Proposition 8

Elections are coming up here pretty quickly and I wanted to voice my opinions. I feel that voting is one of our greatest rights and obligations in this country. I generally shy away from voicing my political views outside of my close family and perhaps a few friends. Then I heard about prop 8. At first I was impartial. I thought "let people do what they want. I don't care." But I do care when some one's rights are taken away. Proposition 8 keeps intact the domestic partnership laws in the state of CA. In fact, in CA domestic partners have the same rights as married couples. Prop 8 gives the definition of marriage as being between a man and a woman. I feel that homosexual couples should have the same rights as married couples, i.e. property, inheritance, hospital visitation, etc. I don't really care what the union is called, but then I started paying attention to what has been happening in Massachusetts, where marriage includes same gender unions. Based on what is happening there I strongly support prop 8. I don't like that the rights of many Californians will be lost if prop 8 doesn't pass. Parents will lose the right to choose how their children are taught. Starting in kindergarten children will be taught that same gender marriage is just as normal and correct as hetero marriage. Isn't that my decision to teach my children the values that I feel are correct?! A parent sued the school district to be notified when these things will be taught and the courts ruled that he didn't have a right to oppose. Then when churches preach marriage between a man and a woman as taught in the Bible they can be sued for hate speech. How is that possible? Does freedom of speech only apply to a section of the population? If a church teaches that homosexuals are bad and should be hurt, then of course, sue them. What about the voice of the people in 2000 when 61% of voters decided that marriage should be between a man and a woman? How can judges overrule what the people voted for? Don't our votes count? Churches can also be sued if they refuse to preform marriages or allow marriages on their property for same gender couples. First, I don't understand why homosexual couples would want to get married at a church that opposes same gender unions, unless they want to sue to cause the church problems. Second, I think that churches shouldn't be forced to participate in something that they feel is wrong. I love America and value our freedoms above just about everything else. I don't want any one's rights to be taken away or infringed upon. Yes on prop 8 does not take away or add any new rights, but a no takes away rights of most of us.