only implore that you do vote, and that you use as your guide the cause of freedom and the morals and teachings of the gospel.  Do not pick your candidates because of what they promise to give you, the size of their health plan or any other insincere platitudes they may give to convince you of their worthiness.  Instead seek out those who best stand for the God given ideals of freedom and agency.  If we all stand together we can say as Mosiah did, “I desire that this land be a land of liberty, and every man may enjoy his rights and privileges alike, so long as the Lord sees fit that we may live and inherit the land, yea, even as long as any of our posterity remains upon the face of the land.” (Mosiah 29:32)

Thank you for taking the time to read.  Along with Captain Moroni I say, “I seek not for power, but to pull it down. I seek not for honor of the world, but for the glory of my God, and the freedom and welfare of my country. And thus I close mine epistle.”

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* My reply to the author of the above email *

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Good Morning Brian,

When I saw where you were going with your rant (Prop 8 is no longer about marriage equality, but rather is now all about defending FREEDOM and LIBERTY against TAXES and SOCIALISM), a name popped into my head:

Timothy James McVeigh

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T…

In McVeigh’s own words:

Taxes are a joke. Regardless of what a political candidate “promises,” they will increase. More taxes are always the answer to government mismanagement. They mess up. We suffer. Taxes are reaching cataclysmic levels, with no slowdown in sight…Is a Civil War Imminent? Do we have to shed blood to reform the current system? I hope it doesn’t come to that. But it might.

I know in my heart that I am right in my struggle. I have come to peace with myself, my God and my cause. Blood will flow in the streets. Good vs. Evil. Free Men vs. Socialist Wannabe Slaves. Pray it is not your blood, my friend.

I’m very concerned, Brian, by the lack of daylight between what you’ve written above and the words Timothy McVeigh used to describe the “why” behind his hatred of our country.

And it pains me that the LDS church has allowed thugs like you such free rein to intimidate your fellow church members during this California election cycle.  You should know that it’s guys like you who’ve forced many Mormons to sadly admit that “the church has gone and unleashed its most fanatical, proud, boastful and ignorant California members on the rest of us.”  In the past, theocratic bullies like you, Brian, could be safely ignored at LDS church meetings, but now you hector and hound your fellow saints into submissive compliance with the Prop 8 program.  You apparently see it as your job to keep other members in line, presumably so as to achieve some kind of united Mormon front on the issue of Prop 8.  It would also seem that you enjoy your job very much.

And frankly, Brian, I worry about Mormons like you becoming a danger to yourself and to others if your leaders don’t step in soon and explain to you the reasons how and why your above email crosses the line.

And make no mistake, Brian, it does cross the line, but I also think that’s for your church leaders to make clear to you.

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* My message to the LDS leadership about this email *

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To the Brethren in Salt Lake City and all the leadership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in California:  

Many members have become increasingly disturbed by the tone and rhetoric that’s being adopted in Mormon email forwards like the one above, but so many members feel so browbeaten at this point that few bother to mount a challenge.  

I believe it has become your responsibility to address the problem of paranoid and bellicose email forwards like Brian’s that are now in such heavy circulation among your members.

Chino Blanco

This is one straight person’s story about the right to marry.  It’s probably a bit dull, but what can you expect from a boring married guy?

I got married in the middle of August of this year.  Those are our wedding rings in the picture off to the right there — my wife was playing with a digital camera while the rings were still a novelty to us.

When we were planning our wedding we knew we would be inviting several same-sex couples, and were painfully aware that these friends of ours did not have the same opportunity that we did.  Their love and commitment was no different from ours, but the stability, rights, and formal recognition of marriage was forbidden for them.  On the other hand, we could get married for less than a hundred bucks and a couple hours in a county clerk’s office, just because we happen to be a straight couple.

But then, on May 15, the elected, mostly Republican, Justices of the California Supreme Court did the right thing and ruled that our State’s Constitution did not allow the government of California to treat gay and straight couples differently by allowing one the rights and privileges of marriage, while denying those rights and privileges to the other.  Suddenly, the same-sex couples we’d invited to our wedding were legally just as good as us.  They’d always been just as good as us in reality.  

Three months later, by our wedding, one of the same-sex couples we’d invited had gone down to the Oakland county clerk’s office and gotten married after eleven years together.  Two more of the same-sex couples had set dates for their weddings in September.  We were privileged that our wedding was for these friends of ours not a reminder of what they couldn’t have, but a celebration of marriage in which everyone could see a future for themselves.

In the month of September, we attended three different same-sex wedding celebrations as same-sex couples celebrated their new equality.  Our next-door neighbors threw a party to celebrate the legalization of the commitment ceremony they’d had two years ago. And of course, I was honored to attend Brian’s wedding, which was full of family and friends, most of whom were straight and not even a little bit political — just people happy to see the marriage of two profoundly decent men.

Most important to me, a friend I’ve known for thirteen years married the man he loves, someone who makes him happier than I had ever seen him before they found each other.  I’ve lost track of the number of meals I’ve eaten at their house, including several amazing Thanksgiving dinners.  The level of generosity and kindness they’ve shown to me and my wife over the years has been extraordinary.  They have been part of our community, part of our support system, thrilled that we were getting married, even before they could marry.  And now, my friend and his husband have the stability, the recognition, the rights that my wife and I do.  That is as it should be.

Marriage for same-sex couples gives them someone that the law allows them to rely on, binds them more closely into their community, makes them equals before the law in their community, allows them to form a family — just as good as you and me.  That’s good for everyone.  It’s good for me that my gay friends can marry, that their households and relationships are stable and protected by law. We are stronger together than we are apart.

Vote No on 8, and please consider giving No on 8 some more cash to make the case on the airwaves, maybe even volunteering to do get-out-the-vote.  

Support your community — all of your community.

Continuing on with my previous post about email “feedback” I am receiving, one consideration stands out especially.  I have been accused of being disingenuous in my post on DailyKos that referenced the wedding of our own Brian Leubitz as a reason to vote against Proposition 8.

Surprisingly, some of the feedback I have received has indicated that a lot of moral crusaders out there don’t think that Proposition 8 will invalidate same-sex marriages that already exist:

Brian is married, and nothing will change that.

Of course, Proposition 8 will divorce Mr. Leubitz and Mr. Devine, undoubtedly against their desires.  And this is a very powerful argument, even for religious zealots.  This is one response I have received in response to the information that, yes, Proposition 8 will indeed constitutionally divorce currently married same-sex couples:

I do feel bad for Brian if his marriage is reversed. I was not aware of that. Legal rights aren’t meant for everyone, and that is obviously where we disagree.  Marriage, historically, has been meant to be for a man and a woman. Marriage itself, comes from religion.  And my religious belief is what I’ve indicated, between a man and a woman.

So yes, I could apologize to him, nicely, and say these are my beliefs, and I’m sorry that they contradict what you desire.

The “legal rights aren’t meant for everyone” part is especially charming, don’t you think?

Regardless of the theocratic bent of this individual’s worldview–which actually advocates that GLBT individuals be second-class citizens–it is very instructive that the idea of current marriages being broken against the will of the wed is something that even gives theocrats some pause when they see a specific example of it in action.

Its a message that we haven’t really seen from the No on 8 campaign, but I think it would make a very effective closing argument.  There are thousands of legally married same-sex couples out there.  They shed tears of joy when they finally got the chance to legally marry the ones they love.

A vote for Proposition 8 is a vote to forcibly divorce every last one of them.  Could you vote for Proposition 8 and explain to a heartbroken couple why you cast a vote to divorce them against their will?  Do you really have the heart to do that?  If you don’t, a no vote on Prop 8 is your only choice.