We are gratified by the editorial position of this paper, by readers’ letters and the majority of the Malibu community in their opposition to Proposition 8. As a gay couple who moved to Malibu from gay enclaves (Palm Springs and San Francisco), we wondered if we would be welcomed here. This is always a concern for gay people, and often one that amazes our straight friends, that is, the geographical limitations we endure to live freely and openly.
We’re used to limitations, such as the ones placed on our access to health insurance, our taxation and social security, and even the value of our relationship. Most Californians, including those in Malibu (notwithstanding the anomaly that is Pepperdine University), realize that equality matters, and that what is truly sacred is the separation of church and state. Voting “no” on Proposition 8 sends the message that constitutional rights trump dogma, and that mean-spirited, misleading and threatening campaigns such as the one put forth by the Protect Marriage organization do not work in our state.
Andrew LeGros and
Jens Rudolph