If you have friends in California

On Tuesday, Californians will vote on Proposition 8, which will define marriage as between a man and a woman. Here are a few of the reasons I feel a need to vote yes and stand up for traditional marriage:

In Massachusetts, where gay marriage is legal, a Christian adoption agency went out of business to avoid being forced to place a baby with a gay couple.

In Arizona, a wedding photographer was sued and paid $7000 in legal fees for refusing out of personal conviction to photograph a gay reception.

In Massachusetts, a second-grade girl came home from school and told her mother she had learned she could marry a girl. When the parents asked why they weren’t offered the opportunity to “opt out” of such teaching, they were told that the school was not even required to inform them of occasions when gay marriage would be taught.

Eight years ago, the people of California voted to define marriage as between a man and a woman. Last year, four San Francisco-based judges overturned the voice of the people. Since that time, the California legislature has voted to remove all gender-specific language (i.e. father/mother, husband/wife) from California textbooks. And just last month, a first-grade class in California was taken on a school-sponsored field trip to a Lesbian wedding.

My father leads a Christian congregation in California, and he has been warned that if this measure fails he and our church could face legal action for refusing to perform gay marriages.

This is a path we cannot afford to take.

The same language we approved eight years ago is back on the ballot in California, but this time as a constitutional amendment, to safeguard the traditional definition of marriage as between a man and a woman. If you are a Californian, please make it out to the polls on Tuesday to vote yes on Proposition 8. If you are out of state but have like-minded friends in California, please make a quick phone call or forward them this email.

Thank you, and God bless.

Sarah Familia