I'm disappointed that Proposition 8, which would abolish gay marriage in California, looks as if it could pass. The polls say it's losing but not by a lot. It should lose by a lot because then this issue might go away sooner rather than later. Discrimination against any minority eventually does go away. It's just a question of how many people are going to suffer under that discrimination until it does.
This editorial in the Los Angeles Times makes a strong case against 8 but I'd make it stronger. As they note, backers of the proposition insist that it's "…in no way intended to diminish the rights of gays and lesbians." That's like if I try to murder you while saying, "But I'm in no way trying to prevent you from living."
There's also this to consider. Since that decision of the State Supreme Court said same-sex weddings were okay, around 16,000 couples have exhanged vows. What will become of those 16,000 unions if Prop 8 passes and decrees that all marriages must be boy-girl? Amazingly, no one knows for sure. We're voting on a major, life-changing (for many) law without a firm understanding of its effect. As this article explains, it's one of those things that will have to be figured out later. There will presumably be court battles and more lives torn asunder…and right there's another good reason to vote down this mean-spirited, bigoted initiative.
Alas, regardless of which side prevails, the vote totals are liable to be close…which means that this issue is not going away. If 8 loses, it'll be back in some form next election with more outta-state money from the Mormon Church behind it…which is funny because they don't believe, as Proposition 8 states, that marriage is between a man and a woman. They believe marriage is between a man and many women. But the momentum here is towards same-sex nuptials and the defeat of 8 will increase that momentum so it'll be an easier battle next time.
If gay marriage is eliminated in this state, it will lose by a much narrower margin than it did last time Californians were asked about it. An initiative to restore it will be on the next ballot and if it loses, it will lose by an even narrower margin…and so on. Eventually, as the voting population grows younger and as older folks increasingly accept reality, same-sex wedlock will prevail. If we just embrace it now, we can save a lot of time and money…and avoid a lot of misery in human lives.