prop 8

so the election is in about a week and ill be happy for it to be over.  im not so interested with the presidential election as i am about prop 8.  i support prop 8 and am going to vote 'yes' on prop 8.  im tired though of the opposition.  not that i havent been vocal or an open supporter of prop 8.  but i havent attacked the other side.  not that i mind or am not used to opposition or even a little bit of persecution when it comes to my beliefs. im mormon.  its synonymous with religious persecution.  ok.  not entirely.  but i do believe that a 14 year old talked with god.  i also believe he translated a golden bible.  and it only gets stranger from there.  i spent 2 years in spain talking to people about my religion. im plenty used to people not agreeing with my beliefs and sometimes telling me i was crazy for what i believed.  which is fine.  you dont have to agree with me, but it would be nice if people at least accepted that i might believe something different than what they do.  and im not saying that everyone in favor of 'no' on 8 doesnt accept my viewpoint.  not at all.  im sure most do accept that i, and others can and do have an opposing viewpoint on an issue.  that its conceivable that i, and others might actually have different beliefs on an issue.  but there are always small minorities that have voices like majorities.  

i think the whole thing has gotten a little out of hand.  for instance, the school system is right at the center of some of it.  look, i realize that its not part of california school curriculum to teach about marriage.  but that doesnt mean they cant.  just because they dont have to teach about it, doesnt mean they cant if they dont want to.  at the same time, come on, its homosexuality.  its commonplace in america today.  whether or not this proposition passes, homosexuality will be taught in schools.  maybe it wont be taught that two people of the same gender can marry, but do you honestly think that this day in age any child is going to go through a sex-ed class in school and that the teacher wont at least discuss homosexuality?  and even if that teacher doesnt, your child will be taught plenty about homosexuality and sex on the playground and everywhere else.  its as though children are only taught things at school.  but in reality, most of a child's street education comes from friends and many other places.  you get a sex ed class in school and that will comprise 25% of the sex education your child gets outside the home.  the rest will come from somewhere else.  i still remember the day magic johnson got aids.  why?  because it was the first time i ever heard about or learned about aids. my friends and i spent all day at school talking about aids.  did any of us really know much about it?  nope.  but we spent the whole day teaching each other about it.  so this is all just more of an indicator to me, that its increasingly important to make sure that my future children are taught many things in the home.  am i going to home school them?  never.  i dont want them to be awkward.  but i do want my children getting married in a mormon temple.  im guessing that isnt being taught in the schools.  just like i assume history classes wont be devoting as much attention to joseph smith as i would like.  no matter what happens with this proposition, if i want my children to have a certain background or upbringing, a lot of it will have to be taught in the home.  

anyways, im rambling.  and maybe im off completely on that and on this entire issue.  maybe im not.  basically, its become a massive and heated mess.  people are trying to redefine marriage.  sorry.  i cant.  if it was another issue about gay rights or privileges, then i might be able to have a different viewpoint.  i believe that marriage is between man and a woman. thats correct.  its a belief.  im basing my political viewpoint on a belief.  im not the first to do it.  probably wont be the last.  i understand that other people may think that its a right of theirs to marry someone of the same gender.  hopefully they will understand that i have a belief and im sticking to it.  

anyways, its just unfortunate that its become such an issue and if there ever was a point where a middle ground could have been reached, its long gone now.  'equality of rights.'  if only it were that easy.  one side wants a right and i want to exercise my right of religion.  here, they happen to conflict.  im sorry if my religion or beliefs are upsetting to you.  what do you want me to do?  im not going to change them.  not an option.  so i guess we just have to remain on opposite sides of the issue with my viewpoints/beliefs sometimes being mocked or ridiculed.  its fine.  its not the first time.  surely wont be the last.  a break would be nice though.