Ayers spoke on election day...

Not very likely to change much but California still has 1.6 million votes to count.  The current count on 8 = 52.5% (5,376,424) yes and 47.5% (4,870,010) no.  My home county of Santa Barbara said no.  My current county said yes by a vote of 50.6% to 49.4%   I'd like to believe a huge percentage of those yet to be counted are smart people, not bigots.  That somehow we'll be saying phew, don't scare us like that again when the final count is done.  It'd have to be a huge percent of no votes in that stack of uncounted ballots to put no over the top.  I do think it could bring the final count closer to 50-50 though.  All night I watched the live map refresh every so often and every so often I watched the yes percentage go down and no go up. In fact the LA county one got sooo close to 50-50.  When I went to sleep, the last time I looked at that map until now it was more like 54-46.  I'm still not ready to comment on how it came to this point.  No on 8 is more hopeful than I am, they're refusing to concede until even vote is counted:

Nov 05, 2008

Statement by No on Prop 8 Campaign on Election Status

Roughly 400,000 votes separate yes from no on Prop 8 – out of 10 million votes tallied.

Based on turnout estimates reported yesterday, we expect that there are more than 3 million and possibly as many as 4 million absentee and provisional ballots yet to be counted.

Given that fundamental rights are at stake, we must wait to hear from the Secretary of State tomorrow how many votes are yet to be counted as well as where they are from.

It is clearly a very close election and we monitored the results all evening and this morning.

As of this point, the election is too close to call.

Because Prop 8 involves the sensitive matter of individual rights, we believe it is important to wait until we receive further information about the outcome.

They got that up on YouTube fast, I was watching that broadcast, that's live shots from my 11 o'clock news, they were still showing it happening throughout the broadcast.  For now, those marriages that happened before this prop passed are still legal, only new ones are banned.  I'd say more but I'm still too mad.

• No on Prop 8

  October 24, 2008

  Apple is publicly opposing Proposition 8 and making a donation of $100,000 to the No on 8 campaign. Apple was among the first California companies to offer equal rights and benefits to our employees’ same-sex partners, and we strongly believe that a person’s fundamental rights — including the right to marry — should not be affected by their sexual orientation. Apple views this as a civil rights issue, rather than just a political issue, and is therefore speaking out publicly against Proposition 8.

So when I watch videos or read blogs about Measure 8, I find a few of the most common arguments for banning gay marriage are the usual...

You know...

If gays can marry, what next?

Marrying a dog?  Ok, if you even suggest this, you're a flipping idiot who shouldn't vote because you're too stupid to think.  Dogs cannot enter into a legal contract.  Despite your claims that marriage is only a religious experience, it's a contract.  Dogs cannot consent to enter into a legal contract, period.  No, this is not possible in our country, you brainless moron.

Marrying a child.  Children too cannot enter into legal contracts.  They're unable to consent under the law.  Try again.

Polygamists?  Ok.  This argument is better.  But what does it have to do with gays?  Lots of straight polygamists, OMG better not let straights marry!  I actually think the argument against polygamists marrying goes like this --  and it has nothing to do with gays, or religion, etc.... See marriage grants you rights like making the decisions in a hospital if your spouse is injured and unable to make their own decisions.  If you have 3 husbands or wives show up and they don't agree on what to do?  A life is on the line?  Then what?  Now, what does this have to do with two gays marrying?  Nothing.  Move on.   Gays marrying has nothing to do with polygamy.  From a legal standpoint fighting polygamists marrying is much easier than fighting gays marrying, if you're really concerned about this.

It'll make my marriage meaningless... Wow your marriage isn't worth much to you if some gay couple marrying is gonna tear it apart!  Get into marriage counseling NOW before it's too late to save your marriage.  If someone else marrying is gonna screw your marriage all up, you already have some big issues.  When I got married (and divorced) neither me nor my ex was religious.  Did that screw your marriage all up?  No?  Hmm... Alrighty then, how is this different? 

Gays don't have to marry in your church.  You don't have to go their weddings, in fact I'm sure they won't be inviting you.  You don't have to like it.  You don't even have to like them, they probably think you're stuck up asses for all I know.  But your arguments against them?  They fail to impress me.  None have any legal merits.  And despite the fact that you get married in your church, you go get a paper from the government saying your marriage is a legal contract... Some of you might even sign a pre-nuptial agreement -- another LEGAL contract.  So go on with your holier than thou arguments, but this is a legal issue and "I believe God wouldn't approve" doesn't stand up in court.

My CA voter guide has arrived, this means my ballot should be here

I just saw the first about Prop 8 tonight, it made me ill.  Prop 8 is probably the one you've heard of, even if you don't live in California.  It's the Constitutional Ban on Gay Marriage... It's funded and supported mostly by churches, many from out of state.  So much for the "let states decide".  We'll just go to any state that tries, even if not our state.  Stay out of MY state.  I was born here, I'm a real Californian (err Californian/Oregonian I guess).  It truly upsets me when people who claim to be so loving, understanding, forgiving, etc etc etc run such pathetic ads designed to scare.  It's no longer about tolerance... blah blah blah.  Your church is going to lose its tax exemption status because of the gays... blah blah blah. 

I was married, I wasn't religious.  Where was the outcry when I married but wasn't Christian/religious?  Did I affect your marriage?  NO!  What you are doing is hateful.  It's based on nothing more than your intolerance.  Your religious beliefs.  To claim anything else is disingenuous, otherwise you would have banned me and my also non-religious ex from marrying when we did because we, using your arguments about why gays can't be "MARRIED" also could not be married.

My uncle and his spouse have been together as long as I can remember.  They deserve to be married more than a lot of straight couples do.  They've survived where many straight couples have not.  They do good.  While you've been fighting against them, they've been doing good for others.   Charity work.  And hey by the way, some of that software you're using right now to create propaganda to fight them?  Yeah guy who works on that?  I'll give you one guess.  Thanks for paying their bills and buying them a nice house.

They're everywhere, even in your churches -- look at some of the biggest "gay scandals" if you don't believe me.  Is it not possible your God is testing you to see just how judgmental you are?  Isn't he or she or whoever supposed to be the judge?  I don't see how my uncle's marriage or my marriage affected yours.  But your lies and hate do affect me.  I took nothing from you and in return you want to take something from my family.  That is hateful.  That is judgmental.  That is not a loving Christian message. 

In my home, while we sometimes struggle we  still try to find money to give to homeless charities, medical programs, kids in hospital programs, etc. whenever possible  You spend your money to end loving couples from marrying.  I'll take my "You're going to hell" way of life over yours any day.

*yawn*  well at least I slept til almost 9 instead of waking up at 6 this time, I'm still tired, I wanted to sleep until I dunno 11 or noon to get to more ME hours ;)  But I passed out early again *yawn*  Brian doesn't wake up well so he sets two cell phone alarms that end up going off forever.  Needless to say, I'm awake and he's not yet.  *yawn*  Well I'm half awake.

Link stolen from Kriselda: Del Martin Dead at 87.  RIP to her.  I have a family member here in California who would not be LEGALLY married if not for her fight.  Del Martin only got two months of legal marriage herself before she died.  I grew up knowing that my own family member loved his partner, but that he'd never be allowed to marry, she proved me wrong by fighting for his right to do so.  I'm just glad she got at least got the ruling and the wedding before her time was up.  There are people, mostly out of state groups from what I can tell, who now want to end legal marriages here.  I guarantee Californians will fight them. 

As for the DNC yesterday.  Bill was also the old yesterday.  There had been rumours floating around in the Obama and Clinton camps that they were afraid there would be boos when he came out.  Instead he was greeted by several minutes of cheers.  I think he can thank his wife for her speech the night be before.  Dems are very forgiving and her speech the night before really did wash away so much of the Obama/Clinton anger.  Despite the fact that Mark Penn (someone blamed / credited depending on how you look at it) with much of the destruction in Hillary's primary campaign apparently helped with Bill's speech and despite the fact that the Obama camp didn't see it until minutes before Bill went on -- causing some nerves to go nuts I'm sure -- it was the old Bill for sure. 

Biden did his job too.  He bashed McCain.  He told his family story.  I heard he's worth something like 100-150k... after being in DC as long as I've been alive... that's including what he has invested in his house.  He talks like and acts like a "normal person"  His mom seems spunky for an old lady and the stories about how she raised him are funny.   His son is about to go to off to serve his country too.  He'll be hard to attack even though he's old school DC he's not one who comes off like he is. 

Hillary showed much class in calling off the roll call.  I know it was hard for her, all of this but she put on a brave face through it all and seemed sincere.  I've a new respect for her in how she handled it.  And I must say they raised Chelsea right, she seems like a very classy young lady.

McCain is supposed to *cough* leak his VP name today.  I still say he'll go with Lieberman to piss off Dems and to get some press.  And he knows how to lose, a lot.  Romney is too boring and obvious and Mormon (sorry my Mormon friends, I'm not sure Republicans like you, you're not Christian enough).  I think the official announcement is supposed to be tomorrow.  But rumour is it LEAKS today -- you know to try to upstage Obama and the anniversary of I Have A Dream.... I Have a Dream too... I have a dream that McCain loses :P

PS - Almost forgot -- They had a Republican Iraq war vet put Obama's name up for nomination at the convention, it doesn't get sweeter than that ;)

I almost forgot, it's not always bad news.  On the personal front there is some good.  Thank to my state not being as stupid as the rest of the country a family member who has been with his partner about as long as I've been alive is now legally married. 

Granted all but one other state says that means nothing.  But here in California, it means a lot.  Seeing the picture mom sent me made me wanna cry, they look so happy.  I was raised knowing it was normal if someone is gay.  But I also knew they'd never legally be recognized as couple even if they wanted to be.  I was wrong.  Now they are.  I don't care what you believe.  THEY have always treated people well, done charity work, have probably outlasted most if not all of the relationships of people reading this.  And they deserved the rights they now have because they wanted them too.  Now me, I think marriage is crazy, of course ;) 

And to all who may read this who'd say it's wrong, I am wrong, and who want to change my state's law, go away and worry about your own lives, they've been together 30 some years I think and haven't affected you in the least and their new piece of paper won't change anything for you but will for them.

Read it and weep!