On Civic Duty.

I got up early this morning to get my vote on. Last night I was talking it over with alateaqoe about how many people have voted early in this election and how a lot of the people voting today are probably like us: people who always vote because it's part of their sense of responsibility.

I take voting very seriously, as I see it as not just a right but also a duty of citizenry. Every election I have an obligation to consider the issues before me, to weigh them against my own ethical and logical standards, and to elect a course of action. And I do. I always have, and (goddess willing) I always will.

I have to admit, though, to being a little sorry that my state had only one ballot measure up for consideration this time out (and a basic infrastructure bond-measure at that). I'd give anything to be back in California, voting no on Propositions 4 and 8. Proposition 4 is particularly irksome to me. It's been on the ballot in one form or another for the past few years, always with different legislative language, and I fear that it may finally get lost in the shuffle as everyone focuses on Prop. 8.

The basic premise of the initiative is to force pregnant teens to notify their parents before obtaining an abortion. Now, I know, everyone is having a knee-jerk reaction right now ("oh, but parents need to be involved in their children's decisions, parents should know if their children are in a situation like this, blah blah blah"). I absolutely agree. But the thing is, for those parents who are involved and active, this type of situation won't even come up. And when it does, it's generally a red-flag that the last person who should know about the situation is the parent.

I helped a friend get an abortion behind her mother's back once. It was one of the best things I ever did for her, and one of the best things for her life at the time. And her mother, lord bless her, is still a fruitcake.

Don't overlook Prop. 4, my California friends!