The Babies Go Political!

Our time has been filled with elections for the past few weeks. Gabe and Elias can't vote, but that doesn't mean they are left out of the fun!

Hanging out on our "Barack the Vote" Sweatshirts.
Mom says when she gets old and we have to change her diapers, then we can use her for a political billboard for our causes!

Twin families don't have much free time, so this year we decided to focus on the issue we cared most about -- Stopping Proposition 8, a constitutional ban on gay marriage, from passing. We all wore buttons, we did a bunch of research and sent letters (you probably got one), we talked with our friends and neighbors. We even had a "No on 8" picnic outside our local polling place.

Constitutional law never looked so cute!

Sadly, Prop 8 passed by a very small majority in California leaving over 18000 families in limbo. It is unclear whether or not their marriages will continue to be legal. At first, we were so sad and disappointed. It was inspiring to watch Barack Obama's victory speech; we kept wondering why that inspiration and mesage of hope and unity hadn't extended to Prop 8. We felt frustrated and defeated...for about 24 hours.

Then we looked at Gabriel and Elias...and realized that we couldn't roll over and play dead. They deserve a better, kinder, more compassionate society. They and their future spouses deserve to judged by their deeds -- not by their combined genders. They deserve to live in a society that respects love and commitment -- not one that revels in materialism and divorce. They deserve a country where all people are equal under the law. We did not want them to grow up and believe that their parents ignored injustice when they recognized it.

So, the fight isn't over. This weekend we went to downtown Sacramento and participated in a Rally to Overturn Prop 8. As usual, Chris took some awesome photos.

We love this photo because at first glance, it could have been taken 50 years ago during one of many civil rights marches.

This was easily the kindest, most polite and well-mannered protest crowd we have ever been a part of. There were TONS of families -- both gay and straight -- there with their children and grandparents, and pets. The boys were a great hit as usual and enjoyed all the attention. There were some great signs as well. Kathy's favorite read, "I helped elect the first Black President and all I got was this lousy marriage ban." During this same election, a proposition allowing farm animals, notably chickens, to be kept in conditions where they can stand and extend their limbs passed by a huge margin. The irony of an election that gave rights to chickens while taking them from gay and lesbian families was not lost on the crowd. We saw a few signs saying, "Chickens: 1 Gays: 0"

The crowd was estimated at over 3000 people.

We know this won't be our last march or speech against Prop 8. It probably won't be the last time we write about it in the blog. We have determined to live a message of HOPE for all families. After all, when Barak Obama was born, his parents' inter-racial marriage was illegal in at least 16 states. It was a group of "activist judges" who determined that such laws were unconstitutional and did not provide equal protection under the law. That happened in 1967 -- less than a single lifetime ago.

The hope we carry is that we and our children will not only live to see discriminatory laws like Prop 8 overturned, but perhaps also to see the first openly gay President of the United States.