Recognizing that some readers will want to reason with undecided CA voters, and convince them that 0pposition to proposition 8 is not just from progressive Democrats, I give you a thought, and a press release that you are welcome to lift quotes from.
I'm from loving Massachusetts, not hate-filled Utah. Down the street from me, a very long walk, is the church whose public hall is used as my precinct's polling place. They were, I understand, marrying lesbians and gays far before they could issue them marriage licenses. Suport for Proposition 8 is tacit support for their religious persecution.
George, who is straight, but not narrow-minded
The press release is below the fold
Libertarians Nationwide Unite To Oppose Proposition 8 and Demand Honesty
October 27, 2008
LOS ANGELES and SAN FRANCISCO With slightly more than a week to go
until Election Day, Libertarians in California and across the country
came together once again to voice united opposition to California
Proposition 8, and to call for Proposition 8 proponents to cease
efforts to deliberately mislead the public about the intent and
impact of the bill.
In a recent press release, supporters of Proposition 8 repeated the
often-discredited claim that without the passage of that amendment to
the California constitution, children would be subject to mandatory
education about same-gender relationships. The press release also
went one step further than in the past, claiming that all opponents
of Proposition 8 are in favor of overruling parental choice in
education.
The reality is quite different from the misleading rhetoric of those
in favor of Proposition 8. Libertarians, the country's most outspoken
and principled defenders of school choice and parental rights, are
proud partners in No on 8, and Libertarian organizations Outright
Libertarians and Liberty For America wanted to set the record
straight.
FACT: Pro-School Choice and Pro-Parental-Rights Libertarians Oppose
Proposition 8 Without Hesitation
Proposition 8 has nothing to do with educational choice, standards,
or curriculum. The ballot proposition is a very simple effort to
revoke the equal protection rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender (LGBT) Californians to equal marriage treatment by the
state government of California, nothing more and nothing less.
"The proponents of this hateful proposed constitutional amendment in
California are trying to change the subject in a deliberate effort to
mislead," said Brian Miller, National Secretary of Outright
Libertarians. "Proponents of the proposition know that if its true
intent is clear to voters, voters will overwhelmingly reject it. By
muddying the waters with this fabricated (and discredited) education
argument, they are hoping to change the subject and fool otherwise
tolerant voters into supporting the unsupportable."
Miller asks "If Proposition 8's proponents were seriously concerned
about education, why haven't they created a proposed amendment
directly addressing educational priorities such as school choice and
parental consent? I think the answer to that question is quite
obvious."
"Libertarians support the rights of parents as the final arbiters of
their child's education," said Miller. "We also are outspoken
proponents of school choice. The fact that we are taking such a clear
position in opposition to Proposition 8 should underscore the
established fact that it has no meaningful impact on curriculum,
parental choice, or parental rights. Discussion of education in the
context of Proposition 8 is utterly meaningless, except as an effort
to mislead."
Libertarians throughout California and across the United States from
the very highest levels have committed their resources to lobbying
against Proposition 8 and educating voters on the facts, and many of
them have stepped forward with comments of their own, addressing the
continued unethical and immoral campaign tactics employed by the Yes
On 8 campaign.
FACT: California's Libertarian Leaders Stand Up For Equality Under
The Law For All
"As the proponents of Proposition 8 are so fond of saying, this
Constitutional Amendment is only 14 simple words -- it's nothing more
or less than a government definition of marriage and has nothing
whatsoever to do with schools, taxing churches, or limiting judicial
activism," said Rob Power, Chair of the Libertarian Party of San
Francisco.
"I've had a few rare encounters with self-professed 'libertarians'
who still don't want to help with the NO on 8 campaign, because they
believe that 'government shouldn't be involved in marriage at all.'
My response is that they are looking at this issue completely
backwards. My question to these libertarians is: How does writing a
government definition of marriage into the state's Constitution 'get
the government out of marriage'? The answer, of course, is that it
doesn't. Instead, the one and only thing it does is increase
government meddling in marriage by codifying discrimination against
gays and lesbians into our state's Constitution. All libertarians,
whether you think the government should have any role in marriage at
all, must vote NO on Prop 8 and encourage friends and family to do
the same."
"Libertarians are America's most outspoken and consistent defenders
of both school choice and parental authority over education," said
Angela Keaton of Los Angeles, an at-large member of the Libertarian
Party's National Committee. "That's why the efforts by the Yes On 8
campaign to paint opponents of their amendment as anti-school-choice
and anti-parental-rights are so absurd. The Libertarian Party
platform, as approved in our May convention in Denver, stands up
strongly for both equal recognition under the law of LGBT people, and
for the rights of parents to choose the most appropriate educational
environments for their children. Proposition 8 does nothing to
guarantee parental authority or school choice rather it is a
mean-spirited effort to target the LGBT community. Proponents of this
divisive amendment should come clean and stop lying about their
intentions and the issues. I encourage Californians to reject the
lies, stop the hate, and vote NO on Proposition 8."
Keaton has been a regular and enthusiastic participant in the No On 8
campaign, devoting numerous hours to staffing the phone bank at her
local No On 8 office.
Phil Berg, Libertarian candidate for San Francisco's Congressional
seat and opponent of incumbent House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, noted that
"nobody wants busybodies interfering in our relationships or forcing
ideas on our children. It's hard to imagine the heavy hand of
government being used to ban adults' most intimate life choices. The
Yes on 8 folks might look in the mirror the next time they complain
about government forcing its views of morality on others, because
that's exactly what they themselves are trying to do."
California Libertarian candidates for state and federal office have
rallied to oppose the amendment as a core part of their campaign
communications, including:
"Jill Stone (L), candidate for US Congress in California District 29
"Wayne Dunlap (L), candidate for US Congress District 50
"Edward Teyssier (L), candidate for US Congress District 53
"Jesse Thomas (L), candidate for California State Senate District 39
Anthony Gregory, research analyst at the non-partisan Independent
Institute in Oakland, noted that "a lot of discourse surrounding
Proposition 8 is confused, misguided or even misleading. Many have
conflated this issue with what is taught in schools, which indeed
should be up to the children, teachers and parents not activist
judges or politicians on either side of the marriage debate. However,
even those who reject public school social engineering across the
board can find good reasons to oppose the effort to have the state
define marriage in this way. In fact, such a uniform, state-imposed
definition intrudes upon the rights and values of families and
localities who do not share the views of this Proposition's
proponents."
FACT: Leadership On Marriage Equality Is A National Priority For
Libertarians
Leaders in the libertarian movement across the country are urging
Californians to support the equal treatment under the law of the
Golden State's LGBT citizens.
"When the proponents of Proposition 8 lie about their opponents, it
shows how desperate they are to move California backwards," said
George Phillies of Massachusetts. Phillies, chair of the Libertarian
Party of Massachusetts, is on the ballot in New Hampshire as
Libertarian candidate for President.
Phillies notes that "two centuries ago, Massachusetts Courts used the
Quock Walker case to end slavery. It took America eight decades to
realize that Massachusetts was right. Not ten years ago,
Massachusetts Courts again took the lead, ruling that gay people must
be allowed to marry the person they love. This November, Californians
have a choice: join with loving Massachusetts, or sink backward with
hate-filled Utah. I urge the good people of California join free
Massachusetts: Vote NO on Proposition 8."
Allan Wallace, Outright Libertarians' Tennessee Coordinator, stated
that "the proponents of Proposition 8 in California say that they're
fighting for Christian values. But how can that be when they
knowingly lie about what Prop 8 will do and what failing to pass it
will do? For example, they claim that Prop 8 prevents the 'teaching
of homosexuality' in public schools when, in fact, it has nothing to
do with education."
Proposition 8 is motivated by Hate, contends Wallace, and as a
Christian myself, I would like to remind the proponents of this
discriminatory legislation that Hate comes from the devil, not from
God, the Ten Commandments instruct believers not to bear false
witness, and Jesus commands us to love our neighbors in the same way
we love ourselves. By this example, Proposition 8 isn't very
Christian.
THE UNDENIABLE CONCLUSION: A Vote For Proposition 8 Is An
Un-Libertarian and Un-American Vote To Revoke The Constitutional
Rights And Liberties Of LGBT Californians.
TO LEARN MORE, CONTACT:
Outright Libertarians
http://www.outrightusa.org
chair@outrightusa.org
Liberty for America
http://www.libertyforamerica.com
phillies@4liberty.net