A State of Shame

November 8, 2008

Throughout my adult life I have found myself being ashamed of being American, but clung to my pride that I am at least Californian. This election cycle has changed that around dramatically. Today, I am proud to be American, but I am ashamed being a Californian because Prop 8 passed. My son is a Fifth-Generation California through me. The passage of Prop 8 is as shameful as the Internment of the Japanese and segregation. California is now about segregation of rights based on sexual orientation. We have nothing to be proud of from this day forward until we reverse this.

In the future my son grow up and ask what the HELL were we thinking and how the HELL we could do this grossly un-American thing– pretty much the way I thought when I learned about Japanese Internment. [This may be overstatement in the sheer scope of the injustice. Internment is far worse than denying civil marriage rights — but the spirit in which both injustices happened is the same — it comes from hatred and fear]

The finger pointing to folks of color who came out to vote for Obama. While there may be some in this group who voted for Prop 8, the huge bulk of the voters were white voters in the Interior of California — those who voted for McCain. The passage of Prop 8 was less about race and everything to do with religion. These people want to subvert the spirit and letter of our constition by staining with discrimatory and hateful amendment. This subversion has everything encoding in our constitution narrow and hateful “christian” beliefs without any regard to the many Christians and non-christians who will be offended. Hatred and Injustice outnumbered justice and the very teachings of Christ. There is no possible way anyone can argue that taking away civil rights from law-abiding, tax paying citizens is moral.

Prop 8 is an immoral, unjust, un-American, and un-Californian. Fortunately, Marin county along with San Francisco, Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino, Humbolt, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Monterey, Contra Costa, Alameda, Alpine, and Mono counties did the right thing by coming out against this unjust law. The problem was Southern California, Northern California, and Interior California betrayed California, its constitution, and if they were “Christian” — their god by voting for an unjust law. If Christianity is about passing unjust laws, I am glad I converted. It is partially why I converted because of these injustices that occur in the name of the Christian religion. It shocks the conscience. How could they live with themselves and be so antithetical to the very faith they profess to follow. They not only dishonor our constitution, but their religion.

I am ashamed of those interior counties and the counties of those in Southern California. I support any Californian who is gay or lesbian taking their tax dollars elsewhere. Our state doesn’t deserve their contributions and productivity. I support boycotting counties who supported Prop 8, they do not deserve our business. Instead buy everything from Marin, San Francisco, Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino, Humbolt, Monterey, Contra Costa, Alameda, Alpine, Mono, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara. I support the repeal of this law — this immoral attack on our constitution. The forces of injustice have rendered our beautiful, innovative, and tolerant state into something unrecognizable. They should feel shame.