Register at RockTheVote – even if just because of California Prop 8

October 13, 2008
NSFW.ARMY

To all my American friends:

In California, the voter registration deadline is October 20. In many states it's already passed, or is today or tomorrow.

I'm not thrilled with either presidential choice from the main 2 parties. Normally I'd vote Libertarian. But I'm not a fan of Bob Barr either. California will most likely come out with Obama decisively winning. If that's the case, there's a good chance I'll write in Ron Paul as my choice for President. But this blog isn't about who I'm voting for or to recommend to you who you should vote for. It's about reminding you to exercise your right as an American to vote. To be a part of our democratic process.

Surprisingly, the decision of who I'm going to vote for is far overshadowed this year by the vote I'm going to cast against one of the propositions in California on November 4. Most years I don't pay a whole lot of attention to the propositions. I've been a libertarian for the better part of 10 years now. Even before I knew I was a libertarian, I agreed with the majority of their principles. I've become fairly versed in how propositions are worded, which ones take away personal freedoms, and which ones are the ones I tend to agree with.

This year, in the election, voters in the state of California will be deciding whether or not gay marriages will stay legal in our state. Proposition 8 has been put on the ballot, with proponents trying to invalidate the gay marriages that have already taken place this year and disallowing gay couples from being allowed to be married here in the future. If Proposition 8 wins, marriages of gay couples who were allowed to be married over the last several months will be voided.

Over the weekend, I saw a commercial paid for by the people advocating this proposition. In it, a young girl comes home to her mother and says that at school, she's reading a book about a King marrying a King. Then an ominous voiceover describes how in some states where gay marriage is legal, second graders are learning about gay marriages in school. "Do you want your second grader to be taught about gay marriage?" The mom character had a look on her face like the daughter was being taught about the benefits of gang rape.

I was SO disgusted by this commercial, that I'm actively doing what I can do to campaign AGAINST Proposition 8. In no way do I see how two people of the same sex loving each other and wanting to spend the rest of their lives together is a danger to our communities. I believe that if they are willing to face the realities of marriage and the possibilites of divorce, then they should be entitled to receive the legal benefits and the social acceptance of any couple in love.

When I was a teenager, RockTheVote was fairly new. I was part of the MTV generation, and RockTheVote helped get me excited about the possibility that my vote could make a difference. It got me excited about learning more about issues and the candidates.

This year, I'm loving the ads from DeclareYourself.com. Photography by Mark Liddell and David LaChappelle.