Prop. 102 should not have passed.
A couple of weeks ago, the opinion pages were filled with differing opinions about Proposition 102. It has now passed. This did not surprise me; however, I am still disappointed.
What is really disappointing is people actually thought this was an important issue, even though there are actual issues, like the economy, that really should have been most important to us when we voted on Election Day. Same sex marriage is already illegal in Arizona and has been upheld in court numerous times.
Another thing that is extremely upsetting about this is it is going to be a constitutional amendment. The Constitution is supposed to protect the rights of people; it is not supposed to take them away. This amendment is a blatant violation of two things that are guaranteed in the Constitution: The separation of church and state and the right to equal protection under the law.
Some people say the Constitution does not give a guy the right to marry another guy. This is true; however, the Constitution does not give anyone the right to marry at all.
What is particularly galling is many of the people who supported this amendment are Republicans, the supposed party of smaller government. Everyone, Republican or Democrat, who voted for this law, should be ashamed of himself or herself. The ending line of the Pledge of Allegiance says "liberty and justice for all." It is something all Americans are supposed to believe in.
Apparently though, some people would rather have their religious convictions stay with them when they go into the voting booth and they vote to deny basic equality to people who have done nothing.
While I am glad we have had a Democratic sweep of the White House, as well as both houses of Congress, I really have to wonder why many people think it is OK to deny equality to another group of people simply because of sexual orientation. It really puts everything America is supposed to stand for — basic human rights and equality — to the test.
I am a firm believer in these rights and I realize while we have finally elected our first African-American president, there is still a very long way to go.
Ari Spangenthal-Lee
Undergraduate
