Show Itzhak Perlman and his daughter the respect they deserve.

Vote No on Prop 8.



Itzhak is someone who my Mormon mom introduced me to during my early teens.

Yes, he even plays small Ozark venues like Drury College in Springfield, MO.

Because passing on our musical traditions doesn't happen without warm bodies like Itzhak and Mom who've devoted their lives to keeping the music alive for the next generation.

Whether it's Dvořák or the Declaration of Independence, such sources of inspiration remain vital only insofar as we remain capable of bringing the printed notes or the written principles to life. Classical musicians understand this. Teachers understand this. Activists understand this. And some of us were even lucky enough to have parents who understood this.

The Mormon Church can spend its entire fortune trying to get Prop 8 passed, but it will never change these words:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

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Freedom of Religion



And if you're still a Prop 8 supporter, I'd invite you to consider the views of the clergy presented in the videos below and then ask yourself how you square Prop 8 with respecting their religious freedom?

Perhaps you feel that your religious beliefs trump theirs because yours is the one true religion? If so, it's certainly within your rights as an American to feel that way. But, if you then decide to start making laws that apply to everybody else in the country and base these laws on your religious beliefs, that's a big problem for those of us who don't share your religion.

Thankfully, this is America, a country blessed with founders who showed us the way around the problem of your and my different religious beliefs: let people decide for themselves which church they'd like to join (and which to marry them or bury them) and leave government out of it; and let churches set their own criteria for membership (or for who they'll marry or bury), thereby keeping government out of the church's business as well.

And since this is America, what do the Mormons and the Evangelicals and the Catholics (aka "The Church of Yes on Eight of Latter-day Saints") think they're doing pushing a proposition that bars churches from deciding for themselves whom to marry?

Why is it only "The Church of Yes on Eight of Latter-day Saints" that gets to decide who qualifies for marriage?

And even if "The Church of Yes on Eight of Latter-day Saints" proudly touts its fancy new "mainstream" definition of marriage, what makes them think government should be required to adopt it? And let's be honest here, it's pretty sad watching "The Church of Yes on Eight of Latter-day Saints" pretend that its Mormon, Evangelical and Catholic branches all suddenly agree on what "marriage" means. I mean, if it's all about defending "traditional" marriage, then why is the Mormon branch, in particular, asking its members to now set aside their traditional views on marriage in favor of a newfangled ecumenical view? Sacrificing one's religious beliefs in exchange for political gain seems like the opposite of traditional to me.

Apparently, "The Church of Yes on Eight of Latter-day Saints" is hoping that by pushing its new triple-stamped harmonized definition of marriage, it'll never ever have to share it with the gays.

If so, how very fearful of them, because I can't remember the last time "The Church of Yes on Eight of Latter-day Saints" was forced to marry a gay couple. Come to think of it, I can't remember the first time either.

Because it's never happened. This is America, you sad and frightened fools.

What a bunch of "whited sepulchers" the religious leaders behind Prop 8 have proven themselves to be.

“Millions of innocent men, women, and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burned, tortured, fined, and imprisoned, yet we have not advanced one inch toward uniformity. What has been the effect of coercion? To make one half of the world fools and the other half hypocrites.”

-- Thomas Jefferson