Why I will Vote YES on California's Prop. 8

Greetings,

Bill May is the chairman of Catholics for the Common
Good, a nonpartisan Catholic organization focusing on issues related to the
social teachings of the Catholic Church. He wrote a wonderful article in the San
Francisco Chronicle that I would like you to read. It is titled "Prop. 8
protects rights of those who support traditional marriage".

Bill May

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Proposition #8 isn't just about the
rights of loving and committed gay couples.
If that were the issue, Proposition 8 wouldn't be on the state ballot. All
Californians respect the right of gay couples to live the lifestyle they choose
and to enjoy the same legal protections of every citizen. California's laws,
including our expansive domestic partnership statutes, already provide every
legal right to gay couples that are provided to married spouses.

The
California Supreme Court's ruling last May gave birth to a broader perspective
on same-sex marriage, and that is how it affects the rest of society. That's why
Proposition 8 is on the ballot, and that is why we are working hard to pass it.

If the California Supreme Court's ruling is not overturned, then the
consequences facing voters are serious and real. First, it was wrong for a
narrow majority of the court to ignore the decision of more than 61 percent of
the electorate, more than 4 million voters, who decided that marriage should be
as it always has been - between a man and a woman. To ignore the will of the
voters, the court should find in unequivocal terms that the voters have done
something they cannot legally do. That was not the case here. This case hotly
divided the court and resulted in a narrow decision to overturn the voters' will
- not because what voters did was legally wrong, but because four judges decided
to change the meaning of the law to suit their own views.

Second, the
court elevated same-sex marriage to the highest legal class possible: a
protected class. That means when the rights of people opposed to same-sex
marriage on moral or religious grounds conflict with the rights of same-sex
couples, the courts will almost always side with same-sex couples because of the
protected class status conferred by the state Supreme Court. Even expressing a
view in opposition to same-sex marriage often exposes people to personal attack,
ostracism, and even threats of loss of employment for standing for what they
understand to be true about marriage.

This goes beyond acceptance and
tolerance. Many supporters of Proposition 8 are already experiencing these
pressures to some extent, but the ruling of the court clears the way for
lawsuits and further legislation to penalize people who do not cooperate with
the desires of same-sex couples.

Finally, perhaps the most profound
consequence will be to our children. California law provides for the teaching of
children about marriage. Under the court's ruling, they would have to be taught
that there is no distinction between the same-sex marriage and traditional
marriage, and it would be discriminatory to view them otherwise. This interferes
with a parent's right to teach their children the true meaning of marriage,
which is important to their futures. This is the case in Massachusetts, which
also legalized same-sex marriage. In one recent and famous case, a teacher
taught a second-grade class using a book recounting the story of a prince
marrying another prince, rather than a princess. Instructing young children
about same-sex marriage in school undermines the rights of parents to approach
this subject with their children on their own timetable and according to their
family's values and beliefs, religious or otherwise. This is a major concern to
California parents.

These are the issues that are fueling the views of
voters on this crucial issue. It is no wonder that supporters in every corner of
California are preparing to make their voices heard. Everything we as a people
hold dear is on the ballot.

Election 2008

To read The
Chronicle's endorsements on Prop. 8 and others on the Nov. 4 general election
ballot, go to sfgate.com/campaign2008/

Bill May