Burrows: places of retreat; shelter or refuge.: October 2008

Tomorrow, the 13th, Nelson will be 11-months old! He knows he is SO big!
As for the title of the post, those are just some of Nelson's specialties.
Kissin': Nelson loves to give kisses. Not only did he happen to kiss Tyson Bates during Sunday School (don't worry, we told them not to kiss 'cause they are both boys) today, but he tries to kiss me often. His favorite times are in the store when he is in the shopping cart or in the middle of the night when you finally retrieve him from the evil crib.
Sortin': Nelson loves to sort things. He definitely has some good organization skills. He finds pile of clothes or papers and sorts them into stacks and then re-sorts them into new stacks. This can entertain him for awhile.
Toothy: The picture above speaks for itself. Right around the time he turned 10-months his 8th tooth popped through. Look at those teeth!
Brown-eyed: I love his brown eyes! They melt my heart! How can I ever say no to him? I can't!

Warning: This is a very long post.

But, I definitely want my voice to be added to the thousands of members of the LDS church and others that are fighting for Proposition 8. As many of you know, my husband and I moved here from northern California. My sister and her family still live there and she has been asked by her Stake leaders to help head up the efforts for her Stake. They have been "walking" every weekend going house to house and polling the people of their city, Chico. Although Chico is known to be very liberal, she has been pleasantly surprised by the results of their poll. Now they are going to focus their attention and funds on the areas that are leaning toward not supporting Proposition 8.

The following articles are a collection of what the LDS Church has said, how to donate money for Proposition 8, & emails my sister has been sending out to those around and close to her. I wanted to add my voice to this cause. I am truly scared for my little boy to grow up in such a wicked world where views and beliefs are so twisted and distorted.

LDS Church leaders urge Calif. Mormons to support Prop. 8

October 9th, 2008 @ 7:11am

By Mary Richards

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints wants its member to call, text and blog for Proposition 8.

Three church leaders spoke in a satellite broadcast last night about the need for California Mormons to get involved. Elder Quinton L. Cook, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, says the church feels obligated to defend traditional marriage.

"There are those who vigorously promote beliefs and practices contrary to our own. They have the right of free speech protected in our constitution. So do we. We can vigorously defend our beliefs and practices. We can do so with great conviction, but also with great love," he said.

They asked Californians, even those living in Utah right now, to use technology and phone calls to support a constitutional amendment.

Last night's broadcast also was aired at Brigham Young University, Utah Valley University and several LDS Institutes of Religion where many young Californians are going to school.

Elder M. Russell Ballard, also of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said, "Many of you will text message, blog, make phone calls, walk your neighborhoods, and just talk to friends, associates and neighbors. As you do this, please do so in a sensitive manner. Our approach must always be with respect for others and their positions and opinions."

They said be respectful, but the church has the privilege and obligation to let its voice be heard about preserving marriage as between a man and a woman.

Dear Friend,

Just over a week ago we launched our first television ad featuring an arrogant San FranciscoMayor Gavin Newsom smugly admonishing California voters that they needed to accept gay marriage, "whether you like it or not." Well, apparently the mayor is seriously mistaken!

Two new statewide polls released in the past two days show that the Yes on 8 campaign has taken a lead! Yesterday, the CBS/Survey USA showed that Yes on 8 is leading by a margin of 47% Yes to 42% No. That is a shift of ten points since our ad campaign began. Just today, Equality California briefed the gay media about their own campaign poll conducted by Lake Research Partners showing our campaign leading by a margin of 47% Yes to 43% No. A week ago that poll had us behind by five points. They attributed the sudden shift in voter attitudes to, "Yes on 8 is raising more money, and its most recent ad campaign is highly effective."

Clearly, our campaign is resonating with California voters. While our advertising is powerful and provocative, it is the message we are conveying that is persuading voters to support Proposition 8. For the first time, voters are beginning to understand that there are very significant consequences to all Californians because of the Supreme Court's same-sex marriage decision.

Not only is our advertising campaign effective, but our grassroots activities are unprecedented. We have tens of thousands of volunteers walking precincts and phoning voters to educate them about Proposition 8. This week we begin the process of delivering yard signs to an estimated one million supporters! We've already distributed a million bumper strips. This level of grassroots activity has never before been conducted by a ballot initiative campaign in American history.

Tomorrow we begin airing a new commercial which zeroes in on one of the most profound consequences of legalizing same sex marriage -- the impact on children who will be taught about gay marriage in the public schools. Watch the ad here. The ad lays out for voters what happened to second graders in Massachusetts when that state legalized gay marriage. Children were read an illustrated book about a prince who married another prince and the two went on to become "King and King." It even includes a scene of the two men kissing! Remember, we are talking about teaching this to seven and eight year old children! Worse, when parents objected, the courts ruled against them.

The ad features Professor Richard Peterson of Pepperdine University School of Law asking and answering the question: "Think it can't happen? It's already happened."

And it will happen in California if we don't pass Proposition 8.

Our fundraising is going extremely well, but we must keep working hard. Will you make a special contribution today to help keep this ad on the air?

The ProtectMarriage.com – Yes on 8 campaign has been blessed with contributions from over 61,000 people. That is an extraordinary showing of grassroots support! We've raised $22.8 million since the first of July – but our opponents are also raising money at a furious clip. They have pledged to raise $10 million in the next 28 days. We must match them. Will you help?

Our fundraising success thus far has allowed us to expand our advertising into Spanish language television and radio spots. This will be vital in educating California's critically important Hispanic community about Proposition 8. You can watch our Spanish TV ad by clicking here. We've also begun our radio campaign this week to ensure that voters across the state know about Proposition 8. Listen to our radio ad by clicking here.

After months of watching the other side dominate the airwaves with issue ads and campaign commercials, we now have momentum on our side. But we cannot let up. This race is very much up for grabs. The side that does the best job in communicating with voters over the final four weeks is the side that will win. That means raising money, continuing to execute our grassroots activities, and communicating to voters the many consequences the state will face if Proposition 8 is not enacted.

You can be proud that our collective effort has resulted in achieving significant voter support for Proposition 8. But, please, do not be lulled into a false sense of security. We have much work to do, and we need your continued support and effort. The good news is that if we each do our part, there is very strong evidence that we will win.

Thank you for your continued support,

Frank Schubert
Campaign Manager
ProtectMarriage.com - Yes on 8

What Happens If California 's Marriage Protection
Amendment (Prop 8) Fails?
By Glen Greener
Editor's Note: Because California has no residency law, it will be exporting its same-sex marriages to the entire nation. No matter where you live, you may find yourself dealing with these consequences listed below.

We are trying to contact personally every registered voter in California and you can help no matter where you live. The LDS Grassroots leadership has asked Family Leader to create 800 calling teams-people in groups of 5 or 10-who will call California voters, following a script, and tell them how much this issue means to the future of America. While they and other churches are mobilizing thousands to walk precincts, you can help from the comfort of your homes. If you use a cell phone, most plans allow unlimited weekend calling minutes, and if you live in the Eastern or Central time zones, you can use free late-evening minutes on weekdays to call when Californians have just finished dinner.
We need your help. It is not difficult and we will give you very specific instructions. If you are willing to put together one of these 800 calling teams, please provide your contact information, including email, address and phone number to Family Leader's executive director, Peter Knobloch at pknobloch@san.rr.com and we will contact you to give you further information. You do not need to know the issue well. We will give you an easy script to follow.

At our home, we are going to volunteer like this. We are going to choose a Tues, Wed. or Thurs. night and invite people over with their cell phones for a calling party complete with refreshments and the camaraderie of dear friends. We think it will be fun to stand up together with our friends for something we believe in.

With Labor Day behind us and kids back in school, California voters are beginning to ask deeper questions about Proposition 8 and wondering what will happen if same-sex marriage is permanently legalized. The answers are unsettling. Consider these consequences if Prop 8 fails.
1. Children in public schools will have to be taught that same-sex marriage is just as good as traditional marriage. The California Education Code (§51890) already requires that health education classes instruct children about marriage. Therefore, unless Proposition 8 passes, children will be taught that marriage is a relation between any two adults regardless of gender. There will be serious clashes between the secular school system and the right of parents to teach their children their own values and beliefs.
2. It will lead to more government intrusion into private lives . A photographer in Albuquerque refused to photograph a lesbian couple's civil union ceremony. The New Mexico Human Rights Commission fined the photographer $6000 even though there were other photographers willing to accept the business. And this in a state where same-sex marriage is still illegal.
3. It will lead to speech monitors. An employee at the City of Oakland was threatened with termination for using the terms “natural family, marriage and family values” while discussing a public issue with co-workers. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal backed up the district court saying administrative efficiency in a government office is more important than free speech. Today it's municipal employees; tomorrow … who?
4. Anti-discrimination regulations will become more important than religious beliefs. In Vista , California , a lesbian couple sued a doctor who refused to perform a requested artificial insemination because of the doctor's religious beliefs. Although another doctor offered to do the procedure, the California Supreme Court held unanimously that the “1 st Amendment's right to the free exercise of religion does not exempt defendant physicians here from conforming their conduct to the … antidiscrimination requirements.” An elective procedure, no emergency involved, another doctor willing to do the procedure. Anti-bias laws will outweigh religion.
5. Churches will be sued over their tax-exempt status if they refuse to allow same-sex marriage ceremonies in their religious buildings open to the public. While pastors, priests, ministers, bishops, and rabbis may not be forced to conduct such marriages themselves, they will be required to allow such marriages in their chapels and sanctuaries.
6. Religious adoption agencies will be challenged by government to give up their long-held right to place children only in homes with both a mother and a father. Catholic Charities in Boston has already closed its doors because of the legalization of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts .
7. Religions that sponsor private schools with married-student housing will be required to provide housing for same-sex couples, even if counter to church doctrine, or risk lawsuits over tax exemptions and related benefits.
8. Ministers who preach against same-sex marriages will be sued for hate speech and could be fined by the government. It has already happened in Canada , one of six countries that have legalized gay marriage. If a government agency such as the Alberta Human Rights Commission can stop a minister from teaching his church's doctrine about marriage, then it won't be long before everyone's free speech rights will be in jeopardy.
9. It will cost everyone more money. This change in the definition of marriage will bring a cascade of lawsuits, including some already decided adversely. Even if courts eventually find in favor of a defender of traditional marriage (highly improbable given today's activist judges), think of the money – your money, your church contributions – that will be spent on legal battles.

Think of a world where Human Rights Commissions – unelected bureaucrats with unfettered authority – are judge, jury, and executioner of anything they feel is antagonistic speech toward same-sex marriage and its practitioners.
Think of a world where the judicial system relegates long-held religious beliefs to second-class importance behind anti-bias laws and a newly discovered protected class of people.
Think of a world where the public school system is required to teach values and beliefs to your children that may conflict with your own.

Think of the very real threat to your parental rights, your free speech, your freedom of religion.

And think of all the unintended consequences that we cannot even foresee at this time. Where will it end?
It's your children, your grandchildren, your money, and your freedoms.
Lets work together to protect them.

I know these are long articles but now you are informed. I strongly believe in supporting the leaders of the LDS Church by doing my part in spreading the word about Proposition 8.