Prop 8: Acting with Love in Our Hearts

Sarah gave me a lead to a blog that carried this short and sweet video about Prop 8. It really resonates with me. Please take a few minutes and enjoy!
http://annebradshaw.blogspot.com/2008/10/simple-and-short-video-to-explain-prop.html

Why YES for Proposition 8

***If you feel strongly about supporting Prop 8, we only have 5 more days. "Yes On 8" still needs funding for ads. The "No" campaign is very well funded and are running 2-3 ads for every one that "Yes On 8" can run. Click here for more details.***

I've been thinking a lot about the issue of gay marriage. The battleground of California's Proposition 8 has bled over into other states, as I think we all recognize that it will be a pivotal decision. Between my last post about Obama's stance on this issue, an email conversation with my in-laws, and the visiting teaching lesson being about gender as a characteristic of our eternal nature and purpose, I've been trying to formulate my thoughts clearly. I still want to do it for my own benefit. But if you read nothing else from this post, please read this insightful interview by Elder Dallin H. Oaks on the Lord's view of issues surrounding Same Gender Attraction. It is compassionate, compelling, and clarifying.

I wanted to create a better written post, but time is gone. Californians vote in 6 days. Here's where I'm at so far:

1. A distinction must be made...I can love all of God's children, all my brothers and sisters, without approving of everything they do. God loves me even when I do things that are wrong. I still love my children even when they are making disappointing choices. "All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose."

2. The Word of God makes clear the Lord's view on marriage and homosexual behavior. Faith in His word makes our defense of His way a no-brainer.

Genesis 2:24--The pattern of marriage is set with the creation of husband and wife
Leviticus 18:22 --The rest of these scriptures indicate clearly the Lord's opinion of homosexual activities. Thankfully He will in His wisdom, justice, and mercy take care of the consequences. This does however enlighten us on His take on the matter.
Leviticus 20:13
Isaiah 3:9 (very interesting viewed in the context of today's world)
Romans 1:26-27
1 Corinthians 6:9
1 Timothy 1:8-10
Family: The Proclamation to the World

3. Comparing gay rights to civil rights is misleading, although it's a seductive method often used to confuse. This issue of gay marriage is about behaviors, not about people.This is about choices, not tendancies. We have the gift of agency. We are not predetermined. We are not simply animals that must act upon whatever urge we may get. We are all given challenges and various tempations. Why or how we got those challenges doesn't matter. Nature vs. Nurture doesn't matter. What matters is what we do with them. It doesn't matter if I inherited my temper or learned it. What matters is how I choose to handle the temptation when something irritates me. I struggle against that temper each day. But in the end, I'm the one who chooses whether I win, or whether my temper wins. And I'm accountable for the outcome. If I yell at my children, they don't say,"It's okay Mom. I know your temper is just who you are." My behavior hurts them, is wrong and it negatively affects our household. Likewise, gay behaviors have negative consequences, and not just for the person doing the acting.

4. The issue of whether or not there should be gay marriage does effect me, my family, our community and our nation. This is not just a matter of "live and let live". I'm not trying to persecute or cause harm. Giving gay marriage legal status is akin to socially condoning gay behavior. The behavior is wrong. Last I checked Heavenly Father doesn't change his commandments to appease His children. Could you imagine if my children voted on whether or not they should be able to run into the street? Should I change my rule based on the popular opinion? If I did, what a foolish parent I would be, for I know that the possible result of death or serious harm continues. Wrong is wrong, regardless of how many people espouse it.

Giving social acceptance to wrong-doing increases the incidence of that behavior. Giving gay marriage legal status ensures that my children will be taught in school that it is an equally acceptable alternative to traditional marriage. Already a first grade class in San Francisco has taken an official fieldtrip to a lesbian wedding. Also here's a link about how Massachusetts parents and worshipers have had their rights removed. The parents aren't even allowed to opt-out of the 5-year old "diversity" training. And can you explain to me why the California Teacher's Association has used 1.3 million dollars to oppose this measure? That I don't understand. story here.

Additionally, can you imagine the identity crisis teens must go through now? It's already a time of confusion and definition. Now they have to ask themselves about their gender orientation too? It's entirely possible that normal emotional intimacy between 2 same gender friends could be confused for romantic intimacy in this world of "I Kissed a Girl and I Liked It". I was thinking of a high school acquaintance the other day. He was rather effeminate in voice and action, involved in theater and music. My HS experience didn't involve gay couples walking down the hall and I never had any reason to think he was gay. I was wondering the other day about if he could make it in this current social landscape without the expectation that he be gay. Maybe those effeminate characteristics are somehow linked to gay tendencies, I don't know. But what if he didn't want to act on the gay tendancies? Could he not be gay in this social landscape? I found his blog soon after my wonderings. He's now living with a boyfriend.

The last way gay marriage affects me is because as Elder Oaks explains in his aforementioned treatise, it changes the definition of my marriage.

P.S. I have been thinking about these things for awhile and working on this post for a few days. However, last night 2 different people sent me interesting emails concerning their personal experiences trying to go to the Oakland Temple. In order to get there they had to pass through Prop 8 protesters screaming insults and obsenities. An newspaper reported it here. Of course I feel for the people who must go through that disturbing situation in order to worship. I'm also sorry that the protestors feel so much anger and hurt. I wish that those who protest Prop 8 could understand that it is not a personal attack on them. This isn't bigotry. If people want to live homosexual lives, that's their choice. But we can't socially approve or condone that behavior just to make them feel better about their choices.

Presidential Concerns

Wow, what a debate last night. At least it didn't give me a headache like the 2nd debate did. But I think I'm more confused than ever. I wonder if I can even vote this election with a clear conscience.

McCain unfortunately spent most of his time attacking Obama and sounding flustered. I really wish he would have just stood his ground and expressed clearly what his plans are. I feel like he hasn't been very specific about anything except his $5000 health care rebate, which would hurt us personally since right now our employee-based health insurance is tax-free, and $5000 isn't enough to actually help people who don't have any health insurance.

I was so impressed with Obama's ability to express himself clearly and articulately. He has made lots of specific plans, many of which would help those who need it. As I was watching I thought, "Wow, he's tromping on McCain," and I felt like he'd be the better leader. But then came the question about choosing a judge who may or may not support Roe v. Wade. I knew that Obama was pro-choice so most of his answer didn't surprise me. But then he said something that scared the daylights out of me.

Barak Obama said (taken from the transcript printed from CBS news):

"It is true that this is going to be, I think, one of the most consequential decisions of the next president. It is very likely that one of us will be making at least one and probably more than one appointments and Roe versus Wade probably hangs in the balance. Now I would not provide a litmus test. But I am somebody who believes that Roe versus Wade was rightly decided. I think that abortion is a very difficult issue and it is a moral issue and one that I think good people on both sides can disagree on. But what ultimately I believe is that women in consultation with their families, their doctors, their religious advisers, are in the best position to make this decision. And I think that the Constitution has a right to privacy in it that shouldn't be subject to state referendum, any more than our First Amendment rights are subject to state referendum, any more than many of the other rights that we have should be subject to popular vote. "

When I heard those words, I just thought of the state referendums that are going on in Arizona and California to define marriage as between one man and one woman. Although Obama did not refer to homosexual marriage at all in the debate, that statement made me very nervous that he was speaking against such state referendums. So I decided to check out Obama's official website. And I found that Obama absolutely opposes state referendums that allow the people to decide how to define marriage! (see http://obama.3cdn.net/9bbadf2e4222f1de03_5humvyu4s.pdf. (This page can be found by going to his official website, clicking on the "People" tab, "LGBT", and then "Comparisons of Obama and McCain on LGBT issues" under "Resources".)

He doesn't think it should up to the people! I guess in my heart I really do believe that people and states should be able to speak out about what is acceptable to them, and that one person should not be able to take away our ability to say, "no, that's not okay, and that's not the kind of world I want for my children."

In addition, factcheck.org reports a somewhat different story of Obama and his vote against the Infant Protection Act in Illinois, than the one that Obama told last night. http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/obama_and_infanticide.html

I do believe that Obama would be a better, more natural, more charismatic, more articulate leader, but maybe that's even more dangerous if he's leading in the opposite direction than I want to go. That's where I am right now. There are my two cents. Feel free to enlighten me further in any direction.

Feeling "Wicked"

Oh, my cousin Heidi inspired me and I've just blown buku bucks so that T & I can go see "Wicked"! As T says, we've got to do what we can to keep the economy afloat. But I'm just excited to go! I've been thinking about it for years and now that the nearby show is closing in January, I just can't put it off anymore. Plus now that Carrie's here I have someone who will watch my kiddos!So it will be an early Happy Birthday to me, and I'm sure I'll tell you all about it. I'm not going til mid-November, but we've got front row center seats on the balcony. Those should be good--right?

Politically Speaking

I've been wanting to draft a political blog post to get everyone's thoughts since the VP debate, but I've been too confused and unmotivated (especially after the last debate which was pretty much, "Vote for me because the other guy's a lying loser."). So I never actually wrote anything. But then I get tickets to Wicked and can't wait to blurt the news. So much for being a "contemplating" mama. Whatever.

The way I see it politically:
Yes, every media outlet is biased in one direction or another. My plan was to listen to the debates and then go to factcheck.org afterwards. That's pretty helpful--except when it's not. But here's what I've gathered in my little mind.

Pros for McCain/Palin:
Pro-life
More likely to support traditional family & choose judges who will too
More likely to be fiscally responsible, although factcheck.org analysts believe both candidates are proposing more than they can fund without deficit spending.
More likely to end the war in Iraq responsibly

Pros for Obama/Biden:
More likely to help with funding for college educations
More likely to help with better health care coverage
More likely to support and promote alternative energy sources
More likely to tackle the Taliban in Afganistan

Cons for McCain/Palin:
Their health insurance plan is completely inadequate.
They lack specific plans in other areas.
Republicans have done a lousy job the last 8 years and continuing in that vein makes me ill.
They lie.

Cons for Obama/Biden:
They have plans for every aspect of our lives and how they can stick their fingers into it.
They are excessively pro-choice.
They lie.

I don't mean to sound cynical, but I know I do. I really DO want to figure out who to vote for and I really DON'T know what to do. My last 2 votes I voted strictly on the pro-life/traditional family issue, and frankly I don't think we're any better off in those areas than we were before. AND I also think we're way worse off in almost every other aspect. I feel like I need to extend my decision beyond those issues.

Any help out there? Please, I really do welcome any ideas into this forum. What are your thoughts right now and which direction are you headed? (Yes, I know at least 97% of my readers are Republican, but I'd like to know WHY you are voting the way you are.) THANKS!

Ireland Adventure, Part 2, Counties Kerry, Cork and back to Co. Clare

NOTE: Please participate in my Irish Centered Quiz this week--it's at the right!

DAY5: Well, the luck o' the Irish wasn't with us today. We called the boater to make sure the trip to Skellig Michael was a go, and it was! (Our original plan was to go the day before, but weather made it impossible.) So we hurriedly ate our breakfast, checked out, got cash from the ATM, headed out the wrong side of town, quickly turned around and got going the right way towards Portmagee. We knew time was going to be tight, but we were confident things would work out. And then we got behind an over sized truck going only half the speed limit. Why not pass him, you say? Well if you've been to Ireland, you know why not. Because except for the rare dual-carriageway (I totally thought Tom and Jackie were calling them Jewel-carriageways), the roads are so tight! There are no shoulders and often the roads are truly only passable for one vehicle at a time. For example, every time a car was approaching this over sized truck from the opposite direction, they slowed to a complete stop and drove into the side bushes to avoid being taken out by this guy. So we were stuck. FINALLY the truck turned off and we gunned it as fast as we could. The clock was ticking but we were making excellent time. And we pulled onto the dock of Portmagee at 11:02...just in time to see them shove off into the water. I've got to give credit to my husband, who chased them, yelling all the way down the pier. But no cigar. I was disappointed to the point of tears. This was the ONE thing that T had really wanted to do. To be so close, and then not have it happen. And then to find out that 12 boats had taken off between 10-11am! Why did our guidebook only tell us about the last one?

Our plans were ruined, but sometimes spontaneity brings rewards too. I let T call the plans for the entire day, and he suggested we take a hike to a lookout point towards the Skelligs. We had a picnic up there and it was absolutely gorgeous...some of the best cliff scenes we'd seen.

I looked at the sheep and cattle grazing with this kind of view and thought, "You don't know how lucky you are. You could be in Nebraska."

It's funny because we spent so much time in the country, I kept smelling odors that made me want to check my shoes. Also, the sheep all have different colors painted on them. My first theory was to save time; this wool will all become blue sweaters. Then T almost ran over a few escaped sheep hanging in the roads, so we thought maybe the colors are to make them more eye-catching. I'm sure it's just the same as branding, but I like our theories better.

And speaking of smells, I really wish there was some way to document them. I really grew to love the sweet smoky smell of burning peat turf bricks. Mmmm.

Some of my favorite sights were of the endangered Irish older man. I love the caps they wear and their jackets or sweaters. I'm afraid they are a dying breed.

The second part of our spontaneous day was to get off and hike near the Gap of Dunloe and we continued around the Ring of Kerry. Wow. Wow. Wow. Breathtaking. T swears this is where the JRR Tolkien's books take place; the water is so black.

And then we ended our spontaneous day by eating at the best restaurant of our vacation, as we drove to Cork for the night. So, it ended up being a fine day, although I am disappointed about missing Skellig Michael.


DAY 6: We visited the famed Blarney Castle today!

Isn't it austere?

T and I each kissed the Blarney Stone, although my smootch was not properly documented:

But I have a question: did people used to LICK the Blarney Stone? I didn't want to ask before I kissed it, but some of the historical quotes say "lick" not "kiss". UGH. And Maggie, I'm now ready to hear the stories you were hinting at before. I didn't want to lose my stomach before I kissed it. And I'm still waiting for the gift to take root.

The Rock Close around the Blarney Castle was truly a magical place. There is the Witch's Rock--can you see why it's called that?

Apparently she gets locked in the rock all day, but can come out at night. Scary! The rest of the day was spent wandering around Cork--the odoriferous English Market, University of County Cork, and Fitzgerald Park. I guess after all the amazing natural and historical sights, modern city sights didn't strike us as very photo worthy (Sorry Roisin!)

DAY 7: Our final day was spent back near Shannon Airport, in County Clare, at a place called Bunratty Castle and Folk Park. By now I am ready to go home. It's been fun but I miss my kiddos and I really miss my bed! Make a note: Orthopedic mattresses = hard as a board and mighty uncomfortable.

This Castle was the only one we'd seen that was actually furnished. Of course not the original furnishings, it was supposed to be furnished in period pieces. I saw at least one anachronism, but I'll assume the rest was accurate. The coolest part about this castle was that it was an important one for my progenitors--the O'Briens!! They were one of the main ruling families 1000 years ago. When my dad told me we were descended from Brian Boru, the first High King of Ireland, I remember telling my grade school peers that I could have been a princess in Ireland. It seems I got the gift of Blarney a long time ago. Is this the throne I would have sat on?

Hope you don't have a problem with vertigo going up and down the tower steps:

The rest of the Folk Park was kind of like an Irish Village Nauvoo--with furnished homes and working shops. It was pretty cool though. We did bump into some Irish dancers there:

Oh, wait the real Irish dancers were at the Traditional Irish Night that we went to that evening. The food was only adequate for the price, but there's something about Irish music and the quickness of the Irish dancing feet that accelerates my heart and makes me so excited! If you are like me, here's some footage (no pun intended):