Activists Target Mormons for Gay-Marriage Ban's Success in California

Title: Activists Target Mormons for Gay-Marriage Ban's Success in California

Summary:
This article posted on Fox News.Com on December 01, 2008, teaches us that many people blame the Mormon church called the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for the passing of prop. 8. Many, many groups of people showed strong support for the prejudice based proposition but it seems that nobody bothers them about it. The article brings to light that the church in question was the main foundation of pro prop. 8 thinking. They provided more than half of the money to the cause, making them an easy target.


Reflection:
As I read this article I wasn't really surprised by the actions of people against the church in question. When something doesn't go your way you automatically look for someone to blame and in this case it's all that churches fault becuase they are the easiest target. Human nature is Human nature, it's too bad marriage can't be marriage.

Evidence:

* "There have been no other reports of backlash against other groups that supported Prop 8, notably African-Americans and other churches and religious denominations that turned out in heavy numbers to push through the ban."
* "Even the state of California itself has announced that it is investigating the church's involvement in Proposition 8, which was approved by a vote of 52 percent to 48 percent and, barring a Supreme Court overturn, will ban gay marriage in the state."
* ""Many gays and lesbians have been hurt by the church and they see the Mormons as a way of taking out that aggression, not only on the Prop 8 position, but on their life in general," he told FOXNews.com."

Questions:

* Why is it that even though many other groups supported prop 8, only the Mormon church is having backlash?


Source:
"Activists Target Mormons for Gay-Marriage Ban's Success in California ". Fox News. 3 Feb. 2010 .

The Difference Between Marriage and Civil Unions

Title:The Difference Between Marriage and Civil Unions

Summary:
This article is precise and straight to the point. It explains the differences of civil unions and civil marriages, along with the pros and the cons of both. It makes it clear that things just aren't the same for you when you are gay or lesbian. Life is harder and more unfair for you yet you have to push through life and try to get what you want.

Reflection:
I thought it was interesting yet sad and almost horrible to read about the differences and challenges gay and lesbian couples face every single day. Often times people take far too many things in the country of the United States of America and I realize now that even I take advantage of things that these people don't even have access to.


Evidence:

*"First of all, What is Marriage? When people marry, they tend to do so for reasons of love and commitment. But marriage is also a legal status, which comes with rights and responsibilities. Marriage establishes a legal kinship between you and your spouse. It is a relationship that is recognized across cultures, countries and religions. "
*""A United States citizen who is married can sponsor his or her non-American spouse for immigration into this country. Those with Civil Unions have no such privilege."
*The General Accounting Office in 1997 released a list of 1,049 benefits and protections available to heterosexual married couples. These benefits range from federal benefits, such as survivor benefits through Social Security, sick leave to care for ailing partner, tax breaks, veterans benefits and insurance breaks. They also include things like family discounts, obtaining family insurance through your employer, visiting your spouse in the hospital and making medical decisions if your partner is unable to. Civil Unions protect some of these rights, but not all of them."


Questions:

* What makes all of these unfair things right?



Source:
Belge, Kathy. "The Difference Between Marriage and Civil Unions". About.Com. 3 Feb, 2010 .

The Global View Of Gay Marriage

Title: The Global View Of Gay Marriage

Summary:
This article written by Bootie Cosgrove-Mather and published on March 4, 2004 on the CBS News website, explains the views on same sex marriage throughout much of the world. In some countries there aren't any same sex couples becuase it's illegal, and in others there aren't same sex marriages becuase they believe that love is love and marriage is marriage. Nowadays more and more countries are allowing same sex couples and same sex marriages, realizing that it isn't all that big of a deal, for example, In Denmark same sex marriages have been legal since 1989 and Nordic countries since the 1990's.


Reflection:
I thought it was very interesting to learn that the world seems so split on the idea of same sex couples. There were many surprising statistics littered throughout the peice, it taught me quite a bit. Although it was published in 2004 and some of the information was most likely outdated, it was helpful to me.


Evidence:

*"In Denmark, civil unions with the same rights as marriage have been around since 1989, and other Nordic countries followed suit in the 1990s."
*"In Japan, homosexuality is no longer considered a mental illness, but many gays still feel pressure to go through a sham heterosexual marriage. Japan is more progressive than most of Asia."
*"In contrast to Amsterdam's boisterous gay clubs and the spring rite of the Gay Pride parade through its famed canals, Faasen and Thus, the Dutch lesbian couple, live a quiet middle-class life in a neat apartment on the city's outskirts. They hardly seem like revolutionaries, or even trendsetters."


Questions:

* What makes certain countries so open to the ideas, and others so very opposed?



Source:
Cosgrove-Mather , Bootie. "The Global View Of Gay Marriage". CBS News. 2 Feb. 2010 .

Same-Sex Couples Face Unique Adoption Hurdles

Title: Same-Sex Couples Face Unique Adoption Hurdles

Summary:
This article, written by Maggie Jackson for The Boston Globe and published on March 26th, 2006, states that adopting a child isn't always easy but for same sex couples the difficulty can be multiplied. Often times adoption agencies and social workers are reluctant or even refuse to help gay and lesbian couples, forcing them to hide their relationship or have one parent make a solo adoption. If and when a same sex couple is able to adopt and bring home their child though, they aren't out of the woods of discrimination. They face the same challenges of raising children as heterosexual couples do with the pressure of constant comparison added on to their plate. A study proved that more often than not, these couples urn to friends for help with their children than their families becuase still many people believe that they are unable to parent their children as well as a couple made up of a man and a woman.


Reflection:
As I read this article I was honestly rather shocked by some of the facts I read. Quite a ew states don't recognize same sex couples as what I would consider 'real couples' and many states also don't allow same sex couples to adopt children. I've heard The United States of America called the Land of Equality and Freedom, but nothing about these issues sounds equal or free to me. I had trouble reading this article and ones like it becuase it truly hurt me to know that just becuase someone is different from the norm they can be penalized for it. I won't ever have to deal with any of these issues, and yet it hurts me; i hurts me just the same as a friend of mine who may never have the ability to officially be married or even adopt a child becuase he is different.


Evidence:

* "In Oklahoma, people stared when Emma called both Tanya and Sharon "Mom," and one adoption judge refused to consider their case."
*"Despite 30 years of studies showing that sexual orientation doesn't affect quality of parenting, close relatives often are skeptical, said Abbie Goldberg, an assistant professor of psychology at Clark University, who is studying same-sex couples' transitions to adoptive parenthood."
*""The reality is that families come in all shapes and sizes," said Beth Teper, executive director of Colage, a San Francisco-based advocacy group for children with gay and lesbian parents. "Our families are much more diverse than the 'one mom, one dad, 2.5 children' model.""

Questions:

* Other than religious beliefs, what cuases most people to be so against same sex marriage and same sex couples adopting children?


Source:
Jackson, Maggie. "Same-Sex Couples Face Unique Adoption Hurdles". The Boston Globe. 2 Feb. 2010 .

Gay Marriage Advocates Pushing For Church Bill

Title: Gay Marriage Advocates Pushing For Church Bill

Summary:
This article is about a new bill that would make it so same-sex is legal but under control of the churches. I would be up to the church to decide if they wanted to marry a same-sex couple in their place of worship. The couples would be allowed to be officially married, they would merely have to find a church willing to make it official.

Reflection:
I thought that this article was pretty informative about the bill itself. It didn't however say anything about how it could effect people on both sides of the bill. I learned that in the near future it would be possible for same-sex couples to be officially married in the state of California.


Evidence:

* "California churches would have increased legal protection under a new bill
being proposed by gay marriage advocates."

* "SB 906 guarantees that no clergy member would be forced to perform a marriage
that conflicts with their religious beliefs and failure to marry someone would
not affect a church's tax exempt status."


Questions:

* Who's idea was this bill?
* Would it improve anything?


Source:
Clark, Owen. "Gay Marriage Advocates Pushing For Church Bill". KhslTv.Com. 2 Feb. 2010 .

Children Speak for Same-Sex Marriage

Title: Children Speak for Same-Sex Marriage

Summary:
This article is about people affected by bans on same sex marriage all across the country, specifically children of same sex couples. It was published on January 20th, 2010 in the New York Times and written by Sarah Wildman. I read about many kids and what it feels like to know that their parents aren't allowed,l by the law, to get married. Many mentioned it feeling, wrong and hateful towards their parents. One child mentioned that he didn't feel ashamed to say his parents were gay, but instead felt ashamed that his parents were unmarried.


Reflection:
I felt sad for these kids who deserve to be equal as any other kid. It was hard for me to read that even in our world today we have to be ashamed of our parents who, without them, we wouldn't even be alive. This helped me to realize that differences are what make us so special but some people are punished for them. I am also reminded of why I believe the things that I do.


Evidence:

* "Nicholson-McFadden took the microphone. “It doesn’t bother me to tell kids my
parents are gay,” he said in a clear voice. “It does bother me to say they
aren’t married. It makes me feel that our family is less than their family.”"
* "In 2008 about 116,000 same-sex couples across the country were raising a total
of about 250,000 children under age 18, according to an analysis of Census data
by Gary J. Gates,"

* "Zach Wahls, a freshman at the University of Iowa whose mothers married this
summer in Iowa, one of the few states where same-sex marriage is legal, said in
a recent interview: “At the end of the day, it’s really about separate but
equal. This isn’t just about lesbian and gay, it’s about tolerance and
acceptance.”"

Questions:

* What makes others think that Same-Sex couples are incapable of raising children
properly?
* Why is it such a wrong thing?


Source:
Wildman, Sarah. "Children Speak for Same-Sex Marriage". New York Times. 1 Feb. 2010 .

The Price Of Prop. 8

This article posted on October 22nd, 2009, written by Thomas Messner, explains many effects of Proposition 8. Supporters of Proposition 8 in California have been subjected to harassment, intimidation, vandalism, racial scapegoating, blacklisting, loss of employment, economic hardships, angry protests, violence, at least one death threat, and gross expressions of anti-religious bigotry. Arguments for same-sex marriage are based fundamentally on the idea that limiting marriage to the union of husband and wife is a form of bigotry, irrational prejudice, and even hatred against homosexual persons. As this ideology seeps into the culture more generally, individuals and institutions that support marriage as the union of husband and wife risk paying a price for that belief in many legal, social, economic, and cultural contexts.


When I read this article I Felt ashamed that people against felt the extreme need to lash out against people who are for it. I read about quite a few events of vandalism and similar crimes and it reminded me of the horror stories of Halloween. The ones where random teenager keys your car, or eggs your house. But these acts are real, they have happened and continue to happen. It made me think about why people would do such things and the article states it is becuase they believe Prop 8 is hateful and wrong. Aren't those crimes hateful? Are the wrong?

Main Points and Evidence-

" Many reports of hostility toward Prop 8 supporters involve acts of vandalism. An elderly couple who put a Yes on 8 sign in their yard had a block thrown through their window."

"Some individuals found their property vandalized with spray paint. Vandals spray-painted vehicles, garages, fences, and Yes on 8 signs in Yucaipa, California."

My Questions Are:

Do the Vandalizers realize that by acting that way they re just as hateful as Prop. 8 as a whole?

Why does the issue keep coming up?

Source- Messner, Thomas. "The Price of Prop 8." The Heritage Foundation October 22nd, 2009.

Preserving California’s Constitution

The following article titled "Preserving California’s Constitution." published on September 28th, 2008 in the New York Times is about same sex marriage. It states that in the months following the article California's voters will have the chance to vote on Proposition 8, a proposition that constitutionally labels marriage as a right only available to heterosexual couples. The writer believes that voters should vote against it and make marriage a right to any couple, despite their orientation.

When I read this article it reminded me that not everyone is as open-minded as I am. I also realized that although we consider ourselves to be free, and compared to many places we are, we aren't honestly and truly free in every sense of the word. I understand that if we were our country would fall into anarchy or since we may not even have a government, we would merely fall into chaos.

Main Points and Evidence-

" It is our fervent hope that Californians will reject this mean-spirited attempt to embed second-class treatment of one group of citizens in the State Constitution."

"It is true that in 2000 California voters approved a ballot measure recognizing only heterosexual marriages as valid."

My Questions Are:

Are the voters at an almost 50/50?

Why does the issue keep coming up?

Source- "Preserving California's Constitution." New York Times September 28th, 2008.

Prop. 8 Only Needs 2 Witnesses.

This article, posted on the San Fransisco Chronicle website on January 29th 2010,
states that the battle over Proposition 8 is anything but boring and is far from over. While Prop. 8 visited the federal court for 12 days many as one would say "heavy hitters" were brought out by the challengers to Prop. 8. While they presented stronger case than the defense they also faced a larger burden. Changing a voter-approved law. The case for Prop. 8 rested greatly on only one witness who's testimony was mostly made up of opinions and almost no evidence to support his argument. Although the outlook on over-turning the proposition is looking brighter, the light at the end of the tunnel is still far off. Same sex marriage still faces much opposition but continues to move forward.

I've lived in San Diego for all of my life and my Mom has always taken me to a Unitarian-Universalist church. The community is made up of people of different ethnicities, different backgrounds, religions, and sexual preferences. Because of this I believe that just everyone should be equal even though they aren't the same as me, I don't like to judge people before I know them, and some of my best friends are gay, some are lesbian. This article gave me hope that even though last year Proposition 8 was passed, and those friends were denied the right to get married in the future, one day it is possible that they will have the exact same right to be married as I do.

Main Points and Evidence

¨ "If the Proposition 8 trial were about something more mundane than the rights of gays and
lesbians to marry - say, a suit over an auto accident or insurance coverage - it would probably be no contest."

¨ "In 12 days of testimony in federal court, lawyers for two same-sex couples and the city of San Francisco called a parade of academic heavyweights and people affected by the ban on same-sex marriage to buttress their claim of unconstitutional discrimination. Defenders of the November 2008 ballot measure called only two witnesses, who did not address many of the plaintiffs' issues. "


My questions are:

¨ Why are people so very opposed to the idea of letting every kind of couple get married?

¨ If you aren't gay or lesbian then why does the issue even seem all that revelant for others?


Source- Egelko, Bob. "Prop 8 Defence Only Needs 2 Witnesses." San Fransisco Chronicle January 29, 2010.

Welcome

Hello, my name is Kali Gibson and this is my blog for media class at High Tech High International. We have been paired up with another person in the class in order to bring light to an issue occuring in the world today. Through this blog I will collect and store my research on my topic, same sex marriage, in the hopes of creating a short video that will inform others of the issue. In order for me to be succesful I will be asking this question throughout my project: Is marriage a constitutional right? I intend to involve my personal opinion as little as possible although i would like to state that I believe love is love and everyone should be treated equally. All of that aside, enjoy my blog.