Proposition 2

**Note: I've broached this subject on another blog and the result was overwhelming...at least for me. I did not expect the "fire storm" as it was called to erupt. I also took some harsh critisism for my views. While I understand and respect the right of someone to curse and use foul language on their own blog and comments, I will not appreciate the same left on my blog. I do not purposefully leave trashy comments on other blogs and I think it's fair to expect the same when people visit my little piece of blogland. **

As I type this, 77% of Texans have voted in favor of defining marriage as an union between one man and one woman. I was one of those 77% that voted in favor of the amendment. This afternoon, at my polling place, there were numerous people waiting in line to cast a vote. One of the election officials said that this was one of the highest turn outs for this type of election. Apparently there were many people that felt there was something important on the ballot.

On the previously mentioned "other blog" I had asked how the readers felt about gay marriage. I'm not sure what caused such a commotion. I believe it was my reference to same sex marriage, but I realized that I should have been asking about marriage in general. Like I said, the comments were harsh but also thought provoking. Phil would be so proud! Anyway, I discovered that for me, the issue wasn't about trying to discriminate against people in same sex relationships, but rather on protecting the institution of marriage. I have always believed, and will always believe that marriage is a sacred union between a man and a woman.

Several questions were posed to me and upon reflection, I've come to some answers. These answers may not suit you, but they work for me.

1. How does same sex marriage effect you? I think that the person asking this question made a valid point. (I'd like to give credit where it is due for the questions, but I'm not sure that person will be reading this and I don't want to put the name out there for everyone to see without his permission.) Same sex marriage will not effect me or my daily life in any huge way. I don't know anyone that is contemplating a same sex marriage. For me, this is more about what I feel is morally right than finding an exact way that my life will be less or impacted more because people I don't even know are getting married.

2. Aren't you being intolerant of those people and ideas that you don't understand? Yes. There are certain things in my life that are absolute. My faith sets standards that I follow and believe. I believe that homosexuality is a sin. For me, there is no gray area. This is a black and white issue. Homosexuality is wrong. I will not support any law, amendment, or right that will portray this as anything other than wrong. Now, while we're on this topic, I do not consider myself a bad person for feeling this way. I am not cruel or demeaning to gay people. As a matter of fact, unless someone tells me that someone is gay, I'm pretty clueless. A person's sexual orientation isn't a standard by which I judge someone. For example, I do know several gay people. I like them. I enjoy their company. Do I agree with the lifestyle they have chosen...no. Does that make me like them any less...no. I'm sure that several people out there do not like some of the things that I do or base my life upon. Tolerance is about more than just well you believe this and I believe something different so therefore we can have no common ground. While I was pondering this particular issue of tolerance I came across two quotes that really made me stop and think.

Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves. - Abraham Lincoln (Thanks Linda!)
If we teach understanding then we won't have to learn tolerance.

3. How can you act so high and mighty with your religious beliefs? I'll admit that my beliefs played a huge role in my decision to vote for defining marriage as one man and one woman. And apparently I touched an open nerve when I brought God into the conversation. While I didn't mean to imply that their faith wasn't genuine, I can't help but question someone who claims to believe in God and then feels that he or she has the right to pick and choose which parts of His law they want to believe.

While I'm sure that this is an issue that will continue to be at the center of many debates, I am satisfied with my beliefs about the issue. I am also glad to know that I wasn't alone in my thoughts that marriage should remain only between one man and one woman. Like I said earlier, a lot of people disagreed with me and that's fine. We don't always have to agree, but we can disagree in an adult manner.