Nicholas Tousseau
English 1B
Kristin Noone
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Proposition 8
Proposition 8 is a very controversial issue which was passed on November 4, 2008 and denied the homosexual community from the rights to marriage. This proposition added about fourteen words to the California Constitution stating that, “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California”(Article 1 Declaration of Rights, n.d.). I feel that Proposition 8 violates rights outlined in both the California Constitution and the United States Constitution. Also, the denial of rights to this group of people is discrimination; no matter how you try to describe it. I voted no on H8 and stand firm on the belief that homosexuals should have the same rights as heterosexuals. That includes marriage and the right to adopt children.
Should gays have the right to be married? The answer should be simple, yet it is one of the most debated topics today. Based off my interpretation of the US and California constitutions the answer is yes. The US Constitution’s first amendment states that congress shall pass no law respecting an establishment of religion and article one section four of the Californian constitution also outlines that legislature shall not pass a law respecting a religious establishment. Most of those supporting proposition 8 turned to their religious view of what marriage should be and used this as a basses for how everyone should see marriage. It is no secret that religious establishment greatly supported yes on 8 and threw in tons of money to sway the campaign their way. Arguably this amendment is a law restricting homosexuals from the rights heterosexuals have and is respecting religious establishments. Therefore article one section seven point five of the Californian constitution is actually unconstitutional. Also according to purposeofmarriage.org (n.d.) “one power that states do not have, however, is that of prohibiting marriage is that absence of...