Prop 8 rebound: banning divorce in California?

October 26, 9:29 AMBirmingham Gay Community ExaminerJoe Openshaw

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In California last year opponents to marriage equality approved Proposition 8 which took away the rights of Californians to marry one another in a civil ceremony.  In doing so, religion and government were united as biblical beliefs (and Mormon and right wing Christian money) were used to overturn government policy.

The Bible also speaks harshly about divorce, and now an effort is underway to make divorce illegal in California.  The state has given the green light to an initiative to do so, and signature gathering has begun for the 2010 California Marriage Protection Act.

The ballot measure reads:

ELIMINATES THE LAW ALLOWING MARRIED COUPLES TO DIVORCE. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT. Changes the California Constitution to eliminate the ability of married couples to get divorced in California. Preserves the ability of married couples to seek an annulment. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Savings to the state of up to hundreds of millions of dollars annually for support of the court system due to the elimination of divorce proceedings.

The measure uses the same arguments used against same sex marriage:

It protects traditional marriage.  Divorce is the number one threat to marriage, and by outlawing divorce, traditional marriages will be preserved.

It protects children.  Children are exposed to divorce in schools, and this makes them think that divorce is OK.

The group promoting banning divorce has 150 days to gather 694,354 signatures to get the measure on the 2010 ballot.

Two public service announcements explain the importance.  "Every divorce starts with the death of a traditional marriage."  PSA #1

PSA #2.  You said, "Till death do us part.  You're not dead yet!"

For more information:  Rescue Marriage