"The Most Difficult to Understand Social Issue in our History"

Before I set out to vote on October 31st, I decided it would be imperative to educate myself on the amendments that I would be voting on. Too many first-time voters expect their voting ballot to be as simple as the one they filled out in high school when voting for Class President. That is simply not the case. The reason why I was infuriated when I first read amendment 2 was the wording that was used. For most people, especially someone who stands against gay marriage, the way that the amendment was written is very misguiding. The reason that I say, "especially for someone who stands against gay marriage," is that normally, and I don't mean to overgeneralize, this kind of person is very adamant, knows amandment 2 to be the anti gay marriage amendment, and votes for it without giving it a second thought and more importantly, a second reading. On November 4th I went to my boyfriend's house after he had come back from voting, and had taken his mom along with him. I was curious as to how she voted on amendment 2, because I had not had the time to speak to her about it before the election, and I wondered if she had had the sense to analyze it. As soon as I mentioned amendment 2 she said, "I voted no! marriage should be a man and woman, I don't care if they have domestic rights, but I don't want to see gay people getting married." I must admit I took a little pleasure in explaining to her that first of all, voting no on amendment 2 was actually voting for gay marriage, and second, the amendment that she wanted to be passed into law was very unclear as to how domestic partnerships between heterosexual couples would be treated. I saw a little bit of embarrasement bubble up inside her, especially because she has been in a domestic partnership for 5 years. Now, although the wording of the amendment misguided her into voting for gay marriage, and to keep domestic partnerships the way that they are now, I am sure just as well millions of people were duped into voting against gay marriage and the rights of civil unions and domestic partnerships, when they meant to advocate the opposite.