This blog may seem like a haphazard mess most of the time but trust me, there is an order to things. And the first order is to keep it light and funny. I prefer to stay away from hot topics and instead focus on the state of my felt collection and my love of bacon. I do this because I love you and I don't want to beat you over the head with my overbearing opinions, which, if you have spent more than 5 minutes in person with me, you know I have in abundance. And my natural reaction to things is to go for the joke. That's how I deal with life. I'm emotionally crippled.
So I've refrained from discussing politics and the upcoming election because 1.) it's exhausting for me to fight my natural inclination to be a cynic, 2.) there are certain topics that are hard to make a joke out of and 3.) there are people I'm close to and love very much who would be hurt by it. But last night an apostle of the Lord sent out a call to action and asked that all people with the means of communicating via the Internet (is there anything cuter than the Brethren talking about blogs? No, there is not.) use those means to discuss Prop 8, which is an initiative to amend the state constitution to read that only marriage between a man and a woman would be recognized. He specifically requested this of young adults with blogs. I initially thought, "Um, I'm not a young adult anymore." And then he went and raised the age to 35. Thanks, Elder Ballard. That was sweet. I'm taking that as permission to skip the single adult (the 30 to the grave crowd) Christmas brunch this year.
Now, I have been involved in the Yes on Prop 8 campaign for a while and have gone out and knocked on neighborhood doors and have spent hours on the phone (the phone people! This is how important it is.) canvassing the area for it. And it's been enlightening and kind of entertaining to get out and talk to people (Note to people opening doors: Please put on some pants). But I have refrained from writing about it here because I don't want to come off sounding like a bigot and I've been afraid of hurting people who read this who feel differently. To those people I want to say that I love you. I don't do well writing about serious things and I don't want my inability to find the right words to come off as me not loving you. I do love you. But if you think I ramble when I'm being funny it's unbearable when I'm being serious. It's like a really bad girls camp testimony meeting - only there are no leaders jumping up to make the announcement that they "saw bears by the kitchen" to cut it short.
And there's the whole issue of writing about sacred things. Because I don't take much seriously here I don't want those things that are sacred and important to me to lose any value by lumping them with the crazy antics of my boss or women with facial hair. But there comes a time when you need to publicly stand up for sacred things. And marriage and the family are very sacred and this is the time.
So, I'm voting Yes on Prop 8. I'm voting yes because I believe that marriage is a sacred commitment, not just a temporal institution, that is ordained by God to be between a man and a woman. I'm voting yes because children have a right to be reared by a father and a mother. I'm voting yes because I have an obligation to stand up for moral issues based on eternal principles.
I'm not going to write about the ramifications of this law and how if will affect the nature of families, the education of children, or our religious and personal freedoms. I'll leave that to other people better versed in those types of arguments. But, if you believe in this too, I will ask you to register to vote and remember to vote on November 4th. Voting is fun and you get to feel all civic minded and neighborly. And you get a sticker. And, it's kind of important. And I will ask you to talk to your friends and neighbors about it. If you live out of state and have friends or family in California, you can help by talking to them about it. The rift between those who are willing to stand up for what is right and those who sit by and watch is going to get bigger and bigger as time goes on. I want all of us to be on the side of those who are standing.
Have I mentioned that I love you. Seriously, I do.
16 comments:
Good job on your (possibly)first serious post! Way to be involved. And hooray for the little 'I voted' stickers.
I want to make new ones that say 'Kiss Me, I Voted.' Irish people shouldn't have all the fun, right?
That was a great post. I wish I lived in California so I could vote yes as well. But my brother and his wife do live there, and will be voting yes to represent the fam. They said so on their blog.
I wish I lived in CA so I could vote "yes" as well. I have been feeling a little guilty because I am on facebook and a lot of my friends (not close friends, but people I used to work with) are gay and have created groups to vote "no" on prop 8, and I have not made any comments to them on my opinion (even though I can't vote on it). I completely agree with you that you worry about offending people that you love. I thought your post was very well put. You are a true example of following the prophet.
Way to be! I have a bunch of friends from California from when I served my mission there. I've been able to remain good friends with a couple of past investigators and care about them alot. I'm going to have to write them an email. Thanks for the post! :-)
We have proposition 102 in Arizona that will do somewhat the same thing that Prop 8 is doing.
This is a great post.
I love you, too.
Bravo! I wish I could vote in CA but I am registered here. Although they keep sending a ballot for me to my parent's house. I'll be honest though and only vote here in AZ, but my prayers will be with the voters in CA to make the right choice.
While I totally and completely agree that marriage is between a man and a woman, and would vote yes to support that alone, I am also voting yes to show those 4 Judges (and any others that want to try it) that they don't have the right to over turn what the people already voted on!
Way to be obedient to the Apostles! And a agree that your post is very well done, and I do know you love me.
Hi. I'm from California also. I found you on a mutual friend's blog...in Ohio! I'm also for Prop 8. It's difficult for me also because I have friends who are gay. It's easy to quietly live my faith and religion, but when Prophets and Apostles ask you to get out there and actually DO something, well, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. Bravo my friend and sister. I also prefer sticking to funner, lighter things...but this is a meatier issue that just needs to be addressed. You did well. See ya at the polls....
Beautifully presented, Rachel. I wish I could vote in CA, but I'm registered in the great state of UT. We still own a condo there (ugh) - does that count enough to register to vote?
p.s. Does anyone want to buy a condo?
Rachel I'm very proud of you. Thanks for standing. The Plan of Salvation and Forever Families are my two very favorite parts of the gospel. Thanks for being such a great example. You're the best.
I put a "vote yes on prop. 8" sign in my front yard. I live in a busy area. I already have peopling telling us that it is awful for us to be supporting it and that in their opinion Jesus loves everybody. I did not want to get into an argument over it, but i feel bad that they see it that way. After the fact I came up with a few things I could of said... maybe next time..
You don't know me, I'm a good friend of Amanda, and she suggested I read your blog because you're funny. I agree. I loved this post. Good for you for standing up for that which you believe. Keep up the good work. And thanks for making me smile :)
ohhhh Rachel. This thing is killing me. Just pulling me to pieces inside (so much worse than when I had to take out my nose ring and my 4 extra earrings). I'm proud of you. I don't know what I'm going to do.
Yes on Prop.8. We just got word yesterday in church that they are looking for volunteers to call families in California to remind them to vote and to vote in favor of this proposition. I thought it was so interesting that they would seek outside help, but don't worry. I put my name on the list of callers. Solidarity folks.
Another thing, I learned yesterday that in Mass., where this has already passed, schools are teaching same-sex marriage as part of the curriculum without parent consent. They just teach it, just like they do algebra, or life science. Scary! No one knows the ramifications of this bill if it fails. Yikes.
We've got to protect the sanctity of marriage. It seems that so many in the world have left marriage by the wayside, and look at the effects on children. Protect marriage!
As someone on the other side of the fence, as it were, I wanted to comment on the degree of respect and graciousness with which you (and all of the commenters above) have given this topic. Well done.
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