No on 8

October 18, 2008 at 5:49 am | Posted in politics | 1 Comment
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California has long been a state that has paved the way for civil rights. Although California was not the first state to recognize same sex marriage it was the first state to have same sex marriage approved by the state legislature, in both 2005 and 2007 (unfortunately Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed it both times).

In May California continued to shine a line on civil rights when our supreme court overturned the ban on same sex marriage. Same sex couples from all over the states, and the country, began getting married in California. Unfortunately, our celebration was extremely short lived.

In just 16 days Californians will vote on whether to continue to show fairness and equality or to write discrimination into our state constitution and eliminate same sex couples right to marry.

Many people argue that same sex marriage is not in the California State Constitution. Of course it’s not but equality is. Equality means equal. As a good friend of mine says what part of equal do you not understand.

In California and the United States as a whole people have the freedom to practice any religion they want or not religion at all. Yet people still hind behind the bible to justify their homophobia. Never mind that doing that imposes your religious beliefs on other people.

So yes I am a gay man. And I have faced homophobia everyday of my life. Whether it was own father calling me a fag when I was a two year old boy, kids calling my house to harass me when I was in middle school, a hostile neighbor at my boyfriends apartment or uneducated close minded students at my job, It has been there everyday.

Yet I have fought to accept myself for who I am. I do believe in god. I believe that god made me gay and that god wanted me to find love with another man. I believe that he passage in the bible that condemns homosexuality is as irrelevant as the passage that says you should not eat shellfish or that a father can stone his daughter to death if he disobeys her.

Love is love. So if you live in California and you have any compassion or sense of equality in your heart and mind Vote No on Prop 8. I am moving in my boyfriend later this month. Please do not take away our opportunity to get married. And more than us please do no take way the right for couples that have been together for fifty years and want their relationships recognized by the government.

Domestic partnerships are not enough. Separate is not equal.

And please whether you live in California or not contribute to No on 8.

http://www.noonprop8.com/

I love California

May 15, 2008 at 5:58 pm | Posted in politics | Leave a comment
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Growing up as a young gay man in a small town in Northwest Colorado I was always drawn to California. Maybe it was because I’m half Mexican and there is such a heavy Latin population in California, especially Southern California. Maybe it’s because of after winters that could have over three hundred inches of snow I longed for sunshine and the beach. Or maybe it’s because that’s where gay people lived.

 Today after a four year long battle the California Supreme Court ruled that this states ban on same sex marriage is unconstitutional. This rules effectively says that same sex couples can now get married in the state of California. No more domestic partnerships, no more marriage light. Marriage itself.

When I called my boyfriend of a year and a half to tell him the news I was in shock. As we discussed it I cried.

After rulings that didn’t go our way in New York and Washington state I really wasn’t expecting this. I figured it would be a split ruling. And indeed it was but it was 4-3 vote in our favor!

But this victory will be short lived. It appears that after paying signature gathers the right wings has collected enough signatures to put a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage forever on the ballot in November. If passed it would nullify today’s ruling.

If my boyfriend and I were already living together I would seriously want us to talk about getting married before November, while we can.

But I will fight the proposed ban tomorrow. If it does go on the ballot Barack Obama will have to fend for himself. My efforts will have to stay here in California to fight my most important battle.

But today I am proud to live in California. I am proud of how far we’ve come. I am proud that somewhere in Colorado a young gay boy is looking to California for hope…Just like I did.

How much I believe in Democracy

February 6, 2008 at 10:30 am | Posted in politics | 4 Comments
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After six days of weighing the pros and cons I decided to vote for Barack Obama yesterday. Even as I stood in the voting booth I paused. I voted on all the California measures before casting my vote for President. I did what was best for me.Again what was best for me. I want everybody to have their voice heard.

Later in the day I helped my boyfriend cast a provisional ballot for…Hillary Clinton. In a way I was helping to cancel my vote out. Or maybe it was me wanting to have it both ways. But I don’t look at it that way.

My boyfriend has only voted in Presidential elections in the past and the fact that he is interested in the primaries this year has made me extremely proud. I could have played dirty and not helped make sure he voted but that would have been dishonest. I’m not a cheater.

I want democrats to be excited this year. And no matter who gets the nomination I want them to unite and fight. That’s how much I believe in Democracy and that’s why I helped my boyfriend vote. Even if it wasn’t for my candidate.

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