Dear Governor Schwarzeneggerby Angie

Fri
14 Nov 2008
11:11 am
4

Dear Governor,

I was shocked and dismayed to learn that you are publicly encouraging the legal backlash against Proposition 8. This issue was decided democratically by the voice of the people – the same way that you were elected to office! You are responsible for upholding and promoting the will of the people, and the people have spoken very clearly multiple times on this issue.

Please respect the convictions of your constituents. Please respect our right to vote, and our right to express a moral opinion on societal questions. Please respect the democratic process by upholding the passage of Proposition 8.

Thank you,
Angela Hoffman

Yes, I actually sent this email to the Governor, in response to his public “disappointment” that prop 8 passed:

http://worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=80688
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/11/10/schwarzenegger_proposition_8_fight_isnt_over/
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/politics/cal/la-me-protest10-2008nov10,0,4429002.story

I’m kind of amazed at myself… Anyway, if anyone else would like to do the same, you can contact the Governor’s office via this website: http://gov.ca.gov/interact.

All-Night Victory Party…by Angie

Thu
6 Nov 2008
10:11 pm
2

I spent from 4pm to 7:30pm on election day traveling back and forth between three different polling locations as a “poll watcher” (which means I checked off names of people who had already voted from a list of people who had told us they were going to vote yes, then called the names in to the phone bank).  My friend Joleen spent from 6pm to 7:30pm at the phone bank calling people who hadn’t voted yet to remind them to get out a vote before the polls closed.

I was confident from the start that Prop 8 would pass.  I don’t know if it was Pollyanna-ism or just plain stubbornness, but I was convinced enough that we had planned a victory party with Joleen’s family for that evening.  At 8pm, when there was nothing more we could do but wait, Jim and I took a big batch of cider and drove over to the Mills’ house, where Joleen had doughnuts of all shapes and sizes.  Her husband, Kelly, and two of their kids, Brennan & Amber (and some friends), were all there as well.  We sat around the table with our cider and doughnuts and were positively exasperated with the presidential election news because we wanted them to just get to the point and announce the result for Prop 8!  Unfortunately, the counting was miserably slow.  Eventually, friends had to go home; later, Amber had to go to bed.  Finally, Brennan headed to bed as well, leaving the four of us watching and waiting.  Kelly brought his laptop downstairs so we could get minute-by-minute updates, because the news stations only touched on the proposition results intermittently.

When we had seen the same news highlights several times because the stations had run out of new things to say (and the precincts were still only about 40% reported), Joleen and Kelly played a recorded episode of LOST, explaining things as it went since Jim and I had never seen any of it before.  When that was through, it was well past midnight.  We stayed for a little while longer, but we were all tired and frustrated and we finally decided to call it a night.

Home we went, with the leftover cider, intending to crash in bed when we got there… but I just couldn’t bring myself to go to sleep without knowing!  Instead, we put our pjs on and watched an absolutely hilarious documentary called, “The Natural History of the Chicken.”  Ok, maybe it was hilarious because it was 2am, but I laughed so hard I cried a couple of times!  We finally went to bed near 4am, when the polls indicated that Yes was up 52% to 48% with 86% of precincts reported.

Despite the anti-climactic lack of a particular “We WON!” moment, I was very pleased, relieved, and grateful.

In God We Trustby Angie

Mon
3 Nov 2008
2:11 pm
3

This month has been a roller coaster! I apologize that we haven’t kept our blog very up-to-date, but everything has been moved to the back burner while we campaign for Proposition 8. This is our first experience being part of a “grassroots movement.” It wasn’t exactly fun – honestly, I hope I never have to do something like this again – but it has certainly been an amazing experience, and I’ve learned a lot.

We’re making phone calls again today, and will be waving signs downtown for another hour or two this afternoon. Tomorrow I’ll be at one of the polling locations (the legal distance away) with signs and fact sheets to help any last minute undecided voters see the issue clearly. It’s amazing to think there are really less than 36 hours left in a project that has taken up our time and emotions for the past several months! I’m so grateful for the prayers, fasting, donations, and support of all our family and friends. I’m very confident that we will be successful, and trust that, after all we can do, California is in Heavenly Father’s hands.

Letter to the Editorby Angie

Mon
20 Oct 2008
1:10 pm
3

Last week I voted “Yes” to the Tri-Valley Herald’s online poll, “Do you support Proposition 8?”  In addition to the poll, there was a link to submit a 50-100 word response to the editor as to why or why not.  I put my two cents in, emailed the poll link to several friends, and proceeded to forget about it.  Yesterday, though, a friend in my ward named Sandy Guyman approached me before Sacrament Meeting and said, “Congratulations!  You’re famous!”  …I had to admit, I had no idea what she was talking about, so she laughed and said that the Herald published my comments in Saturday’s Letters to the Editor!  I’ve submitted so many responses and comments on various sites over the past couple of weeks that I couldn’t even remember what I had written in that case!  Since we don’t take that paper, Sandy kept it for me and her husband brought it over to us last night.

I can’t seem to find it anywhere on the Herald’s website.  They have a page of links for Letters to the Editor, but there is no link for October 18ths letters.  Anyway, here is what i wrote:

“Various ethnicities receive ‘civil rights’ because the distinctions of race are completely innate and beyond their control.  The choice of whether to act or not act on homosexual passions or appetities may be difficult, but it IS a choice.  . . . And it happens to be a choice that (in 2000 at least) the majority of Californians did not think warranted legal endorsement.  Californians who still feel the same way should continue to stand up for these beliefs by voting Yes on Proposition 8.”

Jim and I spent quite a while last night reading the rest of the responses, and I’d like to share my favorite:

“I think children all deserve to have a mother AND a father.  Men and women have different strengths and they compliment each other.”  …emphasis added by me, because I certainly hope so!  🙂  The misspelling may have been a Lapsus Clavis, but I agree with both the literal and intended meaning.

What is so important about Proposition 8?by Angie

Sat
11 Oct 2008
5:10 pm
3

This November, California is voting on a ballot measure that proposes to amend our state constitution to read, “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.” Voting “Yes” on Proposition 8 would establish this amendment as law.  So, what is the big deal?  Well, there are lots of issues involved – it’s not just about “same-sex marriage” or even homosexuality. The outcome of this ballot measure will have a huge impact on the future of California, and on the nation:

Education:  Children receive various levels of “age appropriate” sex education throughout their K-12 years.  If Proposition 8 fails, this education would necessarily include homosexuality and “same-sex marriage,” and would be required to give equal honor and encouragement to these kind of unions as to traditional marriage.  There would be no requirement for parental notification or opting-out.  This has already happened in Massachusetts (where “same-sex marriages” are legal) and, to some degree, in California.

Religious/Moral Liberties:  The tolerance being demanded by Gay Rights Activists is only one-way: a “tyranny of tolerance,” as Elder Bednar calls it.  Instead of tolerance, proponents of “same-sex marriages” are demanding endorsement.  If “same-sex marriages” are allowed in California, the lawsuits will multiply against religious organizations that morally disagree with homosexuality.  Some religions will be threatened with the loss of their tax-exempt status because they are considered “discriminating.”  Organizations and individuals who try to act on their moral convictions in relevant cases could be censured, fined, or forced to shut down.  This is already happening all over the country.  I realize that these lawsuits are likely to increase whether or not we pass Prop 8, but this amendment would give religious/moral organizations a more defensible position in the face of such attacks.

Same-Sex Partners raising Children:  It is currently very rare for a child to be raised by a homosexual couple, but if Proposition 8 fails, it is likely to become more common.  What will happen to these children?  Which parent doesn’t matter – a Mom or a Dad?  The Church’s publication, “The Divine Institution of Marriage” states that, “The legalization of same-sex marriage likely will erode the social identity, gender development, and moral character of children. Is it really wise for society to pursue such a radical experiment without taking into account its long-term consequences for children?”

Jim and I have discussed, researched, and received direction from Church leaders regarding these and many other issues related to Proposition 8.  We both feel strongly in favor of it, and are dedicating our efforts and prayers to helping it pass on November 4th.

Preserving the Divine Institution of Marriageby Angie

Thu
9 Oct 2008
1:10 pm
1

Last night we had the opportunity to attend a broadcast which was distributed to various Stake Centers all over California, as well as a few in Utah.  Elder Ballard, Elder Cook, and Elder Clayton (a member of the Presidency of the Seventy) spoke on the importance of protecting and defending the institution and definition of marriage against the rising tide of same-sex demands.  We were challenged to commit at least four hours per week over the next four weeks to support the Yes on Proposition 8 campaign, which will define marriage in California as only valid between a man and a woman.

Elder Ballard took some of his time to speak directly to the “young single and young married adults who are proficient in today’s techology.”  He pointed out, “You text, blog, Google, twitter, ping, and write on your walls… I would have been sent to my room for doing some of those things in my day!.”  It was very fun to hear him praise the talents and efforts of my generation, and encourage us to use our unique grasp of technology to spread the word in support of Proposition 8 with a new website developed by the church about marriage, families, civil rights, and tolerance.  My favorite quote of the evening, was from Elder Cook – who lived much of his life in California, including studying law at Stanford University:

“There are those who vigorously promote beliefs and practices contrary to our own.  They have the right of free speech, granted in our constitution . . . So do we!  We can vigorously promote our beliefs and practices.  We can do so with great conviction, and also with great love.”

Fasting for Familiesby Angie

Sat
27 Sep 2008
1:09 pm
1

At my Spirit Dance class this morning, two of the women were talking about fasting – specifically, that they are both participating in a 40-day “Fast for Families.”  They are both Born-Again Christians, and their ministers have organized this fast to support Proposition 8 (the CA Marriage Amendmant).  So, they began earlier this week with whatever type of fasting they felt they could contribute:  Trudy is fasting from food and will only drink liquids from now until November 4th.  Jessica said that she and several other people she knows are fasting from an action, like watching TV or drinking alcohol or a bad habit, until Election Day.  I love it!  When I was home with Jim we discussed the idea and we plan to join in.