What started as a small grassroots network of concerned citizens has grown to a national group of grassroots activists.  The Digital Network Army was founded and continues to operate for the defense of traditional values - especially the family.  Visit the new DNA site here (www.digitalnetworkarmy.com) and read an insightful interview with the DNA Team Captain here.

Like many that were active during the election campaign last fall I expected to retire from public comment after the election was over.  At least until 2010.  But I guess not.  The onslaught on the family has continued with increased vitriol and the untruths continue to spew forth.  So I’m back with more opinion, newsworthy articles and such.  The fact is that every repudable social scientist now recognizes the importance that prosperous, reproductive families have in society.  For us to undermine in any way the value our society places on this unit is tatamount to slow societal suicide.  Rights are rights.  And as a people we have to respect the individual rights of all those we come in contact with.  But rights also have a situational priority.  We squash the free speech rights of the pornographer by not allowing their product in our schools.  We trample the free expressing and association rights of the smoker by making them go outside.  And if society is wise, they will curtail the rights of individuals if they threaten the prosperity of the family.  More posts on these topics and others will follow.  As always, let me know what you think.

At the heart of every effective grass roots campaign are the little things that we do with our friends, neighbors and acquaintances that add up to big benefit when multiplied across the campaign.  My contribution today was a letter that I mailed to the 89 homes in our neighborhood with at least one registered voter.  When I was first doing door to door polling in the earlier days of the campaign I was struck by how many people new little or nothing about Prop 8.  I determined at that point invite my neighbors over to an open house so that we could discuss this important issue.  Of course good intentions didn’t get the job done and sheer number of neighbors overwhelmed my good idea.  Instead I sent a letter to each neighbor and tried to explained why Yes on 8 was so important.  In the end the timing is pretty good I think.  My letter should arrive Friday and should still be relatively fresh on Tuesday.  I know my eighty-nine homes is a drop in the bucket required to pass Prop 8, but it’s my eighty-nine neighbors and that’s what makes grass root efforts work. 

Attached is my letter for those of you who are curious here.

As many of you know, the California Teachers Associate dumped one million dollars into the No on 8 campaign.  In protest my children (one in middle school, one in elementary school) are absent from school today (October 21).  I of course debated the merit and effectiveness of this protest.  It doesn’t directly impact the CTA, but it’s the only way we can exhibit our disapproval of the action.  We had  a wonderful discussion at home about unions and how they sometimes don’t represent the will of their members.  If you’ve joined in this protest today please add a comment.  We don’t mind standing alone, but it’s more fun with friends.

Edit: Thanks for all of the posts thus far.  Please see beetlebabee’s blog for additional post on the CTA Protest (http://beetlebabee.wordpress.com/2008/10/21/cta-tuesday-response).  Incidentially we did get a call from our principle asking how many days our daughter would be out.  Only one we informed her.  My son also got a supportive email from one of his teachers which was nice. 

P.S.  Only positive comments will be allowed on this post.  I’m not looking for an argument regarding our choice and don’t care is this case to debate it.

As I’ve become more familiar with the worldwide societal changes to family that are taking place I can’t help but wonder if the No on Prop 8 folks have the wrong message.  If they are honest about their end goals - complete acceptance of any alternative family arrangement – anything goes – then they would recognize that by the time gay marriage is allowed it is too late to turn back.  Does the fact that we now allow same-sex marriage mean that we’ve already dimished the value of family beyond repair?  Those of us that are LDS had what we consider a prophetic declaration regarding the sanctity of the Family and it’s divine structural requirements in 1995.  Timely enough to probably save the families in the Netherlands.  I suppose I’ve been mistaken in think that the Proclamation was simply prophetic as predicting the times we live in now.  I’m now wondering if there was action that we should have taken in 1995 to prevent the perilous spot we are in now. 

Having said all that, we are Americans.  We are not Europeans.  Our will (the peoples) has not been heard since the Judiciary voided our voice.  I believe it is not to late for us yet.  Vote Yes on 8 and prove that we are captains of our our destiny.

So my wife was out with some others tonight waving Yes on 8 signs at intersections with other supporters and what was the reaction?  Some supportive, some nothing and others thought the best way to voice thier opposition was to shout obscenities.  It’s probably good that I wasn’t there.  But to shout obscenities at women?  This is not the country our founding fathers would want or be proud of.  Vigorous debate – Yes.  Conflicting ideal – Absolutely.  Vulgar swear words – really?

Found a fabulous article from 2004 that looked at the decline of the family in the Netherlands.  The legalization of same-sex marriage was just a stepping stone on the path, but it doesn’t sound like a path we in California should be on.  The fact that we even have to correct our course today is a frightening sign post of where we are already.  Read the article at http://www.heritage.org/research/Family/wm577.cfm.

I’m fairly sensitive to exaggerations, half truths and outright lies that are told as part of any campaign, especially when they are on the same side as me.  I try to do sufficient research, to read the stories and check out the facts before taking a position.  So today’s post is the outright lies told by the No on 8 Campaign. 

Lie: Yes on 8 is sponsored and financed by big out of state interest groups.

Fact:  The No on 8 campaign has received a full 37% of its money from donors out of state compared to a measly 20.1% for the Yes on 8 campaign.

Source:  LA Times Money Tracker (10/16/08)

Lie:  Failure of Prop 8 will not lead to the forced expansion of the gay agenda, including the attempts to limit religious freedom.

Fact:  The backers of No on 8 have used every legal maneuver they could in Massachusetts to prevent parental consent in schools and limit the opportunities for religious group to operate unmolested.

Source: Massachusetts Court Records

Lie: No on 8 will not lead to a slippery slope of marriage arrangements

Fact: The Netherlands , the first country to legalize homosexual marriage, allows multipartner unions (polygamy).

Source: The Brussels Journal

Lie: No on 8 is about Love

Fact: No on 8 is about social acceptance of a damaging shift in family relationship and the promotion of homosexual freedoms at the cost of religious freedoms.

Source: New York Times

The Bible famously states that “By their fruit you shall know them.”  I suppose it shouldn’t be a surprise that those that hate religion would break the eighth commandment – “Thou shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” 

** Thanks to an article on ProtectMarriage.com  for providing some of these glaring falsehoods.

Mamapro at the Mom for Marriage blog (http://mamapro.blogspot.com/) reprinted a list of talking points from Scott Loveless, the Acting Managing Director of the World Family Policy Center at the J. Reuben Clark Law school, BYU.  See the list here.  All of the talking points are insightful and effective, but my favorite is #13 – it doesn’t end with redefining marriage.  I know it sounds alarmist to list all of the bad things that might happen if Prop 8 fails, but the reality this that many if not all of the bad things will happen based on the historical record we have before us.  It is sadly true that those that do not learn from history will repeat it.

Heather over at http://makemyvotecount.blogspot.com/ posted a great link to an article from 2004 – right after the Massachusetts court decision.  Look for her post entitled From the Other Side where she links to commentary from Al Rantel.  Excellent perspective from the other side.