For those of you who might be unfamiliar with California Proposition 8 (or the California Marriage Protection Act [a loaded title if I ever heard one]), was a ballot proposition and a constitutional amendment in November of 2008 to add a new provision to Section 7.5 of the declaration of rights that provides that "only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California". This Proposition Passed. It was put to a vote and a sufficient number of people voted "Yes". Yesterday though, a California Judge overturned Prop 8, calling it "unconstitutional". Let me say, thank science that there are still rational people out there.
Maybe I'm biased because I'm pro gay-marriage but if you don't like it you can eff-off to another blog.So what I really want to get at here is the flaw of democracy. The problem is that everyone can vote. "Well hold on there..." you will possibly say, "...democracy wouldn't be democracy if not everyone could vote". That is true reader, and we all know that "democracy is the worst form of government except for all the others that have been tried" as Winston Churchill once said. This proposition 8 thing probably shouldn't have been voted on at all then because gay people getting married doesn't affect you unless you are gay. As much as the naysayers will go on about the bull-shit "sanctity of marriage" with a 50% divorce rate and OH JESUS THINK OF THE CHILDREN! because they need a Mother and a Father figure even though they're growing up in a loving family this does not affect you.
Logically, there should not be a referendum on issues that do not affect the general public. Especially when in the constitution it already states that all equals have the right to marry. That's right, they made an amendment to deprive people of their rights and that was OK! The turn-out for this vote was so high because so many damned people were adamant about getting in other people's business. This is my problem with the Christian right. I am not deluded, and it would be better if you weren't deluded but that's alright because your delusion does not really affect me. My problem is that when your religious delusions transfer into law, you affect people who do not share your own view on morality.
With Prop 8, Gay people (who only make up about 10% of the population) had to also get 41% of the population who are straight people to vote with them. For this election, voter turnout was especially high with a turnout of almost 80% of the population. Of course, most of those people were people who couldn't mind their own business like Christians, Republicans, and Old People. Still, the vote was surprisingly close with 52% yes and 48% no.
When this proposition was struck down yesterday by a California Judge, he effectively said, "I am smarter than you, I have qualifications, I know the constitution, you do not. We will go forward with civil rights." And so, right prevailed even though the wrong voted on it. This went against the normal rules of democracy. God bless America.
