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MyspaceI would first off like to say that I am 12 years old and not gay but that does not stop me from having an opinion. I also feel strongly about the issue of Prop 8. I have for a long time felt strongly about this matter, because family and friends in my life who are gay are denied the right to marry.
Has it ever been told to you by a 12-year-old how stupid and idiotic it is that someone be mistreated so badly that there are rallies everywhere for it to be changed? You might be thinking, “Well, what in the heck can a 12-year-old girl do to stop this?” or “Why in the world is she writing this?” But I know that what I do can possibly help all those poor men and women who are being told, “You aren’t allowed to love anyone because you love a girl and you are a girl!” It is totally stupid.
It is bad that this is even having to be brought up by a 12-year-old. I understand more than you would expect. My wonderful friends who are inspiring (not pressuring or telling) me to write this have taught me so much, along with my family. Something I’ve learned is that you can’t just sit back and let it slide, you have to stand up, take charge, and fight for what you believe in and this is something I believe in.
Like I once read on a picket fence made by a man who had wedding plans until you guys came in and told him it wasn’t OK: “If marriage is so sacred, why don’t you ban divorce?” Well, what a concept, let’s do that too. Let’s just make it as difficult as possible for me to grow up and marry the person I love.
It infuriates me even talking about how badly treated all the wonderful people are. Also, do you want your children to not love? I hope you will take to heart what this young, determined girl has just written to you.-G. Hernandez
Previous Month
Comments
You go girl! Nicely written. Love that observation about marriage and divorce.
EastBeach (anonymous profile)
December 3, 2009 at 11:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Excellent letter. Great job!
Native1 (anonymous profile)
December 3, 2009 at 4:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Wow. Wisdom beyond her years. May just be hope for the future with young people like that around whose minds and hearts are not filled with bigotry and hatred.
Noletaman (anonymous profile)
December 3, 2009 at 5:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree. I'm straight, but have lots of gay friends.
I cannot imagine living my life having to turn on the television and see crowds of people that HATE me, hate how I live and what I do. And to hear candidates running for office standing behind what is little more than ignorant bigotry.
This country has a long way to go.
Defenseman13 (anonymous profile)
December 4, 2009 at 12:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm Married, Straight and Anti-8 and I applaud your wisdom as well as your willingness to stand up for your beliefs!
elaz (anonymous profile)
December 4, 2009 at 4:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Without going into the endless arguments on the issue of gay rights and marriage. Knowing that endless and long winded postings are coming with the back and forth comments on how evil and intolerant we are. This is democracy in action. We disagreed....you lost. Simple as that. Try, try again. Daniel Petry
jcrdan (anonymous profile)
December 5, 2009 at 11:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Daniel, I love that logic, but I'm here to tell you it's flawed. Don't worry, it won't be long-winded or endless:
Democratic voting results still doesn't make abject prejudice right.
Native1 (anonymous profile)
December 6, 2009 at 8:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Without going into the endless arguments on the issue of gay rights and marriage.
"Democratic voting results still doesn't make abject prejudice right." I totally agree....but not the way you would like. Daniel Petry
jcrdan (anonymous profile)
December 6, 2009 at 11:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Thank you G. Hernandez for speaking up!
Anyone who wants to "Rescue Marriage" should go here >>> http://rescuemarriage.org/mailing-lists/
Sign up as a signature gatherer. Needed are 700K California registered voter signatures to put this voter initiative to BAN DIVORCE in California on the ballot. We must "Rescue Marriage!" Whether you like it or not, this initiative will be on the ballot this coming March but I urge everyone to sign up at the provided link above and become a signature gatherer, ensuring this grass-roots effort can "Rescue Marriage" this coming March! This is the perfect season for this "Rescue Marriage" kick off campaign. So please make your loved ones aware of this upcoming effort to "Rescue Marriage" at your holiday gatherings and festive dining venues. Then this coming March I enthusiastically urge everyone to vote YES to "Rescue Marriage!"
DonMcDermott (anonymous profile)
December 7, 2009 at 8:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
" ... So please make your loved ones aware of this upcoming effort to "Rescue Marriage" at your holiday gatherings and festive dining venues ..."
--DonMcDermott
Fertile ground for any Hollywood screenwriter!
For an interesting look at marriage in America, check out Johns Hopkins sociologist Andrew Cherlin's "The Marriage-Go-Round":
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASI...
Interestingly, Protestant Evangelicals are strong opponents of same-sex marriage yet their divorce rates are as high as, or higher, than average Americans (according to the Barna Research Group, http://www.barna.org/):
http://www.time.com/time/nation/artic...
Cherlin examines reasons for this dichotomy here:
http://www.alternet.org/belief/142626...
So given that Evangelicals as a group are no better at marriage than the rest of us, its ironic some of them would be supporting a ban on divorce.
Some observers believe the ban on divorce to be nothing more than an exercise in guilt-relief among Evangelicals who don't believe the proposal has a chance of passing. Others believe the ban is being advocated by a core group of the "very religious" (as described by Cherlin).
Returning to same-sex marriage, there is hope in our younger generations! As mentioned in the Time article:
" ...The ever-active Barna folks have found that 57% of "born-again" Christians age 16-29 criticize their own church for being "anti-homosexual."
EastBeach (anonymous profile)
December 7, 2009 at 2:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
DonMcDermott, I agree with you and Kudo's to the young writter ahead of her time.
All of these so-called Marriage Lovers who want to keep gay's from marriage should put their loyalty where their mouth is and vote to BAN DIVORCE.
Now in reallity, we know they will vote NO on banning something they supposively believe in so they can continue to marry and divorce at will but deny gay people from that same right.
Here in Virginia, Gay's are banned from marriage but that doesn't stop the STR8's from marry and divorcing at will or every other year. I am looking into producing the same act here in Virginia to push the subject between the hypocrits and the believers and see where it all goes.
dou4now (anonymous profile)
January 1, 2010 at 1:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)