I’ve never discussed politics with my teen daughters.
Not because I don’t want to make them socially aware of their world, but because, as is typical for many teens, they don’t seem to care when potential history-making news is happening. When I ask them their views on what’s in the news, the typical response is, “What? I don’t know and I don’t care!”
So imagine my surprise when my emotional, highly-charged, sometimes disrespectful, typical 13-year-old uttered her views on the most controversial issue facing voters on Tuesday — Prop. 8, the gay marriage initiative.
I’ve never shared my views with anyone on this matter, especially not an irrational teen. In fact, I haven’t made up my own mind. But she made a powerful argument in defense of her position.
During a lunchtime discussion with a classmate, she commented if given the opportunity she would vote no, even though she is a Christian and understands why other Christians would vote yes.
Faced with the counter-argument “It’s just wrong,” she replied that the Bible teaches us to love one another and, therefore she “doesn’t see that God has a problem with gays. So who are we to deny two people their chance at happiness? The reason it’s bad is that people should be allowed to make their own decisions. And they should be treated the same way as everybody else. It should be condemmed for wanting individuality.”
While this is a simplified version of her statements, it showed me that she had examined the issue and come to a logical and rational decision. While I may not agree wholeheartedly with her on the overall issue, I’m proud that her argument is sensitive to the needs of others.
Not bad for her first venture into politics on an issue that many adults can’t see past their own prejudices and biases, on both sides.
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this is a moral issue(right vs. wrong) Don’t mess with traditional marriage. Leave it alone.
Yes this is rediculous trying to change the definition of marriage. Soon they will be suing my pastor to make him perform gay weddings.
Yes check out massachussets. They gay agenda is being forced into schools and religion. They are forcing our children to learn about gay marriage. We need to stand up and stop this propaganda. Its just ridiculous
Next thing you know, there will be an initiative to require that all Christians wear a cross on their person so the rest of the country will know who is Christian and who isn’t. Jeeze, these people just demand so many accomodations with regard to basic human rights. It’s just so wrong.
Good for your daughter for weighing the issue and coming to a conclusion about how she feels.
I remember being a young teenager and realizing that my political views were completely different than my parents. It wasn’t because of church or school or friends or rebellion, it’s because of what was within me. It was about my heart.
Your daughter sounds like an open-minded and compassionate young lady, two qualities I am striving to instill in my own daughter. Great job, Papa!
I am tired of these alternative lifestyles folks attacking traditional marriage. America needs to protect marriage not redifine it. they have no tolerance if you have a view different that theirs. they will keep suing until this alternative lifestyle is thrust upon the schools and churches
Protectmarriage.com
With all due respect, I don’t think anyone is attacking traditional marriage. In fact, I think our nation’s divorce rate does a pretty good job of demeaning marriage all on its own; don’t blame same-sex couples for that one.
Morgan - I very much agree that it’s great she is interested in issues like this. Recent generations (mine included) have been so lethargic and uninterested in political issues, that I’m glad to see so many young people standing up for what they believe in … whether I agree with them or not. It’s very respectable — you should be proud!!
Roxanne-You said no one is attacking traditional marriage. Hello-that what this is all about. they are attempting to redefine marriage. I guess if one doesn’t agree with the gay agenda then they are not open minded. Well call me what you want but I am sticking up for traditional marriage. I guess I will be called un forward thinking, backward. I don’t care about the name calling. Marriage is threatened only when good people do nothing. So hopefully those on the fence will rise up and realize what is at stake here.
Actually, it is the “Yes on 8″ proponents who are attempting to redefine marriage through a constitutional amendment. As I’ve said on other websites, I know same-sex couples who are more committed to marriage than many straight couples. When you can’t have something you appreciate it all the more. I agree with Roxanne that the divorce rate in America does more to demean the commitment of marriage.
Consider having one of your basic civil rights restricted and then try to convince me that discrimination is right in any sense of the word. I’m not gay, I don’t want to marry a woman, but I don’t think it’s right to prevent someone from their pursuit of happiness. Not too long ago there were civil rights protests all across America that guaranteed blacks the right to sit anywhere they wanted on a city bus. People were very afraid of that being allowed too and we’ve managed to survive that. How is allowing two people to be married going to hurt anyone?
As for the myth of it being taught in public school, there is a fine article right in this very newspaper I believe that explains and debunks that little tidbit of misinformation.
this has nothing to do with civil rights. Its not a race issue. Marriage is defined as a union between man and women. Some people with alternative lifetyles are trying to change the defintion of marriage. They try to use civil rights as an agruement to invoke this change. At the same time this alternative lifestyle is being pushed in the schools. Once marriage is redefine what you think these folks are going to stop. They will sue the church for not performing gay weddings. Schools will have to provide material about same sex wedding, ect or they will be sued. Their cover is civil rights but this is not a civil issue. All the while marriage will be attacked and weakened. Kids in school with low self confidence will experiemnt with alternative lifestyles by being expose so young at school
It such a joke that same sex people call it a right. this has nothing to do with civil righs. Its right vs. wrong. No alternative lifestyles in my school. I guess I am backward for saying something is wrong. How dare I.
I’m black. I know about civil rights This is no civil rights issue. This is plain wrong. These people are trying to push these alternative lifestyle in our schools.
Your daughter is awesome and you should be proud to have raised such a socially concious and accepting child! In this day and age, everyone has an agenda and sometimes it takes our children to show us that the grown up world of emotion and irrationality that we aren’t always right. Unfortunately, this election has brought out the ugliness in people and the fact that this particular proposition is very similar to that of the civil rights movement and granting basic human rights to African Americans. We would never consider denying (or I would like tyo think we wouldn’t) African Americans their basic freedoms in this day and age, so why should we do the same to gay people? If God cretaed all of us, isn’t it possiblehe also created gay peopl and loved them the same as those who are straight. I am sure he did not damn them, as that would be a very narrow-min ded way of thinking.
The fact is, that some people are just playing into the paranoia and misinformation the media has perpetuated about Prop 8. And if you don’t want gay marriage discussed in schools, then use your right as a parent to join the PTA or get involved with the school district. That is the way to go about it. But denying someon the right to marry is shameful and plain old “Sunday Christian” to me.
BTW - I am not gay and the mother of two young boys, who have two gay aunties. Vote No on Prop. 8!
I will note yes on eight. I am a free thinker also. I just have a different opinion. Its funny though. So if another daughter expresses a yes on 8 opinion. Are you going to say good for her. Probably not because she doesn’t share your opinion.
Liberals speak about tolerance but they have no tolerance for anyone with a differnet opinion. They will steal signs are use name calling to put down others opinion (narrow minded, open minded, progressive thinking). Do you really think they will stop at this election. They will want these alternative ideas taught at school. I don’t what to have to join the pta to stop the gay agenda, it should stop now.
Adam how dare you have a different opinion. j/k. Yes I know what you mean. I have been called names for sticking up for traditional marriage think what our kids will have to go through in a fews years
“Kids in school with low self confidence will experiemnt with alternative lifestyles by being expose so young at school”
Oh puh-leeze, that is the lamest argument I’ve heard yet. Either you’re attracted to the same sex or you’re not, and if you aren’t a kid’s book with two princes who get married will in no way change that- not that Prop. 8 has anything to do with schools anyway, because it doesn’t. Freedom of religion and separation of church and state means that 1. you cannot pass laws based on religious beliefs, which is what Prop. 8 basically is and 2. churches will not legally have to condone same-sex marriages or anything else if their doctorine is against it. Period.
Lucy, wrong-environment can influence-check the research studies its nature and nurture-both can have an influence
check the research its pretty straighforward
Everthing influences us. What we see, watch on tv etc. Gradually ever so slighty.
Jan- if it is environmental then please explain how someone like say, Dick Cheney has a gay daughter.
“Everthing influences us. What we see, watch on tv etc. Gradually ever so slighty.”
So if someone shuts you in a room and makes you watch the Logo channel for a week , you’ll turn gay?
everything has an influence. Studies show if you watch violence on tv it affects your sensitivity. Im not saying your going to go rob a store after watching something but it does decrease your sensitivity. Check the studies-see for yourself. Evironment doesn’t necessarly cause but it does infuence-
Good job everyone getting the word out on prop 8. protectmarriage.com
thanks for all your hard work
Do some research on the “teaching it in school” issue. The education code isn’t being changed and cannot be changed with this initiative. The woman in Mass who took that book to school did so without permission and it was not - and still is not - part of the school’s curriculum. As for being exposed to homosexuality at school, it’s already there. There are gay students all over the country, attending public school. I went to school with two flaming homosexuals. It didn’t make any of the other boys gay. The fact is that children will experiment with everything because they are trying to assert themselves - drugs, alcohol, driving without a seatbelt, sex with the opposite sex and sex with the same sex.
Really martha. The teachers union(against the will of many teachers) donated a million dollars. Your telling me the teahers won’t push this agenda. I called and complained to the teahers union, the communications lady said tuff its not up to you. It will be pushed into the schools. Maybe its not part of the school curriculum now but do you really think the gay agenda will stop pushing it. The schools will be the next fight
correction teachers union will push (not teachers)
What I am saying is that the education code and this initiative are separate issues. If the initiative is defeated the education code could still be changed. It’s misinformation to suggest that this initiative will prevent any sort of tolerance of homosexuals in schools.
I would hazard a guess that a good portion of the membership of the teachers union is liberal, therefore supportive of the initiative, or at least against the anti-gay proponents. I’m no authority on this so don’t blast me if I’m wrong, it just seems that the teachers union tends to support liberal & democratic issues rather than conservative and republican. You must also remember that the initiative that would have required the membership of the teachers union actually have input on what they support was defeated. So it’s not a great stretch to suggest that plenty of teachers do not support what the teachers union does.
What the opponents don’t want to admit is that the California voter has voted on this twice and both times they voted for marriage to be defined as between a man and a women.
Now I hear opponents stating just because a majority of California voters voted for Prop 8, it doesn’t make it right. With that logic should we say, that just because a majority of voters voted to give women the right to vote it doesn’t make it right, or to stop blacks from being
allowed to attend schools other then black schools, or electing a president, should we recall all of these because one side was able to win while the other side lost?
The WILL OF THE PEOPLE has spoken, if Prop had lost you can bet that those people who voted against it would be praising the same system they are attacking now.
Having lived in the SF Bay area since 1970’s I can tell you that this marriage issue wasn’t anything until gay/lesbian couples wanted to obtain rights to their life partners work benefits. That issue was being pushed way before the same sex marriage issue was a politically correct issue. Gay’s and Lesbians need to push for the right to have the benefits of their life partners, NOT same sex marriage.