Many of you may not know about Proposition 8. I felt I should do my part to get the word out. Even though most of my readers aren't California voters, this is something that will affect all of our lives in the years to come.
Proposition 8 is an initiative measure on the 2008 California General Election ballot. If passed, it will be an amendment to the state constitution stating that only marriage between a man and a woman will be valid or recognized in the state of California. A few years back, 61% of the people voted these same words on another proposition, but recently the supreme court over ruled it and made same sex marriage legal. If Proposition 8 passes, this amendment will not allow that to happen again.
Jason and I have been working alongside many of our ward members on the "Yes for Proposition 8 Campaign". Many other churches and organizations are taking part as well. We've gone door to door to registered voters in hopes of educating people about the Proposition, encouraging them to get out and vote in favor of it.
When the campaign started a few months ago, I had my own small, personal struggle with the idea of going around and telling people my beliefs and how I felt regarding the issue. I was extremely anxious about starting conversations with neighbors and going door to door. But, after hearing the leaders of our church express it's importance and after studying out the repercussions of legalizing same sex marriage, I know that it's something I have to give my full support and time to.
Please take the time to check out the following websites:
www.preservingmarriage.com and
www.protectmarriage.com . Articles at these sites explain things much more clearly than I can. It's not simply about allowing gay marriage or not. It will be required to be taught in the schools as equal to heterosexual relationships. Age appropriate information regarding sexual relations within those marriages will be taught. It will more than likely lead to religious liberties being questioned and taken away: bishops unable to perform civil marriages because they won't perform same-sex marriages, religious adoption agencies shutting down because they will not place children in same-sex marriages, etc., etc.
California law gives marriage-related benefits through civil unions and domestic partnership to homosexual couples. They lose nothing if this proposition passes.
If you have questions, please check those websites out!! California voters........get out and vote!
Monday I had the opportunity to take the ride I have been trying to get since I got here 3 years ago. My time here in Lemoore I have had multiple projects working around the jets. From building a new air traffic control tower to replacing the lights on the runway. I have been around them, watched them take off and land, felt the ground shake as they fly over and felt the heat from the engines as they fire up. I finally got the rare opportunity to actually take a back seat ride. It was a pretty amazing experience. I gained a whole new appreciation for the pilots that are able to fly these jets while experiencing the extreme stresses that are placed on the body while performing the maneuvers.
I flew with an instructor pilot who was participating and training evolution with the student pilots. The student pilots would find us, lock on their radar and then we would try to break the radar lock. I survived the take off and some of the initial maneuvering pretty well, but once we got into the consecutive maneuvers, trying to break the radar lock, I was not able to handle things quite as well. That being said, this was an amazing opportunity I am so glad I was able to experience. Definitely one of the best perks that have come with being in the navy. 
