Ok, I have to admit one of the nice thing about having the "Senator from Arizona" running for President is that we have not been run over by advertising for that particular race ... though I have to say I have been a bit surprised how many TV ads I have seen from Obama... again, not a whole lot... and signs that litter pretty much every corner in town are also fairly devoid of any mention of either Presidential candidate.
But that's not to say, we aren't getting our fair share of political ads... there are plenty of folks running for Congress and other elected offices that are apparently more "in play" in our state... and, of course, there are those darn propositions.
And one in particular, I have found to be particularly annoying and personal. A "Yes" vote on Prop 102 would change the Arizona constitution that marriage would be valid and recognized as only occurring between a man and a woman. This beyond the fact that there is already a state law that says as much (and reminding the public of the fact in wording on this prop was squashed by the Republican Secretary of State)... and that two years ago a very similar proposition was rejected by voters... but even I can not be naive enough to think that was largely thanks to it also including heterosexual domestic partnerships.
This time without it affecting straight folk, there seems to be little momentum or support to oppose it. Having the TV on as background noise for most of the day, I would say TV ads for "yes" outnumber the "no" by easily a 25 to 1 margin (and I might be generous even there) and likewise the signs in support - "Yes on Marriage" (well, maybe to you!!) - are everywhere.
There has been some notable support against it ... Phil Gordon, the mayor of Phoenix (and a Democrat) is against it. I was pleasantly surprised that our hometown paper, The Arizona Republic, came out against it (though before I couldn't stomach it anymore, apparently some conservatives in the State, think the paper is very liberal... that's news to me)... and I even saw an interview with the irrepressible Charles Barkley who said that if gay people want to get married "God bless you" and whoever opposes it are "idiots" (again, just quoting Chuck).
But still I think it will pass... and pass easily... and I wouldn't be surprised if it is the only "Yes" on the crappiest collection of propositions that I have seen on a ballot in some time. Despite its islands of "blue," Arizona is still a pretty conservative state... but heck if California is in a battle with their Prop 8, you can probably see why I am so discouraged about this.
And it was really a kick in the stomach, to see one of neighbors have a "Yes" sign stuck in their front yard... which I imagine is against HOA regulations. I know that I am largely "preaching to the choir" here, so I won't get on my soapbox... but I just want to say to those folks voting "yes" on this proposition that you are on the wrong side of history.
While I certainly have reason to take this personally, this is simply and purely a civil rights issue - and while I am well aware that this issue has serious religious baggage, the rights that are bestowed come when one pays he government for that piece of paper. So I would say to my neighbor that the sign in their yard is the equivalent of saying Asians can't marry each other or Jews can't marry each other or (god forbid) Asians can't marry Jews. I know detractors will go on to say it's all about who has what body part(s)... but I will go on the record that this is something I didn't "chose" to be and add that in talking with my married friends that the relationship that I have been in for 13+ years is not terribly different from theirs at the end of the day.
An political issues post????
Wow! What is the world coming to? ;-)
As for Prop 102, I have no doubt it will pass. It discourages me greatly, but I'm trying not to get too worked up over it.
As for the Arizona Republic, I read recently that the editor is gay: http://www.advocate.com/issue_story_ektid52935.asp
The readers that say the AZ Republic is liberal are probably the same ones who think all media (except Fox News of course) is the "liberal elite."
I'm still waiting to see who they endorse for President. There has been some talk that it is unusual they haven't endorsed McCain yet.
Posted by: Scott K | Saturday, October 25, 2008 at 10:34 AM