No on Prop 8

While there are many people that believe the church should have a say in what rights are granted and to whom, others disagree, even some from inside the church itself. The right to marry is not a religious issue. They may feel however they like based on their individual beliefs. That is their right to do so. This is a civil rights issue, plain and simple. The church is exempt by law to not follow this if it is against their belief. Those that wish to do so can. It is a simple choice. Not so simple to the same sex couples who wish to commit. That choice is being denied. That right is being denied. Someone else's right is trumping theirs. The whole issue is civil based. Now if the church truly is responsible for all marriages and the government should not be involved, then let us do away with all the laws and courts that deal with it. Let the churches handle the property matters, divorces, and child support. Think about that for a minute. If marriage is a religious institution only then they should handle everything related to it. It would only be fair. After all they are asking the government to stay out of it while they pursue actions to follow their beliefs.

Now those with rational minds could go ahead with civil unions, the secular side of marriage, the contract side. That would allow the church total control over marriage and the government control over the civil unions. The civil unions would be identical to the religious marriage in every way, except in name only. It would convey over 1100 rights, and responsibilities just like the religious marriages. The government could concern itself with contract side of unions with religion out of the equation. The civil unions could be between any legal age consenting couple of sound mind. It is the perfect answer to this dilemma.

But wait, isn't that what the government already does? They handle the civil side of religious marriage without the religious bias? Only dealing with what is fair and equitable for those involved in the contract. The churches have tax free status because they stay out of politics. Yet they want to be involved in the government extending the complete civil union rights to legal age consenting couples of sound mind to mirror that of what is currently the law of the land.

There seems to be some confusion about that. Child molesters (a crime involving non consenting adults), and bestiality (once more involving non consenting adults) and polygamist (many consenting adults) may one day be granted the right to marry if same sex couple are allowed to do it. The very basic tenant for a marriage or union is between two consenting adults. Children are not adults and can not consent. Animals can not consent because that can't say 'I do'. Polygamist can consent but it violates the two people aspect. It appears that their problems with the issue are founded in ignorance and misinformation. It doesn't appear to be about sanctity as much as conforming to someone else's belief system. And that is anti - American. Vote No on Prop 8.