(April 4, 2000) -- “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” according to the Declaration of Independence, is what every American is supposed to have. However, very few people throughout history can actually say these rights are guaranteed.  As homosexuals in California are saying after the passage of Proposition 22.

On March 7 California voters took to the polls to vote on a measure that would define marriage and affect the lives of hundreds of people across the state.

The Knight Initiative, Proposition 22, assured that homosexual marriage would not be recognized. It also now threatens hospital visitations, inheritance rights, adoption and eliminates same-sex benefits.

Backers of the initiative insisted that this measure is and was not anti-gay; they say it is about “defending marriage.” However, State Sen. Pete Knight has a long history of opposing even the most fundamental rights for gay and lesbian groups, such as employment non-discrimination laws and safety for gay and lesbian youth in schools.

In a ruling in 1999, Vermont’s court told the legislature that “Denying same-sex couples’ access to the same rights and responsibilities of heterosexual married couples is discriminatory.”

Vice President Al Gore and the California Teachers Association are among the many people and organizations who opposed the proposition.

At the time, Gore and supporters announced their opposition to the initiative with this statement: “We believe the Knight Initiative is government at its worst. We don’t need government in people’s bedrooms, and we don’t need Prop. 22.” David Knight, Pete Knight’s gay son, spoke against his father’s initiative last fall, calling the proposition a “blind, uncaring, uninformed, knee-jerk reaction to a subject about which he knows no-thing.”

Many churches in the United States supported, and still do support, the initiative because they think homosexuality is immoral, according to the Bible. However, since church and state are supposed to be separate, no one has the right to impose rules on anyone else just because the Bible mandates something.

In fact, not all religions have a problem with homosexuality. Many sects of Buddhism, for example, accept gay relationships and would like to have the authority to make them legal marriages.

According to “No on Knight” campaigners, the Roman Catholic Church has contributed $311,000 to last month’s initiative and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints leaders contributed at least $68,000. Concerns that homosexuals do not lead positive lifestyles and are therefore unable to raise kids are ridiculous accusations. Convicted felons and even pedophiles are allowed to marry, procreate and even adopt without any question at all.

Homosexual marriages can work if given a chance. In Denmark and most Scandinavian countries, gay marriage has been legal since 1989. Criticism of the Danish law was led by the clergy. At the time, 72% of the clergy was opposed, but the law passed anyway. A survey conducted in Denmark in 1995 showed that 89% of the Danish clergy now admit that granting gay marriage has been a positive decision.

Now that Proposition 22 has passed, hate continues to divide us all. Children are our future and need to be raised understanding that everyone is equal regardless of culture, lifestyle or religion. No one chooses his/her skin color or sexual orientation. Also, no one has control of who they fall in love with, so why does the government try to forbid the union of two people who love each other?