My Views on Proposition 8 in CA

I've been listening to many views on this subject and I've never supported such a measure, even in my own state of Nevada. My feelings are that if two people are in love, they should have the right to marry like anyone else. It's sad when religion has to play a role in affecting peoples lives the way it does.

I agree with John Aravosis that the Mormons crossed the lines when they descended upon California from Utah to fund and canvass a state that is not their own (Via Washington Post):

Gay rights activist John Aravosis, whose well-trafficked AmericaBlog.com is urging the boycott, is unapologetic about targeting Utah rather than California, where voters defined marriage in the state Constitution as a heterosexual act.

Utah, Aravosis said, "is a hate state," and on this issue, "at a fundamental level, the Utah Mormons crossed the line. . . . They just took marriage away from 20,000 couples and made their children bastards. You don't do that and get away with it."

The Mormon Church, based in Salt Lake City, encouraged members to work for passage of the ballot measure. Thousands of Mormons worked as grass-roots volunteers and gave tens of millions of dollars to the campaign.

Also, listening to Randi Rhodes about this issue and how easy it is now to change a state constitution with a ballot initiative. To change the US Constitution you need the following to happen under Article V:

The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress; Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate.

It should be just as hard to do with a state constitution. In essence, all of the gay couples who were married were just divorced by the State of California.

But Keith Olbermann said it best on tonight's edition of Countdown: