Chris Walker Vs. Proposition 2
Photo from Daylife.com
I’ve heard a lot of people talking about California’s Proposition 8, even in Reno where we can’t vote on it. I’ve read about the significant financial contributions made. I’ve seen the celebrity videos urging Californians to “vote no”. It’s quite a big deal. And rightly so, I presume. Proposition 8 is the ballot initiative to eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry in the state of California. The proposition has the potential to affect a lot of people’s lives (and their health benefits). If I were a California resident I would undoubtedly vote NO on Proposition 8, supporting all individuals right to marry whomever they chose.
Personally, I think we’ll all look back on “gay issues” fifty years from now the same way we view civil rights for African Americans. (Civil rights are on-going but it’s not like a black person is worth three-fourths of a vote anymore, or drinking from a separate water fountain.) One day we’ll all look back and say, Of course homosexuals should have been treated as equals to heterosexuals. They should’ve been allowed to get married all along. And kind of how you’ve got to remind your senile great-grandmother it’s not okay to say “the n-word”, our great grand-children will have to remind us it’s not okay to call things “gay” or call people “faggots”.
What I’m getting at is I think Americans are spending so much time worrying about gay marriage they may not realize there are equally important matters going on. For instance, Californians, you have the opportunity to significantly change how animals that become our food and make our food are treated. I’m referring to Proposititon 2 which considers the confinement of farm animals. California, if you vote YES on Proposition 2 you will be putting into effect an initiative that “Requires that calves raised for veal, egg-laying hens and pregnant pigs be confined only in ways that allow these animals to lie down, stand up, fully extend their limbs and turn around freely,” according to the California General Election website. Do you realize how important that is? On top of the aforementioned, passing the initiative would do away with battery cages, cages which house up to eight or so hens for roughly ninety-five percent of their lives, a living condition which is epitome of animal cruelty. You have the opportunity to improve the living conditions of the animals that become our food. (These are practices organic farmers have already implemented, by the way.)
Proposition 2 is an incredibly significant issue. Call me naive but I think if you, Californians, all vote YES on Proposition 2, as powerful and influential as your state is, you will cause a domino effect and over time all states will in turn do the same. It’s mind-blowing, the power you hold in your hands this coming Tuesday.
EDUCATE YOURSELF:
Posted: October 30th, 2008 | Author: Chris Walker | Filed under: Food, Voting | 9 Comments »