The divisive right-wing politics has begun again in California. A new proposition has been cleared to circulate among the voters, one which would not only re-pass the gay marriage ban by amending the state constitution, but also repeal all rights and responsibilities of the state's existing domestic partnership program.
I was involved in the fight to oppose the original ban, which was known as Proposition 22 and passed in 2000. I know how ugly the fight was; in addition to all the ugly rhetoric exchanged between the two sides, I also saw clearly that the Latinos and other immigrant groups, that the gays and other progressives counted on for support, backstabbed them and went to bed with their worst enemy, the late State Senator "Pete" Knight, the author of Proposition 22. I never knew California could be such a "red," hateful place, but it turned out to be. Even the normally progressive Los Angeles County voted for this hateful excuse of a measure thanks to its huge immigrant population, who tend to be socially conservative (after all, homosexuality is still a crime in many of their home countries).
The fight starts all over again. The good news is that Californians support the domestic partnership system, at least on paper. (Though I do think it should be expanded to all straights, not just straights over 62.) But that's not enough for me to rest on the laurels while the enemies keep arming and recruiting. I will fight to make sure that this proposition never makes it on the ballot, and if it does make it, make sure that it never passes. I will, in particular, frame this not only as war against gays, but war against singles as well, to make sure that as many sympathetic straights will agree with me as possible.
If I cannot block the passage of this hateful measure, I will declare WAR on the immigrant communities, and will vote for ANY measure hurting them, in return. If they can screw me over, I can screw them over too.
