Dear Californians: a final plea against prop 8

I would like to take a moment, and ask you to reflect on why you love California, and why you live here. For me, it's the weather, amazing coastline, great people, crazy characters, majestic mountains, and world-class eateries, in no particular order.

And it is also because there really is no one "California." We aren't like other states. We never have been.

We are a motley crue of wily loony liberals here in San Francisco, and posh conservative label whores in orange county. We are shepherds and ranchers in the eastern sierra, farmers in the central valley, and deadlocked hippies up in the lost coast. We are bankers, lawyers, n'er do wells, authors, actors, and food critics.

And yet somehow we all get along. It's as if, by being born here, you have signed a tacit agreement of "live and let live." Because, if we didn't have that, we would have collapsed a long time ago in a war between surfers, hikers, dirt bike enthusiasts, and snowboarders. If anything, it is our diversity that has kept us strong. Whether it's the shipyards and movie business in southern california, the technology in the Silicon Valley, or whatever it is we do here in San Francisco, we have all taken turns and continue to contribute to what would be the 9th largest economy in the world.

And we lead the nation in trying new shit out, whether it be environmental standards, school vouchers, or ideas of good governance.

So, fellow Californians, I ask of you, is there anything less "Californian" than writing in prejudice to our constitution? Regardless of how you feel about the GLBT community in general, or even same sex marriage in particular, do you really want our constitution to single out a historically discriminated group and specifically deny them the right to sanctify their relationship before the state (not the church, mind you) so that they can just be together like any couple wants to be together?

Think about it. I don't think you do.