Mud Slinging anyone?

Tomorrow is election day.

Personally, I will be MORE than happy for that day to come. I am tired of the ads on tv, radio, newspaper, mailbox literature. ALL of them feel nasty, especially in the last 10 days.

Why does it always turn to that? Are these candidates hoping to sway voters at the last minute? I guess when there is less than 2 weeks left in voting, I presume most people know who they are voting for, AND have their ballots in, so their vote is counted BEFORE election day.

Anyway, with the vote tomorrow, I thought I would pull out the dusty, trusty, little used of late, soapbox and share my views with you. Scared?

There is a measure on the ballot in good 'ole Washington state, where I reside.  Referendum 74. What is it for you ask? Well, it is to legalize gay marriage here. It is to allow the gay/lesbian community to legally marry, and to have all the same "spousal" rights a man/woman marriage has.

There are some rather interesting views surrounding this issue that I have seen:

The gay and lesbian couples don't understand why we are voting YET AGAIN for almost the same issue, especially since we passed the "Domestic Partnership" legislation a few years ago.

The religious crowd is vehemently against it. Period.

The grandparents and great grandparents that are NOT religious, don't understand it.

Soapbox here we come:

I am FOR R74. 100%. 150% if I could be. I feel so strongly about this, I even volunteered to call for the R74 campaign, to educate voters and ask for their support.

There is an ad on local TV about this issue. It features priests, reverends, pastors, friars, and other members of the religious community showing support for this issue. I LOVE this ad. To me, it embodies the heart of the issue. Acceptance.

Here is what gets me: the religious community is AGAINST R74. What I don't understand is WHY? This legislation says that NO church would have to adopt ANY of the principles in R74. And yet, the people of the faith still reject it.

I guess I don't get it. The church wants you to believe what THEY believe, and accept it as the law of the land. Anyone who doesn't agree is WRONG. WTF?

Who are they to tell me who I can or cant love? I don't tell them they cant believe in God/Buddha/Flying Spaghetti Monster. I don't tell them they cant go to church on Sunday, have a place to worship and practice what they believe. Where do they get off telling me I cant believe what I want to believe? I cant buy in to that EVERYONE believes what is written in the bible is the final word. I wont jump on the bandwagon of hypocrisy.

I don't come in to your church on Sunday and tell you NOT to believe in God. You know what I do? I respect that we may have differing opinions. I respect your CONSTITUTIONAL right to read the bible, to pray, to worship your god. But you cant respect my right to marry who I want? Even though it in NO WAY effects your way of life?

Seriously, am I the only person who sees this?

I certainly hope all of my fellow Washingtonians have already voted. But if you haven't, please support R74. It's a basic human need. To love, and to be loved in return. Don't make it out to be something it's not.