Yes on 8!

Wow. What a challenge we had in California defending the definition of marriage. But it was wonderful to see all the good people doing hard things: going door to door, speaking calmly when being yelled at by those who cry for tolerance (yet those same people won't tolerate any opinion different than their own), putting signs up in their yards even after the signs were repeatedly stolen and nasty notes were left on their porch, making phone calls, and waving signs at busy intersections. It was a heartening experience to wave signs and see all the thumbs-up signals from supporters of Prop 8 who drove by. But it was discouraging to be yelled at and to have my children sworn at. A few drivers yelled at me that it was shameful to have my children out on the street when they're not even old enough to vote and it doesn't affect them. But, ma'am, you're wrong, I wanted to shout back. It DOES affect them. A boy on our street already had a gay appreciation week at his school, and parents are not allowed by law to pull their children out of such "tolerance programs". We were fighting not just to define marriage as between one man and one woman, but also to protect our religious freedom (so churches will not be penalized if they refuse to perform same-sex marriages) and to protect my children from learning about sexual perversions and immorality at school from their teachers.

Eliza and Isaac, proudly waving their signs despite the drivers yelling at them and the drivers holding up a middle finger to "show their IQ."

Rachel LOVED everything about this campaign: going door-to-door, holding signs on the street corner in the rain, addressing envelopes for mailers, and she even put a "Yes on 8" bumper sticker on her backpack for all the teachers at her school to see. She's about the only person I know who looked forward to going door to door; the rest of us dreaded it but did it because we knew how important it was.

Joshie and Lyrad are holding signs (above), next to a bunch of "NO on 8" people yelling "Don't hate cuz I'm not straight." We spread out and tried to cover all four corners of the intersection. All of the "yes on 8" people waving signs with us were smiling and friendly, so I didn't understand why the "No on 8" people were screaming at us about hating them. We don't hate them, we just don't want to change the definition of marriage. The gays already have civil unions and legal rights and protections. They can call their partnership what they want ("garriage?") but it's NOT marriage.

YES on freedom of speech! NO to tearing up "Yes on 8" signs (above). YES on accepting the will of the people in a fair election. NO to vandalizing churches, boycotting businesses, staging violent protests, and filing law suits just because an election outcome is not how you want it!