Thursday 6 November 2008

US Ballot Measures - 2008


The recent US election included the election of state governors, as well as referendum questions. The result were scary in some ways. Already accepted laws were rediscussed (e.g., Banning gay marriage in California, abortion issues), as well as other human rights that transcend religion and should be the purview of the state.

Canadians for Equal Marriage says that there are about 12,000 same-sex married couples since the laws were changed. Trudeau said, in 1967: 'There's no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation' and I agree.

There were many discussions in Canada around the same-sex issue. We became the 4th coClip 1untry in the world to legalize it on July 20, 2005. There was much fear-mongering about repercussions and implications for religious institutions who feared being forced to marry same-sex couples. This has not been found to be an issue. The current Canadian law makes sense; it is a matter of equality and human rights.
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Mr. Harper, when he took power in 2006, tried to open up the issue again, but Parliament voted 123 - 175 to let it be. he campaigned on this issue, and chose to fulfill THIS promise, but failed to look at other issues such as Senate reform. One wonders why.

Some Americans are fighting Proposition 8 in California. It seems a bit bizarre that one day Clip 2someone has such an instrinsic, legal human right and the next day it is determined illegal. Egale.ca offered up an intriguing video clip. It hearkens back to the racism of the past, which determined where black and whites could sit, eat, drink and do their business.

Focus On The Family, a US-based group, has made inroads to Canada and began a $1.5 million ad campaign against equal marriage. It is appalling, to me, that this groups purports to know the definition of a family. When I divorced in 1993 I faced a certain amount of ignorance and was ostracised for 'breaking up my family', despite facing emotional abuse. I thought we were beyond that and that a 'family' was redefined by Free To Be. Free to Be You and Me and Free to Be a Family

Arizona Proposition 102: Ban on Gay Marriage 56% voted in favour.

Arizona Proposition 202:Prohibit Hiring of Illegal Immigrants 59% voted against this.
Arkansas Initiative 1: Ban on Gay Couples Adopting Children 57% said Yes.

California Proposition 8: Ban on Gay Marriage a slim 52% margin wanted the ban.

California Proposition 4: Requiring parent's be informed of Abortion on a minor 52% said no.

Colorado Amendment 46: End Affirmative Action 51% said no.

Colorado Amendment 48: Human Life from Moment of Conception 73% said NO.

Florida Amendment 2: Ban on Gay Marriage 62% said yes.

Maryland Question 2: Allow Video Lottery 59% said yes.

Massachusetts Question 1: Repeal State Income Tax 70% said no.

Michigan Proposition 1: Allow Medical Marijuana 63% yes.

Michigan Proposition 2: Allow Stem Cell Research 53% yes.

Nebraska Initiative 424: End Affirmative Action 58% yes.

South Dakota Initiative 11: Abortion Limits 55% disagreed with this notion. They wanted to prohibit all abortions in the state except in cases where mother's life or health is at risk or in cases of rape or incest for pregnancies of less than 20 weeks.

Washington Initiative 1000: Allow Doctor-Assisted Suicide 59% were in favour.

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