Dear California Supreme Court

Dear California Supreme Court,

It's only a few hours now until you kids decide on whether to uphold Proposition 8 and honor - or invalidate - the 18,000 marriages that happened last year when same-gender marriage was legal for a few months.

I've been following this pretty closely and have tried to educate myself on the entire proposition system and the intricacies of the arguments placed before you on my birthday - March 5th - when we challenged the popular vote from November. Well, as much as one can who never studied law but instead got a degree in watching old movies and playing with video cameras.

I know it's complicated, but I'd like to point out one thing - if you keep the ban on gay marriage, what message will that send to Californians about equal rights? If you uphold the ban, that means we are not equal. We are less than. When that message hits the television sets, blogs and newspapers...what essentially are you telling people about us? What are you teaching children with this message? Do you realize you will reaffirm bigotry and hatred and fear? You can double talk your way around it, but this is all still discrimination.

Think about the message. A ban is a pretty serious thing. BAN... it even sounds harsh. We're banned from getting married - a right every citizen has.

You know, sometimes I like to cruise around youtube and watch cute little videos made by lgbt youth (like the one below). When I see their adorable faces, bright smiles... I think, wow, what wonderful, beautiful people. Why would anyone want to hate them? Discriminate against them. Tell them this country is not their's. Then I think, wow...we've come a long way and isn't it great how LGBT teenagers now can be out? I mean seriously - all you from my generation, do ya remember pretending to be straight? Dating in high school just to cover? Thinking only going to some dark, scanky gay bar was the only place you could be accepted?

Supreme Court, sweeties, darlings, pussycats....why would you tell them they are not equal? Why would you tell their classmates they are not equal? Why would you send this message?

Anyway, just a thought. I hope you make the right choice. Considering the way things are heating up on the east coast with legalized marriage, and Obama's promise to overturn DOMA and Don't Ask, Don't Tell... you will surely be sitting on the wrong side of history maybe even during your own lifetime.

Thanks for listening. Oh, and if you decide on hate and discrimination, my reaction to you is best said by this video:


This video was made to try to empower young lgbt folks in battling homophobia and discrimination. Its message is to encourage kids who are bullied to not internalize their pain, or fall into self-hate, or even commit suicide, but instead to stand proud and brush off any hate directed at us.

After all, God bless the child who has his own.

Warm Regards,

JD