I am not afraid... to vote NO on Prop 8

Those that say to vote "Yes" on Prop 8 want me to be afraid. They want me to be afraid to "affirm and embrace" a gay couple's lifestyle. But what is there to be afraid of? They are in love like I am in love, they are good people and are Christians, like I am. I know, there are some crazy scary Gay people out there... with their bums hanging out of their chaps or dressing up like Cher(ha ha, had to chuckle at that image)... and you may be thinking of those people when I say "Gay." You may have that image of the people on the floats at the Gay Pride Parade, but the Gay community knows that is just all part of the entertainment. And it has shock value and gets the media attention. But have you considered all the "normal" Gay people in the world? How about Doctors, Lawyers, Businessmen, etc. or the Depot employee that goes home to their small apartment and lives a simple "normal" life? What if they were walking down the street during the Gay Pride Parade? Would the media even pay attention? Would we just think, "That's boring." and change the channel? And there are plenty of crazy scary perverted heterosexual people in the world too! So lets not be biased here. There is perverted stuff happening on both sides of the fence. And God doesn't like it on either side. He isn't biased either. And I am NOT afraid of a Gay couple!

They want me to be afraid that Gay people will be raising children, that adoption agencies will be forced to place kids with Gay couples. Oh no! Anything but that! Anything but a couple of loving individuals, that are of the same sex, making a decent living, raising kids! (Yes... I was being sarcastic, sorry I get that way sometimes.) I want to meet the adult that was raised as a kid by a couple of Lesbians or Gay men and who is "messed" up because of it. Its not like they are going to be in a little bubble, surrounded only by Gay couples and not know what a heterosexual couple looks like. They will most likely have heterosexual Grandparents, and Aunts and Uncles that are straight and married. They will see both sides of the proverbial "marriage coin" and they won't be scarred by it. They won't think its a big deal. And perhaps that is a big deal to some of you, but its not to me. It doesn't make me afraid to think of that happening. Those kids need a loving home, and whether it be two heterosexual people or two homosexual people, as long as they are kind and care about that child, they are better there than in a group or foster home wondering if anybody is going to love them and take them home to have a family some day. And I am NOT afraid of a Gay couple adopting a child!

They want me to be afraid that children will go to school and have a book read to them and that they will know that there are Gay couples in the world, and think its OK. Well, I think it IS okay. They DO exist. My daughter will be raised knowing these types of couples. She will meet them and know them before she goes to school. So I don't think she will be shocked one day when she is read a story about two kings getting married. I am NOT afraid of her knowing Gay couples exist and that they should be allowed to love each other and get married!

They want me to think that California law, section 297.5, is enough for Gay couples to have the rights that I have with my husband. But after talking to my Gay friends in partnerships I realize that they have to go through a lot with lawyers and paperwork to protect their assets they own together and to have the right to make decisions in a hospital emergency for each other. Its not that easy for them to gain equal rights as it is for me and my husband, and protect their partnership like a marriage would. So I am NOT afraid of that either... that they would would be treated equally!

They want me to be afraid that a Pastor or a church would be forced to perform a marriage ceremony between same-sex partners when they do not think it is moral. But who of you who are Gay are going to do that? (I know the You Tube video states some things happened like that, but if a Gay person in California can't find a church that accepts Gay people and who will perform their ceremony, I will be shocked. And we don't know the circumstances of that case and why that happened. Perhaps the Pastor was saying horrible hurtful things from the pulpit and they should have been silenced. Its not right for conservative Christians to spue hateful words towards Gays or any other group of people from the pulpit.) Who wants to get married by someone who doesn't support them or in front of a group of people that don't support them? Who wants that? Don't you think they would rather go to a Pastor that supports Gay marriage and attend a church that loves them and is not against them? Or they would go to the courts for their ceremony if they aren't religious. (Just like there are straight people that aren't religious or Christians that would do the same.) I am NOT afraid of Gay couples forcing churches to perform marriage ceremonies for them.

So there you have it people, I am NOT afraid to vote "NO" on Prop 8. And I hope you aren't either.