Revisiting Proposition 8: Working Mothers, Your Voices Can Be Heard on Saturday
I’m truly amazed at feedback I’ve received in response to my post on Proposition 8: Why Should the Majority Get to Choose How the Minority Lives?. In addition to the 16 comments on the blogpost itself, I’ve received emails, phone calls, twitter tweets & direct messages, facebook messages, phonecalls and people walking up to me to chat. It’s been so enlightening. Below are some demographics about the folks that have reached out to me:
- 90% of the group voted no for Prop 8.
- Most of them have someone in their family that is gay and therefore directly affected by the law.
- Most were frustrated that a Utah constituency directly contributed money to the passing of a California law.
- A small % felt that the church should decide who was “married”.
- Many mentioned their concern that our children would be taught to hate minorities as a result of this law passage.
- Some didn’t have any direct ties to anyone Gay but were a minority and related to minority causes. Thus, wanted freedom for all.
- Everyone wants to know if I think there’s anything they can still do now to make a difference.
As for me, I’m disappointed that I didn’t write my post a month earlier and that I didn’t do more to influence the defeat of this proposition. Why? Because I think the public was miseducated, scared and that it passed for all the wrong reasons.
I am a straight, married, white female. So, why am I so impassioned about this topic? I want my daughter to grow up understanding equality and love for all…not hate and I feel that discrimination teaches hate. I grew up in a small town where very few black families lived. My grandparents had very racist views that just never sat well with me. I wish that bias could be erased for my daughter’s children. Additionally, focusing our energy on topics like this takes our focus away from solving what I see as more important topics like promoting flexible work for all of you.
There are things you can still do if you’re interested in being a Proponent of No on Proposition 8.
- See this great blog at After Ellen which contains some great celebrity pictures and stories.
- This Saturday is National Protest Day. Check out JointheImpact.com for more information about how you can participate in this national event.
- Join the When/If Prop 8 Passes, We’ll Do Something About It Facebook group.
Lastly, I think this video says everything there is to know about this topic. Please take the short 4 minutes it takes to watch it.
Refuse to Hate from Refuse to Hate on Vimeo.
7 Responses to “Revisiting Proposition 8: Working Mothers, Your Voices Can Be Heard on Saturday”
Please Wait
Angie – I found you via one of Suzanne’s recent teleconferences on niching! I write to thank you for being an ally and speaking up on ‘no on prop 8′. it’s never too late to get involved and, as a lesbian woman who hopes to have the option to marry my beloved one day, i know that allies are critical to that happening. If you are moved to contact me to collaborate in any way, I am open to the possibilities. Thank you again!
Angie, I love your discussion and what you are doing here. There is still a lot of predjudice and hate out there for same-sex relationships. None of which makes sense to me. Why would anyone fight or deny love? It goes back to basic principles we learn as children. Love good, hate bad. It upsets me, as a mom, that our state government has to confuse the principles again. We can deny same sex marriage because it isn’t what we think is right. Hate is okay?
Great Post! Thank You.
This issue is not going to go away. In 2004 we, “straight America”, saw it solely as a wedge issue, a theoretical argument to divide the Dems and the Republicans.
But with Prop 8 it has become more concrete because it has direct effects on law. As the video shows, this is a civil rights issue.
As Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Injustice anywhere, is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Hey,
Thanks for the great read. You’ve hit the issue on its head. If we all take a moment to step back and consider the chaos, we realize that it’s utter insanity. We’re stuck using two century old logic to deal with contemporary issues. With the election of Obama we have proven that the majority has made the transition into modern times.
Prop 8 won the battle but it didn’t win the war.
Everyone, Thanks for your comments! The main reason I care about this issue so much is freedom. I always thought that was what our country stood for. I appreciate your support and as always cherish your readership! Come join me on twitter and we’ll dance some more =-)
http://twitter.com/aaswartz
Hey Angie,
I really appreciate you taking the lead in this discussion among business women.
Thanks for this post. Did you get the cookies we sent the other day for your other Prop 8 post?
Really like the MLK quote that Jesse Luna originally posted: “Injustice anywhere, is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Hi Rachel and Nirzhar, No cookies yet but I’ll keep an eye open for them. Believe me, cookies aren’t necessary. I’d pay to get the opportunity to write about this and continue this discussion forum! Thanks for your continued support.