Dad Here -
Friends,
A few of my thoughts on the events of the past week surrounding Proposition 8 in California.
So let me make sure I understand what's going on... All those who are upset with Prop 8 passing in California have decided that the best thing to do is to pick on the Mormons? Hmmmm, so one marginalized group decides that the best way to go and vent their outrage is to do it against another marginalized group in society? Unbelievable.
I think it's important to remember that less than 2% of the state of California is LDS and nearly 31% is Roman Catholic; both faiths opposed the proposition. Furthermore, nearly all Evangelical Faiths opposed the proposition, but let's get down to the facts. Exit Polls are difficult monsters to extrapolate data from, but according to Exit Polls there were two decisive differences in Prop 8's passage.
First, 70% of black voters supported it. There were approximately 10,357,002 votes cast on Prop 8. The winning margin was 492,830 votes. Blacks made up close to 10% of the electorate, so that would mean there were close to 1,035,700 votes cast by black voters. That right there provided a difference of nearly 414,820 votes. If math is correct, that is 84% of the winning margin. The Washington Post stated that a majority of Hispanic voters also supported Proposition 8.
Second, another group that strongly supported Prop 8 appears to be married people with children under the age of 18. Married people comprised nearly 62% of the vote and voted 60-40 in favor of Prop 8. People with children under the age of 18 were 40% of the electorate and voted 64-36 n favor. 31% identified themselves as "Married with Children" (don't know if they were minor children) and they voted 68-32 in support.
If protestors want to vent their rage and spew their vitriol maybe they should go over to the local black church and call them "bigots." Or, better yet, go over to a local gathering of Hispanic mothers and chant, "Shame on you!" But then again, that wouldn't be very politically correct, would it? I mean, who's going to stick up for the Mormons? Oh yea I forgot, all those out of state Mormon Bigots that are so powerful that they put Mitt Romney into the White House this year, of course!
This behavior is shameless and sickening. I understand if they are frustrated, for I would be frustrated if by using my democratic right my proposition hadn't passed (twice), but scapegoating Mormons simply because it is MORE politically correct to single them out over any other group is disgraceful. More could be said on getting out the vote, the real definition of tax exempt status, accountability, the millions of dollars not spent by Hollywood and celebrities, the right of citizens, democracy and how we voice opinions; but at the end of the day it really comes down to the following: Situational tolerance, as demonstrated by opponents to Prop 8, is the worst kind. In fact, it's called something that most opponents of Prop 8 vehemently oppose... discrimination.
works cited:
http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/polls/#val=CA101p2
http:/www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/06/AR2008110603880.html
IMPORTANT NOTE: many thoughts above have been taken from multiple sources to express my personal opinions and frustrations.
