Prop 8 Protests - What To Do

Don't be fooled by all the protests going on right now. What you have is a very small minority of individuals that are organizing various protests throughout the state of California. It appears that there are thousands, if not millions of people who are against the enforcement of Prop 8. The news media is assisting in creating an atmosphere of hate and divisiveness in the community.

THE TRUTH
The majority of Californians voted YES on Prop 8. Most of the people who supported Obama for President also voted YES on Prop 8. In fact, there are now 30 states that have passed Constitutional Amendments to protect Traditional Marriage. Throughout all of history, in every society, marriage has always been defined as a union between one man and one woman.

These protests are designed to get you nervous and scared that there will be violence in the streets if Prop 8 is enforced. These are scare tactics that are helped along by the news media. It's just a small group of ill-informed people that have nothing better to do than to protest a valid vote.

WHAT YOU CAN DO
Most of us who support traditional marriage don't have the time or willingness to go out and protest. So what can we do:

• Prayer is the number one thing. Pray for our government leaders and judges to uphold the constitution and laws that God has ordained.

• Boycott the cities that are promoting the protests. Start out with staying away from San Fransisco, West Hollywood, and the other cities that have actively given support to these groups. Don't spend any money in their cities.

• Boycott the companies that have given support such as Levi Strauss, Apple, Google, Hallmark and McDonalds. Look online to find more companies that support gay marriage. The only way they get the message is if they lose money.

• Boycott the movie industry. Most of the actors and producers in Hollywwod are very radical and anti-family. Why support them and their causes?

• Support companies that support traditional marriage. I would list then here, but the protesters will use this for their own cause. Just look online and you'll find a list.

• Tell people about Jesus Christ! Tell them about the Gospel. How they can repent and put their trust in Christ alone for their salvation! Until people have a true change of heart, nothing will cause them to change their behavior.

Myths and Facts about Proposition 8

MYTH: Proposition 8 enshrines discrimination in our Constitution.

FACT: Proposition 8 does not discriminate against gays; it simply restores the meaning of marriage and protects it as an essential institution that has benefited mankind since the beginning of time. Every culture in the world understands that marriage is between a man and a woman. Californians from all walks of life and ethnic backgrounds, whether religious or not, agree that marriage is between a man and a woman. Proposition 8 does not take away any rights from gay and lesbian domestic partners. Gays and lesbians in California can already enjoy all the legal rights and benefits of marriage. The California Family Code says, “domestic partners shall have all the rights, protections and benefits” of married spouses. There are NO exceptions to this. Proposition 8 will not change that.

MYTH: Allowing gay couples to legally marry does not affect anyone else.

FACT: The narrow decision of the State Supreme Court effectively renders all civil marriage meaningless and will result in tremendous confusion for children. The state Education Code (§51890) requires that teachers instruct children as young as kindergartners about marriage. If the gay marriage ruling becomes permanent, teachers will have little choice but to teach young children there is no difference between gay marriage and traditional marriage. We should not accept a court decision that results in public school teachers teaching our kids that gay marriage is acceptable. That is an issue for parents to discuss with their children according to their own values and beliefs. It should not be forced on us against our will.

MYTH: This proposition was the work of right wing radicals and extremists to attack the rights of gays.

FACT: Proposition 8 was supported by a broad range of organizations and individuals, including faith leaders representing virtually every faith in California – and those who subscribe to no faith at all. People from every walk of life believe that marriage is between a man and a woman. Over 1.1 million Californians signed the petitions to put Proposition 8 on the ballot. If gay marriage advocates want to change the definition of marriage, they should have to put a ballot measure before the voters to do so. This has never happened. Instead, they have gone behind the backs of voters and convinced four activist judges in San Francisco to redefine marriage for all of society. That is the wrong approach. Proposition 8 does not interfere with gays living the lifestyle they choose. However, while gays can live as they want, they should not have the right to redefine marriage for the rest of society.

MYTH: The majority of the State Supreme Court said that gay marriage is a “right”, so the rest of us should leave the issue alone.

FACT: Ultimately, the legal meaning of marriage is up to the people to decide. Four judges on the Supreme Court declared that gay marriage is a “right” because the traditional definition of marriage did not expressly appear in the state Constitution itself. Proposition 8 overturned the court’s flawed decision by amending the state Constitution to include the common-sense definition of marriage that was previously approved by over 61% of the voters (Proposition 22, enacted in 2000, “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California”).

Questions and Answers About Proposition 8

The Truth About Proposition 8
Proposition 8 was a simple and straightforward voter initiative. It contains the same 14 words that were previously approved in 2000 by over 61% of California voters: “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.” Because four activist judges in San Francisco wrongly overturned the people’s vote, we need to pass this measure as a constitutional amendment to restore the definition of marriage as between a man and a woman.

What Did Proposition 8 Do?
· It restored the definition of marriage to what the vast majority of California voters already approved and human history has understood marriage to be.
· It overturned the outrageous decision of four activist Supreme Court judges who ignored the will of the people.
· It protected our children from being taught in public schools that “same-sex marriage” is the same as traditional marriage.

What would have happened if Proposition 8 didn’t pass?
If Proposition 8 was defeated, the sanctity of marriage would have been destroyed and its powerful influence on the betterment of society would have been lost. The defeat of Prop. 8 would have resulted in the very meaning of marriage being transformed into nothing more than a contractual relationship between adults. No longer would the interests of children and families even be a consideration. We would no longer be able to celebrate marriage as a union of husband and wife, but rather a relationship between ‘Party A’ and ‘Party B.’

The marriage of a man and a woman has been at the heart of society since the beginning of time. It promotes the ideal opportunity for children to be raised by a mother and father in a family held together by the legal, communal and spiritual bonds of marriage. And while divorce and death too frequently disrupt the ideal, as a society we should put the best interests of children first, and that is traditional marriage. Voting No on Proposition 8 would have destroyed marriage as we know it and caused profound harm to society.

Did Proposition 8 take away any rights for gay and lesbian domestic partners?
No. Proposition 8 was about preserving marriage; it’s not an attack on the gay lifestyle. Proposition 8 didn’t take away any rights or benefits from gays or lesbians in domestic partnerships. Under California law, “domestic partners shall have the same rights, protections and benefits” as married spouses. (Family Code §297.5.) There are no exceptions. Proposition 8 did not change this.

What will happen to the same-sex marriages that have already taken place?
Under Proposition 8, the validity and recognition of all marriage in California would be limited to a man and a woman, including past and future marriages, as well as marriages from other states or countries. The rights and obligations of same-sex couples who obtained marriage licenses before Proposition 8 passed will be up to the Courts to decide.

If Proposition 8 did not pass, would my children have been forced to learn about gay marriage at school?
Yes. In health education classes, state law requires teachers to instruct children as young as kindergarteners about marriage. (Education Code §51890.) If the same-sex marriage ruling was not overturned, teachers would have been required to teach young children that there is no difference between gay marriage and traditional marriage.

Why Did We Need Proposition 8?
In 2000, over 61% of Californians voted to reaffirm the traditional definition of marriage as only between a man and a woman (Proposition 22). However, because this language wasn’t put into the California Constitution, four activist judges from San Francisco wrongly overturned the people’s vote in a closely divided 4-3 decision. Proposition 8 reverses the court’s decision by restoring the definition of marriage as a man and a woman in the state Constitution.

Could the California Supreme Court overturn the people’s vote again?
No. By amending the state Constitution directly, the court cannot declare Proposition 8 to be unconstitutional, as it did with Proposition 22. Proposition 22 added a regular statute to the California Family Code. Regular statutes are a “lower” law than the state Constitution. By adding the language of Proposition 8 to the state Constitution, which is the highest source of law in the state, the California courts would be required to uphold traditional marriage.

What will happen to the domestic partnership laws now?
Nothing. All laws on the books regarding domestic partnerships will remain intact. Gays and lesbians in domestic partnerships will continue to enjoy all the legal rights and benefits that married couples enjoy. Proposition 8 does not affect those rights and benefits.