FIGHTING FOR PROP 8, By Austin M. (English Narrative Essay)

In the state-wide election on November 4, 2008 the voters of the state of California had some very important propositions before them, as well as voting for the President of the United States. One of those propositions that was very important to me personally, was proposition eight. This proposition, if approved, would change the California Constitution by stating that only marriage between a man and woman would be valid and recognized in the state of California. If proposition eight did not pass, gay marriages would continue to be performed in California and eventually children could be taught in school that it is all right for two men or two women to marry. My goal was to help save traditional marriage and help Proposition eight to pass.

On a Saturday in early October, my mom had joined up with some people who were demonstrating for the “Yes on 8” campaign on a busy intersection in our city. She called home and told me how many teenagers my age were out there with her. She described getting so much positive support from the people in their cars and asked me to come out there and join her. At first, I did not really want to go because I wondered what the people who were voting “No on 8” do? After giving it some thought, I decided to go because I quickly realized that my friends were out there with her, and I could not let them down.

When we arrived at Milliken and Fourth St., I could see everyone from my church group including my friends. As the first few cars and trucks roared by, I was amazed by the drivers’ reactions as their faces glowed with excitement to see our “Yes on Prop 8” signs. They immediately slammed their hands on their car horns, causing a long block wall of sound as they traveled through the intersection. However, every once in a while there would be a car filled with “No on 8” supporters who would “flip us off” or “give us the bird” and that would cause me to be filled with energy. My immediate reaction was to say, “Yeah! We’re number one!” I was able to gather some of my other friends for the next weekend, and we would have an even bigger crowd, and even more honks and cheers as the weekends went by. People would even pull over by the side of the road and come join us. That really had me yelling loud, and trying to get people as excited as my group and I were.

After those days on the intersection, I was confident that we were going to win the election. Just to be sure, I stopped by the “Yes on 8” campaign headquarters on the day of the election. Even though I was too young to vote, I was fighting to protect traditional marriage and wanted to do everything I could. I asked for a calling list and began making phone calls on my cell phone. I was asking people if they had voted yet, and if not I was explaining to them about Proposition 8 and reminding them that there was still time for them to get out and vote. Before I knew it, I had gone through about eight lists with twenty-five phone numbers on each. In spite of the fact that I could only leave a message at half of the homes I called, I still gave it my all right down to minutes before the close of the election. Then we waited.

As we all gathered around the plasma screen with the numbers glowing and changing right before our eyes, we waited anxiously for the results on Proposition 8. Hours later, the numbers seemed to show that we had won and all of our efforts did not go to waste. I learned that even teenagers who are too young to vote can make a difference. This experience really helped me build up confidence in myself, as I had opportunities to share my beliefs with my friends and answer their questions as to what Proposition 8 was all about. If the fight to protect traditional marriage ever came up again, I would apply everything I learned and double my effort.