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October 13, 2008
NO ON PROP 8
I must speak out with my own words about this critical proposition. If passed, it will amend our
State Constitution to actually take the right to marry away from a specific group of citizens.
These citizens
pay personal taxes, property taxes, own businesses and pay those taxes. They are from all economic levels, all education levels,
all cultures, and all races.
Many support religions or spiritual traditions of their choice. Others support
human rights, youth, elderly care, world poverty, and many other non-profit organizations. Some are mothers or fathers.
All are someone's daughter, son; Someone's aunt, uncle, sister, brother, or cousin.
Why are some of
our population so afraid of these ordinary citizens? Why are they spending so many millions of dollars to deny the legal
contract of marriage to these citizens?
They tell you untruths like, "Churches will be sued and lose
their tax exempt status". The truth is - the same laws and the United States Constitution that protects the tax
exempt status of religious organizations will prevent that. If these citizens want their right to marry protected, then they
must also honor the right of "Religious Freedom" and "Separation of Church and State" and accept that
there will be many religious denominations that cannot perform a wedding for these citizens because of their doctrine.
All of the Religious Entities will continue to have that RIGHT.
However, these religious denominations
DO NOT have the right to prevent any citizen of California from obtaining a State Marriage License and having a legal
contract performed to document that they are a married couple and therefore, have all of the legal rights and responsibilities
that the state stipulates in the marriage contract.
The same Constitution that declares, "Separation of Church
and State" must protect all the citizens of the United States and of California from being oppressed, controlled,
excluded, or condemned by the belief and doctrine of any religious denomination or organization.
What
if the citizens whom this article refers to were a member of your family? The fact is, they are!
What if the next
amendment that Fear wants to pass would take away your right to own property because you were not born in the US? What
if the next amendment that Fear wants to pass would take away your right to home school your children because you are
not a member of any religious organization? What if the next amendment that Fear wants to pass would take away your
right to drive simply because you were over age 75 or under age 30?
It could continue in this manner, please
don't let the unreasonable fear of some dictate the legal and civil rights of all our citizens.
Please,
Vote NO on Prop 8!! Not only to protect the rights of these citizens, but to protect your own civil rights.
CALIFORNIA CONSTITUTION:
ARTICLE 1 DECLARATION OF
RIGHTS SECTION 1. All people are by nature free and independent and have inalienable rights.
Among these are enjoying and defending life and liberty, acquiring, possessing, and protecting property, and pursuing and
obtaining safety, happiness, and privacy.
SEC. 4. Free exercise and enjoyment of religion
without discrimination or preference are guaranteed. This liberty of conscience does not excuse acts that are licentious or
inconsistent with the peace or safety of the State. The Legislature shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.
A person is not incompetent to be a witness or juror because of his or her opinions on religious beliefs.
9:42 am pdt
October 6, 2008
Values and Integrity
Our values reflect our integrity and the depth of our integrity creates our
values. Both are subject to change, I know both have changed for me as my personal relationship with God grows stronger. Some years ago, I was just coming through a difficult period, the end of a relationship
that presented me with huge opportunities for growth. I could have floundered and sank into defeat and self-criticism, but
I was able to allow myself to receive help from a certified Life coach. What she began with was having me identify the
Standards of integrity that I wanted to have and the qualities that I needed to work on to be able to live those standards.
These are what I chose and they have been with me ever since. On my desk, in my
wallet, in my mind, in my very being. QUALITIES: Loving, Courageous, Faithful, Open, Supportive, Truthful, Inspiring,
Confident – and when we work on Qualities, we create our Standards of Integrity: - To be a loving person in all
my relationships.
- To be a supportive ally in all my relationships.
- To be a courageous, inspiring,
celebrated author.
- To be truthful & resilient in all my actions.
- To be a confident & joyful Minister.
I first had to apply
those qualities to myself – I had to love me more in order to be loving in all my relationships. Believe it or not,
a children’s cartoon came to mind as a sort of role model. Popeye may conjure up an image of a pipe smoking sailor man
who eats spinach, but Popeye also gives a message of helping the underdog, of being proud of what he does and who he is. Here
are a couple of verses from the theme song of the 1984 movie. Hold in mind that good grammar is not the message here. "You don't
have to be no fish to tell when you're flounderin' What am
I? Some kind of barnacles on the dinghy of life? I ain't no doctors
but I knows when I'm losin' me patiensk What am I? Some kind
of judge, or a lawyers? Aw, maybe not; but I knows what laws suits
me So what am I? I ain't no physciscisk, but I knows what matters What am I? I'm Popeye, the sailor And I gots a lot of muskle and I only gots one eye And I
never hurts nobodys and I'll never tell a lie Tops to me bottoms
and me bottoms to me top And that's the way it is 'till the
day that I drop What am I? I yam what I yam!" What I get from Popeye is that he loves himself – even the aspects of himself
that may seem like defects to others – like having only one eye or lacking higher education. And to truly love ourselves,
we have look at our whole self to see the holiness within us and to become aware of what qualities we want to improve upon. “Kitchen Table Wisdom” by Rachel Naomi Remen was also an inspiration
. In it she passes on a parable about 3 stonecutters written by Roberto Assagioli, an Italian psychiatrist. "Three stonecutters
who were all working on building a cathedral in the 14th century. An interviewer asks the 1st stonecutter what
he is doing. “I am cutting stones into blocks, a foot by a foot by 3/4 of a foot.” And in frustration he describes
a life in which he has done this over and over, and will continue to do it the rest of his life. The 2nd stonecutter is doing the same work, cutting stones into blocks,
a foot by a foot by 3/4 of a foot. He replies to the question with warmth. “I am earning a living for my beloved family,
through this work my children have clothing and food to grow strong and my wife and I have a modest home filled with love.” But it is the 3rd stonecutter whose response gives us pause. In a joyous
voice he replies, “It is my wonderful privilege to participate in building this great cathedral. Building it strong
so that it will stand as a holy lighthouse for a thousand years.” This parable helped me to look at my work from a new and higher perspective and I began to think how I could be more
ethical in that work. How I could be more caring of my employer and co-workers.
One more source of inspiration came when I was urged (no, impelled) to watch the video “The Dream Giver”
- by Bruce Wilkinson: From it I was finally convinced to step out of my comfort zone. From these and many other sources,
the message my Higher Power and my Soul were sending me, became more and more clear. I no longer wanted to do work that caused
me frustration and emptiness? I wanted to be doing the work that my Soul desired. I could no longer be afraid to give up the
safe and secure job and the safe and familiar community.
- To be loving to others, I had to learn
to be loving to myself.
- To be supportive of others, I had to first
be supportive of myself.
- To write and publish “My Journey
with Cala” took honesty, confidence and courage. I may never be famous, but I celebrate being an author each time I
learn that this book has inspired or helped someone.
- To be truthful
with others I had to become true to myself, true to my Soul.
- To
be resilient, I have to continually forgive myself, as I forgive others.
To be a confident and joyful Minister,
I must know that even one person will be helped by my words, my writings or my actions.
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