Still fighting for civil rights

The first gut punch was the introduction of Proposition 8. How dare anyone have the audacity to put something as personal as my marriage on the ballot? The second blow was its passage: the first of its kind to deny rights to a law abiding group, contradicting the U.S. Constitution. The third kick was when the California Supreme Court, sworn to uphold the State Constitution and protect the minority from the majority, failed and upheld the discriminatory amendment.

So, yes, I fight back, non violently, of course. I fight back because I believe in fairness, equality, dignity and respect: all of which Prop 8 took away. In this fight I’ve discovered just how uninformed people were. I’ve seen endless arguing over issues that are off topic, distracting people from the fact that Prop 8 undermined the Constitution. And the question no one in support of Prop 8 can answer: How is my marriage tangibly, adversely affecting your marriage? I can quantify and substantiate how being married has helped, with tax figures, health insurance etc. All we get as an answer is some worn out “traditional marriage” line that has no legal, logical or provable backing.

We will be back. I hate the idea of having to go to the ballot again. It feels like I have to beg permission from mommy and daddy voters to be allowed to marry the adult that I love and to have basic fairness that is my birthright. I wish people could get how utterly humiliating and insulting it is to have to ask permission from total strangers to be allowed something so personal and basic.

In this letter, I have not said anything about “Gay lifestyle”, “homosexual agenda” or talked at all about my sex life. Neither have I put down religion.

Celia Madison

Kernville