nov 16 san francisco in front of lds church protest

In the aftermath of the recent election, we may find ourselves oddly on the defensive regarding our support for the Yes on Proposition 8 cause. Our young people have been especially subject to mean spirited comments by high school friends and teachers. We have nothing to be ashamed of. We did nothing wrong. In fact, we did everything that a civic minded American can and should do. I have put together a few facts that help me to appreciate our position better. For example:

Mormons make up less than 2% of the population of California. There are approximately 800,000 LDS out of a total population of approximately 34 million.

Mormon voters were less than 5% of the yes vote. If one estimates that 250,000 LDS are registered voters (the rest being children), then LDS voters made up 4.6% of the Yes vote and 2.4% of the total Proposition 8 vote.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) donated no money to the Yes on 8 campaign. Individual members of the Church were encouraged to support the Yes on 8 efforts and, exercising their constitutional right to free speech, donated whatever they felt like donating.

The No on 8 campaign raised more money than the Yes on 8 campaign. Unofficial estimates put No on 8 at $38 million and Yes on 8 at $32 million, making it the most expensive non-presidential election in the country.

Advertising messages for the Yes on 8 campaign are based on case law and real-life situations. The No on 8 supporters have insisted that the Yes on 8 messaging is based on lies. Every Yes on 8 claim is supported.

The majority of our friends and neighbors voted Yes on 8. Los Angeles County voted in favor of Yes on 8. Ventura County voted in favor of Yes on 8.

African Americans overwhelmingly supported Yes on 8. Exit polls show that 70% of Black voters chose Yes on 8. This was interesting because the majority of these voters voted for President-elect Obama. No on 8 supporters had assumed that Obama voters would vote No on 8.

The majority of Latino voters voted Yes on 8. Exit polls show that the majority of Latinos supported Yes on 8 and cited religious beliefs (assumed to be primarily Catholic).

The Yes on 8 coalition was a broad spectrum of religious organizations. Catholics, Evangelicals, Protestants, Orthodox Jews, Muslims - all supported Yes on 8. It is estimated that there are 10 million Catholics and 10 million Protestants in California. Mormons were a tiny fraction of the population represented by Yes on 8 coalition members.

Not all Mormons voted in favor of Proposition 8. Our faith accords that each person be allowed to choose for him or her self. Church leaders have asked members to treat other members with "civility, respect and love," despite their differing views.

The Church did not violate the principal of separation of church and state. This principle is derived from the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, which reads, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof . . ." The phrase "separation of church and state", which does not appear in the Constitution itself, is generally traced to an 1802 letter by Thomas Jefferson, although it has since been quoted in several opinions handed down by the United States Supreme Court in recent years. The LDS Church is under no obligation to refrain from participating in the political process, to the extent permitted by law. U.S. election law is very clear that Churches may not endorse candidates, but may support issues. The Church as always been very careful on this matter and occasionally (not often) chooses to support causes that it feels to be of a moral nature.

Supporters of Proposition 8 did exactly what the Constitution provides for all citizens: they exercised their First Amendment rights to speak out on an issue that concerned them, make contributions to a cause that they support, and then vote in the regular electoral process. For the most part, this seems to have been done in an open, fair, and civil way. Opponents of 8 have accused supporters of being bigots, liars, and worse. The fact is, we simply did what Americans do - we spoke up, we campaigned, and we voted.




Hold your heads up high - you did a great job on this most important cause. We will have more opportunities in the future to participate in our democratic process. Let's remember the lessons learned and do an even better job next time.

These are my personal opinions and thoughts; any errors are mine and in no way reflect official Church policy or doctrine.




Thanks,

Kevin Hamilton

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[frenchamericantv]

voting that the definition of marriage is between a man and a woman is not discrimination. Its confirming what its in all the dictionaries of the world. check out your dictionary. the definition of a circle is different than the definition of a square. its not discrimination. its a fact that they are different.

[johnPhilos]

Mormons are less than 2% of the population, and they are largely responsible for writing discrimination into the state's constitution, because most of the money came from them, as well as the organizing. The church used its phone banks in Idaho and Utah to influence the California vote. In the Mormon temple members make an oath to give all their money and even life to the mormon church when called upon. The church told members to give to H8, and they did. Some donated their kids college funds.

[frenchamericantv]

In-State Donations, Out-of-State Donations, Total dona

For Proposition 8$25,388,955 $10,733,582$36,122,538

Against Proposition 8$26,464,589$11,968,285$38,432­,873

Totals$51,853,544$22,701,867$7­4,555,411

Source: Tracking the money, Los Angeles Times

No on 8 raised more money from out of state than yes on 8

No on 8 used all their ressources to request donations.

[leothehobo]

Yawn wow 30 people. this thing is fading fast. Now gay people can go back to what they do best cuting hair and hosting crapy talk shows.

[ryryrien]

get your gays out of california!! ahaha. get your gays out of california!!!! ahahah. religion has nothing to do with prop 8 nigguh! ahah

[RCSVirginia]

It is pitiful that Mormons are trying to deny human rights to other Americans. As a non-Christian religion--Mormons have the Book of Mormon, as Muslims have the Koran--they would be one of the groups that would be subjected to discrimination if America were to be a right-wing, Christian theocracy.

[MIS315]

@jackgchamp well, lets hope you currently have the same attitude now that the bill for ssm passed in NY!

[MIS315]

@frenchamericantv the lds church is a tax-exempt organization, it is illegal for them to have aided in the campaign in the first place. They should be taxed.

[Ettoredipugnar]

In a cold ,objective scientific ,Godless Darwinian experiment. 100 gay and lesbians couples if put on seperate islands 100 nautical miles apart in 100 yrs would disapear. their exsitance is unnatural in the natural world.

[boanerges144]

I'm supposed to take these clowns seriously? This perversion of all that is natural is looking to be accepted by those of us who love the opposite sex. They want us to accept their deathstyle and if you don't there is something wrong with YOU! Well you can stick it up your ass like you do everything else.

[H3dph0wn5]

haha silly fagget get your facts right XD how many of the california poulation is mormon? and it still passed by 12% and trust, california is not 50% mormon soooo if your gunna bitch about it, bitch to the other percentage of california that voted against you ass jamming fuck tards X]

[iamsonny]

All these contentions stir up so much hatrad towards religious believes. But having forgot that some constitutions are inspiried by religious ideas and practices. If you look at any american one dollar note we can a line clearly printed, "In God We Trust.". Some of the Abrahem Lincon's speach have qouted "God" a number of times. Even Presidant Obama was once a preacher, who don't condole LGBT practices.

[idaman12345]

@frenchamericantv mormon cult is based on hate and lies

[sapphiremami]

ummm...just curious. where in the bible does it state that same sex marriage is of God and has been since the beginning of time. just curious. lemme know, ey???

LOL @your chants though. heeeella bootsy! hahahahaha