Sunday I went to Salt Lake City for a great pre-Thanksgiving dinner with a bunch of my cousins (Thanks, Marrills and Maughans), and the issue of Prop 8 came up again. I have given this proposition a lot of thought, and I have an opinion.
I support personal agency, but along with that, I asert my right to defend the issues I feel are important to me and my future family. Many members of the LDS church campaigned and donated to the Yes on Prop 8 initiative in California. They did what the founders of this nation hoped citizen would do, they participated in the democratic process - it was not just their constitutional right, it was their duty to uphold an issue they supported. (The same way No on Prop 8 supporters have the right to defend their point of view). But, I don't believe defending a point of view means attacking an organization's members for exercising their constitutional rights.
The demonstrators that I have seen in YouTube videos at the Los Angeles Temple in California are extremely alarming and disappointing. The protesters, some of which have damaged the temple grounds, ironically shout, "Stop the hate!" These No on Prop 8 supports are no longer upholding an initiative, they are simply attacking an organization that exercised their constitutional rights. Not to mention that the LDS church represented only part of the Yes on Prop 8 coalition in California. Why, why, why are members of the LDS church being targeted because they exercised their right to speak?
Church members' participation in the election did not stop gay marriage supporters' campaign, their participation allowed the political process to function by presenting both sides. One of which, seems to be the majority.
I have included some interesting facts about the election that I got from my sister's blog.
The Facts:
1. Mormons make up only 2% of the population of California. There are approximately 750,000 LDS out of a total population of approximately 36 million.
2. If one estimates that 250,000 LDS are registered voters (the rest being children), then out of a total of 5,661,583 yes votes, LDS voters made up 4.4% of the Yes vote and 2.3% of the total Proposition 8 vote (11,050,301).
3. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) donated no money to the Yes on 8 campaign (except for a nominal, and legal, in-kind donation of $2,078.97, to cover the travel expenses of leaders coming from Utah for a meeting). Individual members of the Church were encouraged to support the Yes on 8 efforts and, exercising their constitutional right to free speech, donated whatever they felt like donating.
4. The No on 8 campaign raised more money than the Yes on 8 campaign. Unofficial estimates put No on 8 at $38 million and Yes on 8 at $36 million, making it the most expensive non-presidential election in the country.
5. Advertising messages for the Yes on 8 campaign are based on case law and real-life situations. The No on 8 supporters have insisted that the Yes on 8 messaging is based on lies. Every Yes on 8 claim is supported.
6. The majority of our friends and neighbors voted Yes on 8. Los Angeles County voted in favor of Yes on 8. Ventura County voted in favor of Yes on 8.
7. African Americans overwhelmingly supported Yes on 8. Exit polls show that 70% of Black voters chose Yes on 8. This was interesting because the majority of these voters voted for President-elect Obama. No on 8 supporters had assumed that Obama voters would vote No on 8.
8. The majority of Latino voters voted Yes on 8. Exit polls show that the majority of Latinos supported Yes on 8 and cited religious beliefs (assumed to be primarily Catholic).
9. The Yes on 8 coalition was a broad spectrum of religious organizations. Catholics, Evangelicals, Protestants, Orthodox Jews, Muslims - all supported Yes on 8. It is estimated that there are 10 million Catholics and 10 million Protestants in California. Mormons were a tiny fraction of the population represented by Yes on 8 coalition members.
10. Not all Mormons voted in favor of Proposition 8. Our faith accords that each person be allowed to choose for him or her self. Church leaders have asked members to treat other members with "civility, respect and love," despite their differing views.
11. The Church did not violate the principal of separation of church and state. This principle is derived from the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, which reads, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof . . ." The phrase "separation of church and state", which does not appear in the Constitution itself, is generally traced to an 1802 letter by Thomas Jefferson, although it has since been quoted in several opinions handed down by the United States Supreme Court in recent years. The LDS Church is under no obligation to refrain from participating in the political process, to the extent permitted by law. U.S. election law is very clear that Churches may not endorse candidates, but may support issues. The Church has always been very careful on this matter and occasionally (not often) chooses to support causes that it feels to be of a moral nature.
12. Supporters of Proposition 8 did exactly what the Constitution provides for all citizens: they exercised their First Amendment rights to speak out on an issue that concerned them, make contributions to a cause that they support, and then vote in the regular electoral process. For the most part, this seems to have been done in an open, fair, and civil way. Opponents of 8 have accused supporters of being bigots, liars, and worse. The fact is, we simply did what Americans do - we spoke up, we campaigned, and we voted.
Window Seat
12 hours ago
5 comments:
How about those no on 8 people that you KNOW voted for Obama go protest around him because he has stated many times that he believes marriage should be between a man and woman...These No on 8 people are just looking for a fight to pick- they don't know the facts and they don't seem to care. That's the most frustrating part. It's like we're talking to a wall. That's how unreceptive they are...ugh.
I have a few thoughts. First, the reason there is so much controversy about Prop 8 is because it is taking a way right at the same time it is protecting a belief. There is a difference and it can be argued that this scenario has never occurred in political history. The majority did take away the right of a minority. Now that being said. I hate that for most issues in America are determined by the silent majority allowing the vocal minority to dictate laws. Especially when it comes to God in schools, the media, and even our pledge of allegiance.
Second, as for the church being targeted. While there were over a 100 churches in the coalition the LDS church is a unified 13 million strong. Unlike most churches where a congregation consists of a single church house. Even the Catholic church isn't as unified at the LDS church. And the LDS church had a grassroots campaign throughout the entire world. They were having students in Utah, London, and Hong Kong calling and influencing as many people as possible. When activists retaliated, the church asked only residents of California to remain in the campaign. There is some cause that the church would be put in the spot light. They got involved in politics and that's how the game is play in the political arena. I must also say props to the Catholic church for issuing a statement in defense of the attacks on the LDS church.
Now all of that being said...I don't want to be misunderstood. I support marriage between a man and a women. I think that belief should be protected. I don't like the attack on the church, especially because most of them are below the belt or not true. However I do think people in the church need to try understand why all of this is occurring. (Scott...this is as close as I've ever coming to blogging. Are you so proud?)
Well said, Scott.
HECK YES!!!!
Scott, thank you so much for this post. Nothing is as good as a good logical explanation as to why things are ridiculous. (In this case, the ridiculous thing being the protests). I love it!
gracias mi amigo.. Very nice research and very 白話.
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