Originally submitted with the title "California Marriage Protection Act", both the title and summary of the initiative was revised by State Attorney General Jerry Brown, in order to "more accurately reflect the measure" (and expose the initiative for what it really is). The Superior Court of California ruled in favour of these changes, stating, "Proposition 8 would 'eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry' in California. The California Supreme Court unequivocally held that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry under the California Constitution." (In 1850, California's marriage statutes used gender-neutral language, without reference to "man" or "woman," in providing that marriage is a personal relation arising out of a civil contract to which the consent of the parties capable of making the contract is necessary.)
On May 15, 2008 the California Supreme Court, by a vote of 4–3, ruled that the statute enacted by Proposition 22 and other statutes that limit marriage to a relationship between a man and a woman violated the equal protection clause of the California Constitution. It also held that individuals of the same sex have the right to marry under the California Constitution.
This morning's news carried reports that the battle for and against Proposition 8 has become one of the most expensive civil rights issues in history, carrying a total price tag of $73 Million.
Seventy-three million dollars, spent by those seeking to promote the attempt to turn the United States into a theocracy, as well as by those who have been forced to invest equally absurd amounts of money into an effort to combat such intolerance, civil rights abuses and further dilution of the constitutional rights of its citizens. I am certain that I am not the only one disgusted by this unfathomable waste.
In 2007, HIV/AIDS killed more than 2.1 million people. Tuberculosis claimed the lives of 1.7 million people, and over 880,000 people dies from malaria. Access to clean water and proper sanitation is essential to good health, education and economic productivity; yet over one billion people across the world lack access to clean water and 2.6 billion do not have access to basic sanitation.
What kind of impact could have been made if that $73 Million were spent on these critical humanitarian needs? How do the Fundie McNuggets® justify such omissions, in light of their "gospel mandate", which states, "Whatsoever you do for the least of these, you do unto me."? How would their Saviour direct them to spend such money? Would he have encouraged them to spend it on discrimination, intolerance and oppression; or would he have told them to "feed the hungry, clothe the poor, and bring comfort to those who suffer"?
ONE is a non-partisan, grassroots effort, backed by over 2.4 million people from all 50 states, and more than one hundred of America's most well-known and respected non-profit, advocacy and humanitarian organisations, dedicated to the attainable goal of eliminating poverty, hunger and AIDS worldwide. We believe there is only ONE side in the fight against extreme poverty and global AIDS.
On our website we describe our effort as: "Working on the ground in communities, colleges and churches across the United States, ONE members both educate and ask America's leaders to increase efforts to fight global AIDS and extreme poverty, from the U.S. budget and presidential elections to specific legislation on debt cancellation, increasing effective international assistance, making trade fair, and fighting corruption. Everyone can join the fight. The goal of ending poverty may seem lofty, but it is within our reach if we take action together as one. You can start now by joining ONE and pledging your voice to the fight against extreme poverty and global AIDS."
The waste of $73 Million to fight or promote Prop 8 is disgraceful and irresponsible. And if we look closely, we'll find hundreds of millions of additional dollars being wasted on other attempts to marginalise, discriminate and advance the religious right's stranglehold on this once great nation.
November 4th is not only a time when we hope the people of the United States will put an end to the tyranny and abuses it endured during the last eight years of theocratic oligarchy, terrorism and greed, but can also be a time in which we come together as a people, and TAKE BACK the control that was lost during the oppressive reign of King Duhhbya the Imbecile.
The belief that some person's or group's interpretation of plagiarised religious texts ought to be integrated into the constitution of a state or country is an unacceptable scenario. The attempts to marginalise people, because they do not fit the standard of the "majority", or because prejudices, fears and intolerance govern the religious beliefs of the many, must not be permitted to occur again.
In just a few weeks, hundreds of thousands of families will come together to celebrate a tradition that was built on the "victory" claimed by one governor, after he authorised the murder (by burning to death) of an entire tribe of Native American people in New England. Without question, the events that led up to that first "thanksgiving" have served as "Ground Zero" for a terrorist movement in the United States, which transformed itself from the more visibly identifiable "Puritanism" to Protestant Fundamentalism, and which now includes fundamentalist Catholics, Islamic adherents and Jewish Zionists as well.
Remember... WE the people elect into office those who are designated to become civil servants for the good of ALL the people... not just the majority. It's time we assumed the responsibility for OUR actions and INACTION, and began to make right those injustices that are claiming so many lives.
Please visit: http://one.org today. And VOTE!
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