I have been married to my wife for 8 years. We have three beautiful children all our own. We created them on our own. They carry half of my genetic information and half of my wife's genetic information. They all came in the same natural way that has existed for thousands of years. It is good for society that the vast majority of people in the world do intend to grow up and form marriages of their own (I learned that fact in a Sociology class in a liberal University).

A long time ago men and women coined the term "marriage" to describe this union of a man and a woman. I am sure this social construction was primarily created to define a couple's obligations to each other and their natural children. The purpose of this was to have a secure environment to propogate the race and provide a sustainable future for society. Marriage, as an ideal that has been around for millenia, does not lend itself to hasty redefinition. The key point here is that my kids look like me and my wife. No other system can perform this vital function to propogate societies through the generations with such ease and simplicity. It is a UNIQUE and SPECIAL arrangement. Hence the special term "marriage" has great emotional, functional, religious, and historic significance for millions of people.

I would bet that if the gays and lesbians thought up some other word to describe their own UNIQUE unions, recognizing that there are actually some fundamental irrevocable differences between what their union can do compared to mine, many people would be more wiling to agree with them. And yes, I realize that not all traditional marriages bear children, but millions (even billions perhaps) of people on the earth DID come from traditional marriages, so they are pretty damn effective overall.

I understand that both sides have used subtle misrepresentation, as is common in political campaigns. But I would challenge anyone to produce a Yes on 8 campaign ad that depicts gays and lesbians, generally, as violent criminals. It just crosses the line.

I am a Mormon and attend church every week in Utah. I have never, ever been asked to support Prop 8 in writing or in church EVER! I have not donated any money to the cause. It has never even been brought up at church and I sit in the bishopric meetings. I am very greatful to those of all faiths that have risen up to protect marriage. We have shown respect to the gay people and ask them to be respectful to us and stop publishing misleading hateful commercials about us..

Clarification on "Big Wave Dave" who changed his probably no vote to yes as a result of this over-the-top ad: I'm not the Big Wave Dave from the radio--my friends just call me Big Wave Dave cause my name is Dave and I like to surf. Your radio host Big Wave Dave may or may not have voted yes on 8. So, wendallyn, don't lose faith in your Big Wave Dave. He may actually be unhateful and unbigoted (unlike me, apparently).

A few observations on previous comments:

Jimmy says he'll never frequent a Mormon-owned business anymore. I guess he had better not frequent any black-owned businesses either, since they voted for Prop 8 at a ratio of something like 70 to 30.

David notes that Mormons were driven out of the United States years ago, I assume partially for practicing polygamy, which they eventually ceased, perhaps because society thought it was just too abnormal or untraditional. I suppose it's good no one is trying to drive gay folks out of the United States for being gay and wanting gay marriage. It seems that California (and the rest of the country) is saying that you are quite welcome to be gay, except that we don't want you calling a gay union a marriage, as that term is reserved for the union of a man and a woman. That's alot better than being hunted down and run out of the country.

It's quite interesting that there are relatively few Mormons in California, yet they seem to be the only group willing to stand up and take the heat.

Whether you like them or not, you have to admire Mormon missionaries, who take two years of their lives off from school, work, etc. and at their own expense, to attempt to serve the people they interact with each day. Perhaps that is why so many find this ad so offensive, because these Mormon missionaries are genuinely nice guys and gals, even if you happen to think they are misguided.

Finally, it seems to me that any argument against alternative forms of marriage (polygamy, within a family, etc.) could also be used against gay marriage. So either you are for marriage being between one man and one women, or you are for allowing any sort of union of two or more persons. Any attempt to argue that there is a middle ground is hollow and hypocritical.

That's all.

I am a member of the LDS Church and I just wanted to say that the Church does not support or come out against certain laws or propositions and does not allow politics to be discussed from the pulpit or allow political activities in the Church buildings.
Even in the ad they said "members of the Mormon church..." had given money. As a member of the LDS church myself I make decisions based on the true teachings of the Church including this from the "Articles of Faith":
"We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men..."
Unfortunately there are members of the Church that; because the Church does not get involved in politics, have sided with the mainstream Christian right movement without really looking into what these hardliners really believe. The fanatic face of the Christian right does not reflect the core values that we as members of the LDS Church espouse.
Also for the record not a single member has been "kicked out" of the Church for "being gay". All members are held to the same standards: people remove themselves from full membership in the Church by their actions.
Another one for the record I personally know several LDS families with members who identify as gay whose families are not torn apart.

Medical services: A Christian gynecologist at North Coast Women's Care Medical Group in Vista, Calif., refused to give his patient in vitro fertilization treatment because she is in a lesbian relationship, and he claimed that doing so would violate his religious beliefs. (The doctor referred the patient to his partner, who agreed to do the treatment.) The woman sued under the state's civil rights act. The California Supreme Court heard oral arguments in May 2008, and legal experts believe that the woman's right to medical treatment will trump the doctor's religious beliefs. One justice suggested that the doctors take up a different line of business.

How about this headline?

"Mormons Are Persecuted All Over Again in the Land of the Free"

Don't think that Mormons are not used to the type of treatment they received in the ad run this week portraying Mormon missionaries as it did...let's not forget that Mormons were hunted, slaughtered and killed like animals by freedom loving Americans and forced to move men, women and children from state to state until they finally had to move out of United States territory into what is now Utah to find some semblance of peace and protection. All of this while a government looked the other way allowing men, women and children to lose their lives, homes and peaceful existence. It is sad that a group decides to take a stand on something they value as basic and are then labeled bigots, haters and destoyers.

The No on 8 side has the opportunity to work to gain the voice of the people over time...that is the beauty of Democracy. Neither side should be pointing fingers at this point. Hats off to all of the Prop 8 proponents that waged a successful campaign and gained the majority vote of Californians at this point in time. Good luck to both sides in the future and may the voice of the people continue to speak.

Its good to know that bigotry is alive and well today and also socially acceptable...

I forgot the best one:
"Californians Vote to Treat Animals Better Than Homosexuals"

I didn't like the ad, but I am not particularly surprised. Mormons are easy to pick, and therefore easy to portray them in a negative light. Fact is that most of the states that voted on similar measures today voted for marriage in the traditional sense.

And to all the folks that are talking about the other side being filled with "hate" - get a life. Both sides are biased. Gay wants the other side to be tolerant, yet they aren't willing to admit that they are in the minority. The religious community won't say it like they believe it - that it is a sin.

Bottom line - 4 judges over turned the will of the people. That is tyranny in itself. Let the people decide. I have faith in the majority still.

Looks like the Mormons won after all. I am PERSONALLY taking a vow right now to never patronize a business that is run by Mormans. They obviously have enough money to destroy other families in California, they sure as hell don't need mine.
California sure has something to be proud of today. We've just shown the world that we have right to talk to anyone about bigotry - we're the kings right here. And I think I might well have just developed my own first REAL prejudice against another group. They've earned it, though.