I have received several emails now from people in my network urging me to vote yes on proposition 8. They urge me to "pass this message on for the sacrament of marriage and for the sake of our children." They claim that if this proposition fails the entire institution of marriage is threatened.
Today I received a video forward that featured the story of one family that is completely outraged when their five-year-old son came home from kindergarden one day with a "diversity book bag" that contained a book entitled "Who is in a family?" This book introduced the child to same sex households. The announcer lead into this interview by stating that if prop 8 fails "public schools at any stage - even kindergarden - will have to teach your children to accept same sex marriages."
AM I MISSING SOMETHING?
Is it not better for everyone when there is more "acceptance" and "compassion" in the world, especially in this great country of ours?
Do these parents assume that because their son now knows about the existence of gays, he will automatically want to marry a man when he grows up?
Do parents who hold these beliefs not realized that their child, if he grows up with homosexual desires -- which (if he is gay) he will even if he is not given a "diversity book bag" in kindergarden -- will feel more alienated, less understood, and much more prone to depression, isolation, and even suicide?
I am amazed and appalled. The purpose of the diversity book is obviously not to recruit children into gayhood, but rather to educate them in an effort to raise the level of knowledge, tolerance, and acceptance among the next generation of Americans. Increased education and acceptance has a potential to lead towards less violence and hostile behavior towards the gay and lesbian co-citizens of our diverse country.
And so what if two men or two women get married and have a family? I don't believe that a same sex couple is capable of raising a child any worse than a heterosexual couple can. After all, most of the greatest criminals, pedophiles, thieves, rapists, and serial killers were born into and raised by heterosexual households.
Who are we to judge and mandate how others choose to live their lives? Knowing that there are families with two mommies or two daddies is not harmful nor confusing for children. After all not all families look the same anyway. Some kids are raised by only a mommy or by only a daddy. Some are raised by their grandparents, aunts, or foster families. Some kids live with their older siblings while others are in orphanages. Some kids have 9 siblings and some are only children. Some kinds live in beautiful homes with their own rooms while others share a bedroom in their apartment with their 3 siblings. Children have no problem knowing about and accepting the lifestyles and circumstances of others, gay, straight, divorced, widowed, dead, or otherwise.
Vote NO on Proposition 8!
And if you want a list of things that are infinitely more harmful for children than being acceptant of their gay and lesbian neighbors, here it is:
- Fast food! Any kind - you might as well be giving your child diabetes for his 25th birthday
- Soda - It will dehydrate your child while making him fat
- Juices that are filled with sugar
- Watching more than 1.5 hours of age appropriate TV per day
- Too many toys - especially those that are modeled after their favorite shows. These don't give the child the chance to develop his or her own problem creating and problem solving abilities.
- Playing more than 1 hour of video games per day
- Not enough quality time with adults
- Not enough play time
- Not enough outdoor activities such as walking, running, biking, hiking, swimming, etc.
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