Prop 8 Protests in Los Angeles

<----My Family a few years ago. Full of Love and Happiness.

I knew my people in Los Angeles wouldnt let me down, lol. I'm watching the news right now (something I NEVER do, more on that in a minute), and there are thousands of protesters marching through North Hollywood and downtown LA. I dont agree with the few people who have gotten violent and fought with police, thus obviously, being arrested. However, I'm proud that no one's just backing down after all of this. I had two blog comments today that stood out to me and said a lot.

The first was "I won't give up, but I'm tired of defining my family as a "gay" family instead of just a family. Why can't they see that?"

The second was "bah! a family is a family is a family."

So. It all breaks down to that. We're not Gay familys. We're not Lesbian familys. We're just FAMILYS.

People fight for their familys. Why would we be any different? We're not, and I'm very proud of that right now.

So, the news. I've watched more news over the past two weeks then I have since I was 21. Ah hem, umm, I'm 37, so it's been a while. The reason for this is that when you're in law enforcement, especially when I was with LAPD, you live the news pretty much every day. So, when you go home, you just dont want to see anymore misery or sadness. I watched a lot of comedy :)

I'm really proud of the blog community, friends of ours, both gay and straight, who are so supportive of equal rights. No matter what the vote says, my Family, is loved.

A little more Hope

SF City Attorney To File Legal Challenge To Prop 8
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ― The San Francisco City Attorney's office says he plans to challenge the validity of a ballot measure that would change the state constitution to ban gay marriage.

Spokesman Matt Dorsey says City Attorney Dennis Herrera will file the legal challenge in the California Supreme Court if the measure passes.

With 95 percent of precincts reporting, Proposition 8 is leading with 52 percent of the vote. But there are still as many as 3 million ballots left to be counted.

The first lesbian couple to be married in Los Angeles County after the Supreme Court threw out the gay marriage ban also plans to announce a lawsuit against Proposition 8. Attorney Gloria Allred says that lawsuit will argue that the measure is unconstitutional.
(© 2008 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Some Hope Rope to hang on to...

For everyone out there who feels almost like this is a day or mourning for Gay and Lesbian Familys, I thought that I would post the letter that is currently on the front page of the No on 8 website. There is still hope.



Nov 05, 2008
Results Status
Roughly 400,000 votes separate yes from no on Prop 8 – out of 10 million votes tallied.

Based on turnout estimates reported yesterday, we expect that there are more than 3 million and possibly as many as 4 million absentee and provisional ballots yet to be counted.

Given that fundamental rights are at stake, we must wait to hear from the Secretary of State tomorrow how many votes are yet to be counted as well as where they are from.

It is clearly a very close election and we monitored the results all evening and this morning.

As of this point, the election is too close to call.

Because Prop 8 involves the sensitive matter of individual rights, we believe it is important to wait until we receive further information about the outcome.

Geoff Kors
Executive Committee NO on Prop 8

Kate KendellExecutive Committee
NO on Prop 8

Broken Hearted Joy

Can someone tell us how we're supposed to feel right now? I'm just wondering. What a wonderful, terrible, split of emotions. How thrilled are we, that we now have a president like Obama? VERY. Over the top. And we helped make that happen. A part of history. This amazing man, this family man, is going to change our nation and bring some honesty back to the dirtiest job in the world; politics.

But now, you're telling us that an ignorant, bigoted portion of California, has the right to tell us that our family, isnt a family anymore? I'm stunned. I read that comment, by a Yes on 8 supporter this morning. "They arent really families, so now, they're not legally families either, what a great victory for our campaign". They allowed this person to make this statement. Even with my level of consciousness, I felt deeply stung by such a hateful comment.

And did you know that Los Angeles County voted FOR Prop 8?? I lived there for years and it's one of the most liberal places around. We're crushed. I cant say that we're not hopeful for the future, but right now, I feel like my heart is broken.

Prop 2 passed. This is very good news. I still feel torn though. Everything wonderful feels selfishly muted by the losing of our rights, and the fact that they have been allowed to take them from us. From the 16,000 homosexual couples in the state of California who are at this moment, still legally married. We wont be victims, but it doesnt stop the crushing heartbreak.

Thank you America! One down, one to go.....

How happy are all of us????? Thank GOODNESS!!! WOOO HOOO!!! Now that we have the right president, we need California to come through. More later....

I Voted

YAYYYYY!!! I voted this morning. The bonus to this, was that my polling place was only a couple of blocks from our house, so it was plausible for me to do it on my own, and, can I say, even though it was cold as heck, the fresh air felt better then almost anything. I'm back at home and in bed, but it was a nice moment. I feel like I've missed out on so much the past six months that this was a huge deal for me, lol.

People thought that I was crazy for getting in line, when I could have mailed my ballot in, but I just wanted to be there. It felt really important. When I got there, I was fourth in line. Within 20 minutes, no kidding, there were 50 people. I took a video with my cell phone to send to Jen. By the time I voted and left, there was a line around the block. I was surprised at how quiet everyone was for the first 20 minutes or so. I wasnt surprised that no one was really saying what or who they were voting for. Then, I was surprised again, when people actually DID start saying who they were voting for, and what.

I didnt hear one person within ear shot of my place in line say that they were voting for McCain, so that was good news. No one was talking about Prop 8, but there were a lot of people talking about their churches trying to sway their votes on certain issues. I kept my mouth shut. I proudly wore my 'I Voted' sticker home and will put it in Addison's baby book.

If (when) Obama wins the presidency, what a bittersweet moment, losing his beloved family member. I thought that it was endearing though, that she was still able to cast her vote for him in late September, so she was still able to contribute to him and his endeavor. Amazing times we're living in everyone. Amazing times. Ok, dont laugh, but I'm exhausted, so I'm going to lay down. Have a great day all!

!!ELECTION DAY 2008!!

HAPPY ELECTION DAY PEOPLE! :) Get out there and vote!

Vote 2008!!!!!!

It's Election DAY!!! (well, almost) I'm going to sleep soon, but I figured that while I was up, and since it's almost tomorrow, that I'd do a quick blog about the BIG DAY. Plus, as tired as I am right now, I'm REALLY excited to vote. Get out and vote people. This is by far, the most important election of our time. If you live in California, Vote NO on Prop 8 and YES on Prop 2. Let my marriage stand, and let me continue to eat my organic food :)

A lot of people, and the Yes on 8 campaign, preach that Domestic Partner benefits are EQUAL to that of marriage benefits. Just so anyone reading this knows, they are NOT. Not even close as a matter of fact. Once we received our official marriage license, we went to change our retirement beneficiary information to reflect the legal marriage. The person taking care of us made this statement:

"Oh great! You got your marriage certificate. That's really good because with just a domestic partnership, either of your families could contest one or the other of you from getting the others retirement benefits in the event of one of yours passing. You also wouldnt get any of the interest accrued on those retirement accounts. With your marriage certificate, you get everything and no one can contest anything".

So, tell me again, how my domestic partnership offers my family and I the same protections as YOUR marriage? Although now, it's MY marriage as well. If for no other reason, vote NO on 8 because discrimination in any form, is wrong.

I'm a little biased on Prop 2 because I feel that everything should be unprocessed and organic, lol. So, I may not be the best person to have an unbiased opinion about it. However, I find it funny that their ads keep talking about if Prop 2 passes, that we'll be paying more for eggs that are shipped in from Mexico. I did quite a bit of research and havent found one place in Mexico where eggs are coming from. I could definitely be wrong, but I seriously doubt that California will be SOOO thrown into turmoil by having to let some chicks run free, that Mexico will be forced to take over our egg industry for us.

If they did, would California voters pass an ammendment that would say we have to start calling eggs, organic juevos, or omlettes, juevos rancheros? Can you imagine huge fields of free chickens running across Mexican fields? I love it. Happy Day of Change people.