Two high school classmates recently expressed their opposition to proposition 8 on Facebook. There are plenty of Soompiers who are voting no on prop 8, or would do so, if they were of age. I am surprised to see as many yes on 8 signs as I do--I would be wary of retaliation by the intolerant tolerant. Of course they see it as a question of justice; driving through Palo Alto and other cities, I see the "No on 8" signs talk about how prop 8 "unfair and wrong." I suppose that it was a wise decision for the opposition campaign not to label the proposition or its supporters as homophobic. Fortunately, if there are any liberals at the 12:00 Mass (and I suspect there are), they did not talk about the proposition, while it and Obama were the topics of conversation for some of the choir members.

Whether the opponents of traditional marriage want to admit it or not, it is ultimately about sex. Their objections to the traditional account based on sterility, the lack of children, are easily answerable--one looks at the other purposes of marriage, the intention of the parties, and also the limits to authority and law (punishing those who deliberately choose not to have children through contraception or sterilization is probably beyond the bounds of law).

I was surprised to see another high school classmate state her support for proposition 8 on FB. I don't really remember her, but since she requested to be added as a friend, I went ahead and approved. With respect to our graduation class, I suspect she and I are among the minority. We were never taught in high school that sex should be between a married man and woman. Isn't 'value-neutral' education wonderful? Look at the results...

I can't but help feel disgust at the school districts and high school of my past, even though I have some fond memories of certain teachers and principals.

Once again I am left wondering why I should waste time with Facebook, adding people as friends when we don't have anything in common except some past experiences. I wouldn't try to persuade anyone from high school that they are wrong to oppose proposition 8. But not all political questions are reducible to money; this is question pertaining to morals as well, and if we don't agree on morals, then what sort of friendship can we have, other than a practical, or commercial one?

The Yes on Prop 8 store is at CafePress. I should see if someone besides the Ratzinger Fan Club has created items there for Benedict XVI.

Edit. 10/30 The Yes on 8 signs there were at the end of the road yesterday are now gone; so are the no on 8 signs a hundred yards away.

California's Proposition 8 Is Indeed a Civil Rights Issue