Jan 26 2008 great episode

Dear Governor Schwarzenegger -

I'm still haunted by the images in the Let California Ring commercial "Garden Wedding." In this thirty second ad, church bells ring as a bride prepares for her big day. The door sticks, cars block her path to the wedding pavilion, low-hanging branches foil her veil, then on her way down the aisle when she just makes eye contact with her groom, somebody sticks out their foot and she trips and falls. The message covers the screen: "what if you couldn't marry the person you love?"

As a gay dad in a Domestic Partnership, I feel like this bride in a nightmare: so close to the altar, yet constantly foiled from marrying the person I love by things completely out of my control. Like when you chose to veto AB 43, the bill that would have let me marry the person that I love. That was really mean.

Strong families and individual choice are the cornerstone of California's economy and your political party. I just want the government to support my choice to form and keep strong families through marriage.

Yours,

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[signab43]

When you propose "domestic partnership" for some people and "marriage" for others, it makes me sad because it seems like you're missing the point. Marriage is a contract between two people, and a contract with society that they will take care of each other so society doesn't have to.

Pets, minors and more than two people can't form that contract. And if it walks like marriage and quacks like marriage, we ought to call it marriage and get on with other things, like the war or Gov. Palin's kids.

[1keegansdad]

How is that marriage? There are people who really are "in love" with their pets and want to marry them is that marriage? How far should we push this? Do you have boys? I bet you they end up gay as well

[signab43]

Thanks, tghetto5. We are married, and we do love our kids a lot. I look at Britney Spears and the awful stuff that is going on in families all the time and can't understand why our society is distracted by beating up on the people who are actually trying to be better husbands and fathers.

[signab43]

maybe gays & lesbians should have their special way of proving devotion to their partner and call it marriage, which it is.

"Separate but equal" doesn't work very well. If you are serious about the commitment that marriage entails, you shouldn't block people who want to make that commitment!

[furbarrydimepiece]

that commercial was sad

[1keegansdad]

But like that Ghetto kid said Marriage is between man and women, Maybe gays/lesbians should make up their own special way of proving devotion to their partner and call it something other then marriage, but still have all the legal rights of a straight couple.And just because people are taking marrige less and less serious nowadays dosent mean we should just give up on how sacred marrige used to be.I belive one day the divorce rate will lower

[tghetto5]

I guess you are right...Youre kids do deserve to have parents who are married...It dosent matter that youre gay...you guys could still love those kids as good as straight parents could...I hope one day you will get to marry your husband...for the sake of your kids...piece out gay homie

[signab43]

I appreciate your point of view, tghetto5, however I disagree with your assertion that this is some sort of 'contest' that is going to be 'won' by one side and 'lost' by another. Everybody wins when people make and keep the commitment of marriage - gay and straight.

My husband and I conceived twins using a surrogate. They are genetically related to us and both of our names are on the birth certificate. We made babies, and they are ours. Don't they deserve to have parents who are married?

[signab43]

And I agree with you too. But Moms can be tough and Dads can be nurturing too.

I believe - and I think you'll agree - that kids need love more than anything.

Same-sex couples don't have children by accident; they don't have abortions; they don't get married for the wrong reasons; and they don't have children through resentment.

They are in many ways more perfect than man-on-woman couples.

If you are going for the "perfect environment" then for God's sake, ban Britney Spears, and not me.

[1keegansdad]

I agree with Tghetto5 I couldnt imagine raising my son with another man, I think a growing boy needs the foster of a male and a female in order to have the happiest life. My son loves to ride bikes and play football with me, but he also loves to be nurished and cared for by his mother.Moms share a special bond with their kids that kids need, especially little boys.I couldnt imagine having two dads as a kid, it would have been weird at best