Original image found at LA Times
Here’s an itemized list of things that Prop 8 in California has accomplished for their citizens since it passed by 52% of the vote in November 2008:
- Divided residents of the Golden State pretty much in half.
- Spent millions of dollars on legal fees, posters, lost work time, police force staffing for public protests – just to name some of the costs
- Took those costs away from services that are beneficial to all citizens like police protection for real crimes being committed, feeding the hungry, clothing the needy, job creation efforts – just to name a few.
- Divided families that were forced to choose between their gay or lesbian child or their belief that same-sex marriage would be the modern day Armageddon that destroyed the universe.
- The number of other manufactured lies that clever writers created to enshrine their narrow-minded beliefs about gays and lesbians.
- Reduced revenues for weddings, divorces, marriage license fees and other revenue generating activities that heterosexuals already contribute to as tax-paying citizens of the state.
- Donated hours and hours of producing ads, posters, protests, etc… that could have been spent towards helping the less fortunate, the less abled and those that needed real help in improving their lives.
- Efforts towards completely erasing inequality decreased instead of increasing and removing the divide that our country has a history of for centuries.
Looking Forward
Now that this decision has come down, it moves to the Supreme Court, where the following will happen:
- More division in the citizens of California
- More money spent on legal fees
- More families divided apart
- Increased police support for further public gatherings and protests
- More time before loving couples can be legally married to each other
- Increased hate and bigoted attitudes towards gays and lesbians
Seth MacFarlane said it best today on Twitter:
Prop 8 architects: Every civil rights battle is eventually won by the oppressed party. Save your hundred mil and buy some Bud platinum.
He’s right. History shows those who oppose granting equality and civil rights to others eventually lose their battle. We’ve spent years fighting against women and blacks. But in the end, they eventually were recognized and granted civil rights… marriage rights, even. So it shall be for the gays and lesbians of this country. There’s a long battle ahead still, but history is on our side.