Ignorance…

You find it in the strangest of places.

I teach first grade in a public school in Los Angeles.  One of my colleagues, one whom I respect and admire beyond all others, I found out she voted “yes” for Prop. 8.

I was flabbergasted.  I asked her, sincerely, how did same sex marriages affect her and her family–personally?

Her one answer:   “It already has!”  No specifics.  No details.  Instead, she offered a parroting of the “Yes On Prop 8″ ads.  She mentioned the “first grade class who went on a field trip to see a gay marriage!”  We (the progressive first grade teachers) countered with, “It wasn’t an official, educational field trip! They surprised their teacher who was marrying her longtime partner on the steps of city hall after the marriage was over!”  She shook her head at us; didn’t offer a rebuttal to that.  She said “it was a field trip the children had to go on!” We countered, “You know schools have to get permission slips for field trips! Any parent who felt that particular field trip was out of bounds (morally or religiously) for their child–OPTED OUT!” She simply shook her head.

I respect this woman.  She is a fantastic teacher and mentor.  She could not give one good counter argument to ours, other than  “It’s already happened in Massachusetts!”

I am not going to broach this subject with her again (She voted early, so her vote is cast), but for any of our readers in California, ask your neighbors (or yourself –and answer yourself truthfully):

How does same sex marriage affect you(me), personally?

And

If you are willing to limit rights of others, based on  religous convictions, are you willing to limit your own rights, based on other people’s religious convictions?  If a wealthy Muslim mosque started a proposition to amend the California constitution to state that women were not allowed to appear in public without a hijab, would you be okay with that?

If your neighbors support Prop 8–their answer would have to be “yes”!  Why? Because Prop. 8 is all about one religion amending a state constitution to fit its morals, regardless of the beliefs of the very people the amendment affects.

Talk to your friends, neighbors and co-workers. Do it now. Do it before they vote.  Believe me, I sure wish I had.

Posted by Maryc on November 4th, 2008