Here is one to think about...Propostion 4

The members of an ideal family are loving, have open communication and respect one another. It is a sad truth that not all families experience this ideal relationship within their families. In the United States alone, there were 4.1 million cases of family violence reported and were subject of criminal investigation. About six million children experience some kind of abuse or neglect in this country. These statistics are startling.

For the third time in four years, Proposition 4 is a ballot measure which would put some teens in danger. Proposition 4 would require parental notification 48 hours in advance of a teenage girl terminating a pregnancy. Parents of course are concerned with the lives of their teenagers. Most teens do go to their parents when challenged with an unintentional pregnancy. The no on prop 4 website could not have said it any better. “But in the real world, parental notification laws don't work. No law can mandate family communication.”

How does prop 4 put girls in danger? Well, in family abuse cases, a teen in this situation may experience more abuse from her parents. Additionally, some girls, in trying to avoid their parents being notified, may choose to self-terminate a pregnancy, which would endanger their health, OR they may try to seek an abortion from another place. Some may seek out illegal “back-alley” abortions. Some may go across the border into Mexico or attempt suicide. Some girls may suffer life-threatening injuries from an illegal abortion or perhaps die.

I am a parent of a teenager. My husband and I have a very close and loving relationship with her. If she were ever in a situation where she felt she needed to terminate a pregnancy, it would be our biggest hope that she would come to us to discuss her options. Do I agree with abortion? Well, I personally would never have one unless it was the case of health or rape. BUT that is my CHOICE. Every woman should have a choice. However, let’s remember that this measure is about teens, not Row vs. Wade. Abortion is legal. I feel there should be regulations on how people use abortions. It should not be used as a form of birth control. That is irresponsible and is a completely new topic. Maybe next time…

Here is a link to the Prop 4 section of the California Voter Information Guide. I urge you to read all of its components including the title and summary, analysis, arguments and rebuttals and the text of the proposed law. http://www.voterguide.sos.ca.gov/title-sum/prop4-title-sum.htm

Feel free to look at the rest of the propositions on the left side. Read them closely and make an informed decision. You will feel good when you do.

I urge you to look deep into the proposition and vote NO on prop 4!

Murrieta City Council Election

I’m sure you’ve seen the abundance of signs in town promoting Randon Lane for a seat on Murrieta’s city council. Many of them state something to the effect of Murrieta Police and Fire Department support Randon Lane 2008. His website states this as well. The problem is that the city or any city department is not allowed to endorse a candidate. The police and firefighter UNIONS do endorse Lane, which is permissible. Some feel that Lane is trying to deceive voters, but he states that this is not his campaign’s intent. He also said that he would correct the error immediately. Other candidates have become annoyed by the falsification and felt it was intentional. The Press Enterprise claims that Lane was previously entangled in a different blunder that related to the endorsements.


This information was released via the Press Enterprise on Thursday, October 23. I visited Lane’s website this morning and saw that he did not make an immediate change to the front page of his website. However, his list of the endorsements on the endorsement page states he is supported by the Murrieta Police Officers Association and the Murrieta Firefighters Association.


My view:


Well, I’m not so sure that I am offended by the misrepresentation on Lane’s signs, whether intentional or not. Prior to reading this article, I fully supported Lane and was sure to vote for him. I found it interesting, but I can perhaps overlook the issue. I guess you could say I'm a little on the fence here, but leaning more towards Randon Lane's side of the fence.


One of the big problems that I have with the City of Murrieta is the fact that nothing is ever done to beautify this city. The attempts I have seen are pretty sad. Think of the three I15 freeway offramps that lead into our city: Clinton Keith, California Oaks, and Murrieta Hot Springs. The offramps are dirty, filled with trash and have a lack of appealing landscape. Our city looks no different than your average truck stop while traveling across the country. Randon Lane is the only candidate that I have seen that has anything to say about this issue. This excerpt taken from his website gives his view of the look of our city:

“Over the years, the initial vision of a beautiful Murrieta has somehow been
lost. I intend to re-focus our energy on creating a community that our
residents are proud of, a community that uses sustainable landscaping practices
and plans for tree-lined and landscaped streets, parks and open spaces. We
can no longer accept the excuse that “this is the best we can do”. Rather,
we will work on new, creative solutions, and then implement those solutions, to
make our City the beautiful place it can be.”

Our other alternatives are Paul Clay, David Landriscina, Douglas McAllister, Emilia Rychener, and Warnie Enochs. Incumbents Doug McAllister and Warnie Enochs are both trying to hold on to their council seats. I am not so sure that they should keep their seats. My community tried to get the council to help us with an extreme traffic problem in our area. I don’t see that these two did anything for us. I don’t think that I will give either of these two one of my two votes. I’m still in the process of researching the other three, but I like Emilia Rychener’s take. I found this comment in the PE regarding her impression of the current council, “"They're not speaking for the people of Murrieta.” Isn’t that what this should be about? Speaking for the people…

References:
http://www.pe.com/localnews/murrieta/stories/PE_News_Local_S_sendorse24.4408fbc.html

http://www.lane2008.com/

http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_S_smurelect14.45a3c83.html

Look for my blog in the next few days in regards to California’s Proposition 4.

Until Next Time…

Does Same Sex Marriage Lead to Polygamy? I Don't Think So...

The number of people involved in a marriage contract is two. You commit to one person, and that person commits entirely to you. The number chosen isn't random. Its origin is based on human nature.

Polygamy thrived in male-dominated societies. The freedoms women did have were scarce. They could not obtain a higher education or vocational training. If they did, it was dependent upon men and their consent. Poor distribution of wealth permitted some men to attain quite a few wives while others had none.

In contemporary societies, women have equivalent access to higher education, economic autonomy and social status. This is separate from the standing or wealth of her husband. It would be difficult to picture many women in the today’s society being willing to welcome other wives into the picture or even on their own accord being a second, third or perhaps a fourth wife.

Additionally, women who have left polygamous households portray them as rampant with preferential treatment, contention and domestic abuse. It is difficult to picture a contemporary, cultured woman with an education becoming involved in this type of situation.
Same-sex marriage permits more people to take pleasure in the enjoyment and benefits of marriage. On the other hand, polygamy is detrimental as it deprives some people of these same benefits. The foundation for supporting same-sex marriage does not suggest support for polygamy and is quite the opposite.


No on 8 event in Pershing Square in Downtown LA November 2nd.
Facebook event at http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=logo#/event.php?eid=30461524900
Craigslist ad is here: http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/eve/888698291.html

Official Google Blog: Our position on California's No on 8 campaign

Official Google Blog: Our position on California's No on 8 campaign

Become an INFORMED voter...

Good morning, all! This weekend I ran in the 2008 Race for the Cure. It felt good to participate in such an important and healthy event. The benefits are numerous. You are donating to a very worthy cause which is to eradicate breast cancer. You are getting fresh air, connecting with the community and getting some exercise. This is a fabulous opportunity.

After spending so much time around others and having conversations with many different kinds of people in the community this weekend, I can't help but notice the amount of misinformed voters there are out there. I am sure that this is the case in my town of Murrieta and in many many communities out there. I was amazed of the amount of people that are basing many of their votes on political commercials. It is not difficult to see that these commercials are extremely biased. It is your responsibility as a voter to become informed before making your decisions. The good news is that it's not too late to beat this thing called ignorance.

Every household receives a voter information guide. READ IT.
Here are some tips on using the guide as well as other sources:

1. Read the ACTUAL proposition. Do not just read the arguments for and against the proposition or the quick reference guide, because these can also be misleading. (I'll add more on this later in the post) If you need to use a highlighter to highlight particular points that are important to you, then do it.

2. Read the sections on the background, the proposal and the fiscal effects. These are non-biased.

3. Be careful when reading the arguments and rebuttals. Watch out for deceptive words and phrases such as "could be required" or "may require". Keep your mind open and try not to read things from an emotional perspective. Try to decipher the facts from the opinions. This is the same for any source that you find on the Internet in regards to political candidates, propositions, etc. Many written arguments try the hardest to appeal to the emotional part of your brain. Keep this in mind.

Other things to remember...if, for example, you find something referring to an educational code, etc. Look that code up. It is not biased.

Now that you have those things in mind. I have some more thought on California's Proposition 8. This is one of my passions in this election.

-Read Prop 8. I will make it easy for you. It is so short, here it is.

This initiative measure is submitted to the
people in accordance with the provisions of Article II, Section 8 of the
California Constitution.
This initiative measure expressly amends the
California Constitution by adding a section thereto; therefore, new provisions
proposed to be added are printed in italic type to indicate that they
are new.
SECTION 1. Title
This measure shall be known and may be cited
as the "California Marriage Protection Act."
SECTION 2. Section 7.5 is added
to Article I of the California Constitution, to read:
Sec. 7.5 Only
marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in
California

Supporters of Prop 8 say that this will affect our schools. They say that in accordance to education code 51890, that this law MAY require teachers to instruct children as young as Kindergartners about marriage. Here is this code they refer to:

51890. (a) For the purposes of this chapter, "comprehensive health
education
programs" are defined as all educational programs offered
in kindergarten
and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, in the public school
system, including
in-class and out-of-class activities designed to
ensure that:
(1) Pupils
will receive instruction to aid them in making
decisions in matters of
personal, family, and community health, to
include the following subjects:
(A) The use of health care services and products.
(B) Mental and
emotional health and development.
(C) Drug use and misuse, including the
misuse of tobacco and
alcohol.
(D) Family health and child development,
including the legal and
financial aspects and responsibilities of marriage and parenthood.
(E) Oral health, vision, and
hearing.
(F) Nutrition, which may include related topics such as obesity
and diabetes.
(G) Exercise, rest, and posture.
(H) Diseases and
disorders, including sickle cell anemia and
related genetic diseases and
disorders.
(I) Environmental health and safety.
(J) Community health.
(2) To the maximum extent possible, the instruction in health is
structured to provide comprehensive education in health that includes
all the subjects in paragraph (1).
(3) The community actively
participates in the teaching of health
including classroom participation by
practicing professional health
and safety personnel in the community.
(4) Pupils gain appreciation for the importance and value of
lifelong
health and the need for each individual to take
responsibility for his or
her own health.
(5) School districts may voluntarily provide pupils with
instruction on preventative health care, including obesity and
diabetes
prevention through nutrition education.
(b) Health care professionals,
health care service plans, health
care providers, and other entities
participating in a voluntary
initiative with a school district may not
market their services when
undertaking activities related to the initiative.
For purposes of
this subdivision, "marketing" is defined as making a
communication
about a product or service that is intended to encourage
recipients
of the communication to purchase or use the product or service.
Health care or health education information provided in a brochure or
pamphlet that contains the logo or name of a health care service
plan or
health care organization is not considered marketing if
provided in
coordination with the voluntary initiative. The
marketing prohibitions
contained in this subdivision do not apply to
outreach, application
assistance, and enrollment activities relating
to federal, state, or county
sponsored health care insurance programs
that are conducted by health care
professionals, health care service
plans, health care providers, and other
entities if the activities
are conducted in compliance with the statutory,
regulatory, and
programmatic guidelines applicable to those programs.

I have highlighted the word marriage in this code. So what? Teachers must teach about family health and child development, including the legal and
financial aspects and responsibilities of marriage and parenthood.

Same sex marriage is allowed in California right now. The education code has not changed. In addition, a section of the Code supporters neglect to reference is code 51914, which specifically prohibits arbitrary changes to the comprehensive health education program without extensive input and review:

51914. No plan shall be approved by the State Board of Education unless it
determines that the plan was developed with the active cooperation of parents,
community, and teachers, in all stages of planning, approval, and implementation
of the plan.

Here is my opinion:
People are who they are. It is not the place of the government to tell people who they can love and who they can commit to. It is not your place either. Do not impose your religious beliefs on others. In America, we have the freedom of religion. Keep that in mind. If you are straight, same sex marriage does not apply to you. Why take someones right away? If your religion prohibits same sex marriage, teach that to your children. That is your choice. But, still, teach your children acceptance and tolerance. It is not up to you to judge others. I could go on and on.

Be informed on all the propositions and all the candidates. Do not take your position because of a television commercial. That is ignorant. If you choose to do that, you should be ashamed and embarrassed. Do not take your right to vote for granted. It is your responsibility to educate yourself on the issues. Do it! Start today.

My opening thoughts...

Well, where to begin. First I will start with my morning. It was mid morning and I called the democratic headquarters in my city of Murrieta. I asked if they had any Obama yard signs. I wanted to display my support for Obama for many reasons.

One, I think he is the best candidate and his views match what I feel this nation needs.

Two, I cannot believe the lack of support in my town. Everywhere I go, I see McCain signs; they are in yards, on cars, etc. After watching last night's debate, I oppose him even more. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure he is a really nice guy. He is just not the guy I choose for the job at hand.

So back to my morning....

I enter the democratic headquarters to pick up the signs. There were only two left. The office was filled with various signs. Up against the wall was a stack of No on 8 signs. If you live in California, you know about Proposition 8. A yes on 8 vote will only make marriage between a man and a woman legal. I am not gay. Nobody in my family is gay. But here is the deal. Why is the government getting so involved in the personal lives of our citizens? Here is a comment I made to another blog:

"Okay so what is with these people being concerned that gay marriage is taught in schools. As a former 1st grade teacher and a wife of a teacher, we both know that this will not be the case. Supporters of prop 8 say that teachers will be mandated to teach about gay marriage. What are they talking about? Math, science, and literacy are the core subjects that are taught in the classroom because of all of the testing that is required of our schools. California Teachers are in support of voting NO on prop 8 because they know the truth. I hope people choose, as my husband and I have, to raise their children as tolerant and peaceful individuals. What if you couldn't marry the one you love? How insulting. Government is too involved in our citizen's personal lives. And by the way, how is this about "selfish sexual perversion?" Give me a break. I have taught children as young as four and I have seen certain children grow up to be gay. I knew they would be when they were young. Did they choose a life of discrimination? No, this is WHO they are. It is not about choices. This is about LOVE not about SEX. I agree VOTE NO ON 8!"

And to add to that it is about EQUALITY. So I got my signs and I can't wait to display them. I am against the norm in this town and proud of it.

I met a gay man this morning. We began talking about Prop 8 and he said that he and his partner want to get married but are holding off for the fear that their marriage would be overturned. Tears began to well up in my eyes as emotions overtook me. What if my marriage to my husband was overturned? I can't imagine how this feels to the man I met today and to the many others who have made the lifelong commitment of marriage to their partners since it became legal in California.

Needless to say I am passionate about this election and changing the direction that our country has taken.

Vote for change. Vote for Barack Obama. Vote NO on prop 8.