Approve Referendum 71

This blog is all about living your best life and following your dreams.  In order to be able to do that, you have to allow other people the same opportunity to live their best lives and accomplish goals.  You can’t do that when they don’t have the same rights as you.

Referendum 71 was placed on the Washington ballot by a man who doesn’t even live in Washington State.  He became outraged when our legislature passed a domestic partnership bill that allowed the state’s 6000 or so registered couples to care for a critically ill partner, have the same access to partner healthcare that other public sector employees have,  and dozens of other rights that committed heterosexual couples enjoy.

Why anyone would vote against those rights for a committed couple is beyond me.  Giving rights or freedoms to other people does not diminish the rights of the people who already have them.

At this point most people who are against this measure bring up their opposition to gay marriage.  While I am actually supportive of gay marriage (actually, I think all marriages should be civil unions for legal reasons and let couples choose privately if they want to have a religious ceremony or not – one that has no effect on the legal union), the current issue up for vote has nothing to do with gay marriage.  And as a childless by choice woman, don’t even get me started on the “marriage is for procreation” argument.  If you want to go that far, then for all intents and purposes Warren and I are a gay married couple.

I’m a firm believer that what you put out in this world is what comes back to you.  I choose to put out freedom and equality and hope that you do the same.

Thanks for listening my soapbox speech.  I know we don’t get political very often here, but I couldn’t let this go by without comment knowing how it would affect the lives of people I love.  If you are a Washington State voter, I hope you will consider approving Referendum 71 when you fill out your ballot.