I was thrilled to hear yesterday's news: California's Supreme Court will indeed hear Prop 8. This thing is moving, and fast; the hearing is scheduled to begin in March. Both sides are required to submit written arguments to the questions:
1. Is Proposition 8 invalid because it constitutes a revision of, rather than an amendment to, the California Constitution?
2. Does Proposition 8 violate the separation-of-powers doctrine under the California Consitution?
3. If Proposition 8 is not unconstitutional, what is its effect, if any, on the marriages of same-sex couples performed before the adoption of Proposition 8?
The ruling will not only resolve the legal issues surrounding Prop 8, but will also decide whether or not existing gay marriages should be terminated.

So far, there is no telling which way the court will lean.

Now, I marched against Prop 8, I spoke out heavily against Prop 8, I believe Prop 8 is ridiculous, but this is my secret: I'm not sure how I feel about reversing Prop 8.

I'm a terrible gay person, I know.

One side of me say YES, Proposition 8 is ridiculous and absolutely denies rights to 7% of taxpaying Californians. I do believe this with all of my heart. I refuse to accept anything less than equality, I refuse to be second best. However...

The other side of me say, Really? Is it okay to go against the votes of the American people? This is a country founded on Democracy, and the people have spoken.

I have no doubt that we will win the right to wed in California, and then in the rest of the United States. History is in our favour; California's 2000 Proposition 22, defining marriage between a man and a woman, passed overwhelmingly 61.2 to 38.8 percent. Eight years later, Prop 8 passed a much smaller margin (52.2 to 47.8 percent). The next time this issue appears on the ballot, our chances will be even stronger.

Part of me would gay marriage to be legalized because the American public comes to the realization that gay people are, in fact, people, and are thus entitled to the same rights as heterosexuals.

I would not like to see Prop 8 reversed simply because I believe that the vote of the American people would then be degraded. I WOULD, however, like to see Prop 8 nullified on the basis that it violates separation-of-powers, because this is true.

So I don't know where I stand. I want marriage, I want equality, I want legislators to grant me equal rights. But I do not want the court to compromise democracy either.



**EDIT
LyricallyCharged left me this brilliant comment... I realize it's posted directly below but I wanted to incorporate it here also because I believe it answers my dilemma.

"I understand what you mean, but you have to understand this: sometimes the people (even the state) are wrong. Case in point: Plessy v Ferguson was a supreme case that said racial segregation was okay. There's the Dred Scott case which said that slaves could never be American citizens and basically reinforced the thought that slaves were property. Or even Pace v Alabama which said it was constitutional to not allow interracial couples to marry or to even have sex. (The Africana Studies major within me is spewing out cases, sorry for that.) Basically what I'm saying is that sometimes democracy doesn't do what's right for the people and that unjustice shouldn't go unnoticed just because the people voted for it."

She's absolutely right, sometimes the people are wrong, sometimes the majority is wrong. Let's hope California's justices can see past whatever religious biases may be clouding the minds of the voting public in order to issue a decree of fairness and justice.

"When we saw THEM out there, we thought, 'Why are THEY not OVER THIS? Do THEY think THEY'RE going to change anything, or are THEY just stirring up trouble at our church?'" -Sherrie Derriko, Saddleback Church member, Mission Viejo, CA

THEM THEM THEM.

Throughout history, minorities have always been a "THEM." THOSE people. THEY. Not us, THEY'RE nothing like us. THEM.

I want to know, what would Jesus say? I'm serious here.

For years, I've had the Bible thrown in my face. The letter of the law, the word of the Lord. How dare I live in this SIN? Well, Bible-beaters, I was raised on the Bible. I know some scripture too. And I want to know what Jesus would say. Would he turn to you and say, "Thanks for fighting the good fight. Thanks for standing up for what you believe, even at the expense of others. When I told you to love everyone, I really did mean love only the people who attend church with you, so good job with that. It's okay that you caused other people pain. It's okay that you threw stones; clearly you are without sin. Even you, the porn addict, you attend church on a regular basis so you're clean. Even you, the man who beats his wife. Even you, the wife who rapes her son. Even you, the liar. Even you, the cheat. All of you who live in sin, all of you who refuse to repent. AT LEAST YOU'RE NOT GAY."

Really, now. Let's look at the Bible.

Jesus went to the Mount of Olives to give a teaching to some "average Joe's." The Pharisees, the super religious SUV-driving corporate conservatives, brought in a woman who had been caught sleeping around. They made her stand before Jesus and explain what happened. Now, the Law of Moses, their "Bible" and now the Bible's Old Testament, commanded them to stone the woman; or so they thought, based on how they were interpreting it. But they asked Jesus for his opinion.

Jesus said nothing, he just ignored them and started drawing in the dirt. When they wouldn't leave him alone, he finally stood up and said, "IF ANY ONE OF YOU IS WITHOUT SIN, LET HIM BE THE FIRST TO THROW A STONE AT HER."

The religious leaders looked at each other and slowly began to leave, until only Jesus and the woman remained. Jesus looked at her and said, "Has no one condemned you?"

"No one," she said.

"THEN NEITHER DO I CONDEMN YOU," Jesus declared.


Tell me, Bible Bullies, am I hurting you? Does my personal business- who I love, who I fuck, who I marry- HURT you? In fact, does it really affect you at all? Enough to hate me, enough to persecute me, enough to take away my rights as an American citizen?

And seriously now, what would Jesus say?

So, I work in a higher(ish)-end retail store: nice, expensive clothing. Most of it is stuff I wouldn't really wear, but I can see Ms. Corporate America dressed to the nine's and looking snazzy. The styles are decent, the "it trends" of the season, and, as a fashion major, I try to store those details in the back of my mind. I get it, I really do, even if I wouldn't wear it.

The one thing I do NOT get this season, however, is the three-quarter-length coat. Check this out: heavy winter coats, retail somewhere in the $200-$300 range, with sleeves barely past the elbows. How is that effective? How will that keep me warm in the middle of winter, with three feet of snow on the ground? And for god's sake, how do I wear it? Do I have to coordinate the colour of my sweaters with my coat, to ensure the revealed part of my arms match?



Maybe if I had disposable income I could justify paying $300 for an only-partially-effective coat. Or maybe I'm just missing something.

I do love this dress, though, it's absolutely stunning (although this is sooo not a good picture). Taffeta's in this year; I think it's a wonderful thing. Expensive, but hot.