I am a mom of twins and had this information passed along to me from a friend of mine who is also a mom of twins living in CA. I think we all know that as soon as the CA Supreme Court decision came down, the anti-same-sex-marriage peeps were mobilizing. Here's an opportunity for us to counter their voices opposing equal rights in marriage.
First, what you can do: the information forwarded to me.
The California Supreme court decision on gay marriage is in jeopardy. The right-wingers are hoping that in November the voters will amend the Constitution, making the court's decision meaningless.
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger recently promised a group of Log Cabin Republicans that he would NOT support a constitutional amendment. Not surprisingly, his office is receiving large numbers of phone calls from the supporters of "Limits on Marriage" (the constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage in California). We don't want him to go back on his word. He must hear from us too.
The calling system is automated and you will not talk to anyone. With each choice, you don’t have to listen to everything the recorded voice says; just hit the buttons to interrupt, and the system will move you on to the next step. [note: I just called and I didn't find this to be the case, YMMV.]
To tell Gov. Schwarzenegger that you support of the Supreme Court's decision on LGBT marriage:
Call 1-916-445-2841; press 1 [for English], [note: or otherwise indicate your language preference]
5 [for HOT issues],
1 [for Supreme Court Marriage decision,
1 [for "yes" to support (or 2 for "no")]
After you've done this, send it on to all supporters you know.
It couldn't be easier to vote... it doesn't matter whether you are in or out of state, or whether you are a citizen and registered to vote... please take 15 seconds right now to do it!
Just some personal perspective on this to fill out the diary a little (this is my first so feel free to point out any breaches in protocol). First and foremost, of course, this is about equality plain and simple. I do feel particularly vested in this issue, though, for a few additional reasons. As a mom of twins, I know many other twin parents though online communities geared to parenting multiples. Several of these are parents in same-sex marriages / relationships. It alternatively breaks my heart and outrages me that they have to worry about their legal rights and protections as co-parents simply because of who they are. For example, I don't have to worry about my husband losing custody of our kids should something happen to me. If I were to develop a serious medical condition I would not have to add to my worries the possibility that my children might be cut off from their other parent and uprooted from the only home they've known to live with people they may or may not know or like.
It's fundamentally wrong to deny that security to any parent.
Additionally, I am a white girl married to a West Indian. In addition to having had the "good fortune" of being born hetero, I had the additional good fortune of being born in the latter half of the 20th century. I am keenly aware that all the tired and baseless arguments which get trotted out in the name of "protecting marriage" were, not so long ago (in historical terms) used to prevent and break up marriages and families like my own. Knowing that makes these arguments and rationales particularly offensive to me.
Finally, I would be unsurprised if one of my children is gay. They are too young to know now but, call it mother's instinct or what have you, I think it's not unlikely. Whether or not that turns out to be the case, I believe I owe it to my children to do what I can to make the world they grow up in a more tolerant place than the one I grew up in.
If you agree, please make the call and register your support.