Open letter to the Yes on 8 canvassers in my neighborhood,
I am disappointed that you need to find solace in reducing personal liberty of your fellow Californians. Yes, you want to keep the definition of marriage back to its original tradition. However your support of 8 is destructive to thousands of same sex couples and their children living from your neighborhood to your city and county who depend on the rights and privileges that come with marriage. The Yes on 8 people would like to paint their campaign as pro-marriage and children instead of anti-gay. However their campaign is indeed anti-gay and anti-children even though both sides do want to share in the institution of marriage.
Just because your children hear about equality in marriage in school or in the news, does not mean that they will be turning homosexual on you. Yes, you would like to make sure your children would share in your prejudice, but to be honest I would like them to make up their own minds.
Pro 8 people have explained that churches could be sued for not hosting ceremonies of same sex couples, but most people have the common sense not to request ceremonies in non-affirming churches. Yes, churches have the right to religious expression. However if the building is used for secular purposes the building should be open to all in New Jersey public accommodations law.
In talking points from the Yes on 8 campaign, they said pastors could be sued for speaking against same sex marriage as hate speech. However we are not in Canada, people can say the most lame statements and not be fined or in jail.
To the religious groups spending their time walking my neighborhood, I ask a question to you. Are there better things to spend your time and money such as feeding the poor and teaching children how to read?
