Intolerant Tolerance

I've been blessed with the ability to read people fairly well. I can usually understand people's behaviors and motivations. However, I have been stumped lately by certain people. Proposition 8 is a very hot button issue as of late. Personally, I am for voting yes on the measure. For the reason that certain churches will have to pull out of California if it doesn't pass. Ministers, Bishops, Pastor's, and Priest's will be arrested for refusing to marry homosexual couples even though it goes against their beliefs. Where is the separation of church and state? Children will also be educated in schools about homosexual behavior without parental consent. And for some parents this goes against their beliefs and their rights to teach their children about this subject as they choose, in their own way.

I am not intolerant of homosexuals. God told us to love everyone. However, I do not believe in homosexuality. I have gay and lesbian friends and they all understand how I believe, why I believe, and my stance on Prop 8, just as I understand their positions on the matter. I have no problems with allowing Domestic Partnerships but do not condone these being called marriages. My friends understand this too. We are all tolerant of each other. Which is I believe how everyone should treat each other when there are differences in beliefs and opinions: with RESPECT.

However, obviously many people do not feel this way. Many people who support No on Prop 8 accuse those who are in support of the measure as intolerant homophobes which just isn't the case, at least in my case. However, I respect that they have that opinion. People have the right to place whatever signs they choose on their property, but obviously many of those who say they are for "tolerance" don't.

I woke up one morning to find the Yes on Prop 8 signs in front of my house had been stolen. This really offended my sense of right and wrong and my sense of tolerance. I would never even imagine taking down someones No on Prop 8 signs. But I've seen this happen 5 times so far to myself and different people. And one day I went to my Poetry class expecting to have another pleasant day when I heard a girl bragging to the class that she had gone out the night before and taken all the Yes on Prop 8 signs in her neighborhood down. I was so enraged I had to leave class before I made an inappropriate display.

I couldn't understand her logic. She says she's for tolerance but she committed a very intolerant act. Not to mention it is a crime. She should take a look at herself and then at the people who she claims are intolerant. I believe she would not like what she saw if she really looked. Even though it's been a few days and my outrage has begun to settle writing this just makes my blood boil. It was just so wrong. I will never understand this girl and her hypocritical ways.