To createpersonalstorieshighlightingrelevant social and political issuesfacing California residents.Although my primary medium is video I will also be b...
I spoke with a couple of high school students making phone calls for Barack Obama and Joe Biden in downtown Oakland. I asked them what local propositions they were either for or against.
Both felt very strongly that proposition 4 and 8 would take away rights and make it more difficult for teens to get adequate health care. They both agreed that these issues along with health care and the environment were reasons that they were supporting Obama even thought they couldn't vote
Proposition 4 requires parental notification for teens receiving reproductive health services. Many argue that this will discourage teens from making responsible choices and getting appropriate health care, especially in cases of rape or incest.
As many of you know proposition 8 will remove the right for same sex couples to wed in California. Opponents to this bill say that for the first time the constitution will be used to strip rights away rather than expand rights.
These two issues are laughable. If a teen was undergoing any other kind of major surgery or receiving any other kind of healthcare for something other than pregnancy issues, then we would have no problem with parents being in on the decision. Underagers aren't even allowed to vote. So why should they be making these kinds of very important and life changing decisions without the assistance and guidance of their parents? This is a no-brainer. We have strict laws regarding teens getting behind the wheel of a car. Why wouldn't we have strict laws regarding these same hormone engorged pre-adults when the issue is of even more magnitude?
As for Issue 8, marriage is a religious institution, period. If there is no God, there is no marriage. And if He made it, then we have to abide by the principles He set forth regarding it. Don't like it? Tough. Go get a civil union. That's a man-made endeavor, and is limitless. If homosexuals want to live outside of the parameters set forth by Yahweh, then they can't live in an institution made by Him.
This project was established with the undeniable belief that young people do have power and voice. We are here to try and help in any way that we can to make sure that there voice gets heard.
I understand that you do not believe that young people have the ability to make decisions regarding their bodies and what kind of country they would like to live in. I disagree!
It also sounds like you have some religious beliefs that are based on inequality. For this very reason, In the USA, we have a consitutional seperation of church and state.