THE BOLT
Prop 8 Reconsidered
April 2013
20402 Newport Coast Drive, Newport Coast, CA 92657
By Joelle Nanula School Life Editor
America is a nation of change. We were founded on the principles of freedom, liberty and equality, and we devote ourselves to the pursuit of these ideals, embarking on new missions as our definitions of these principles evolve. For our parents’ generation, that mission was the civil rights movement. Now, people who lived through the civil rights movement look back on that time with disbelief. It amazes them that we ever tolerated racism, and that’s part of what makes America great; we are not afraid to change for what is right. That being said, not everyone shares the same definition of what is right. There are two sides to every story, and there certainly are two sides to the gay marriage issue, which is arguably the defining political cause of our generation. We all remember the day Prop 8 was passed. The year was 2008, and the passage of a law stating that “marriage is only valid between a man and a woman in the state of California” set aflame a debate that soon caught fire nationwide. For many, the passage of Prop 8 felt like a giant step backward. “Before prop 8 passed, I was closeted in a Christian middle school that was not very tolerant of LGBT issues,” recalls senior Brennan Hicks. “I remember having to conceal my feelings when I would look up from the playground at typewriters spelling out ‘YES ON PROP 8’ in the sky. After it passed, I was conflicted [about] myself and
Photo Courtesy of Mercuri2
Stand up for what you believe. On Nov. 15 in Los Angeles and San Francisco, protesters fought heat and opposition to support same-sex marriage and debate proponents of Proposition 8. In Los Angeles, gay-rights advocates clustered in front of the city hall and began a march downtown carrying signs that read “Love your neighbor as yourself ” and “We have a dream too!”
my beliefs compared to the people around me, but I have since come to speak out for marriage equality and the hopeful overturn of Prop 8.” Other Americans who had supported Prop 8 were pleased. But some felt attacked by the demonstrations against Prop 8 that occurred after its passage. They argued that, no matter what the issue, California voters had the right to decide what was best for their state. “I’m not opposed to gay people marrying. However, I’m very opposed to the federal government making a judgment on a proposition voted on by the people of
the state of California,” said junior Austin Robert. “In doing so, the government is stepping in and disrupting the balance of the states.” The passage of Prop 8 was met with both assenting and dissenting voices, and it wasn’t long before the dissenting voices made themselves heard. In 2010, Judge Vaughan Walker of the Lower Federal Court ruled that Prop 8 was a violation of the Equal Protection Clause. Two years later, the 9th Circuit Federal Appeals Court agreed with his ruling, propelling Prop 8 into the national spotlight. Now, with the appeals process escalating toward a long-
Volume 12, Issue 6
awaited climax, America holds its breath. The outcome of five years of struggle lies around the corner. Although this waiting period is accompanied by great anxiety, for liberals and conservatives alike, it also brings with it a feeling of triumph. No matter what your stance on gay rights, there is no denying that America has mobilized and unified around the issue, making us a very different society than the one we were in 2008. Gay-Straight Alliance clubs in high schools and universities are more popular than ever. Our very own GSA at Sage Hill is on fire, selling equality rings to students and raising school-wide awareness. Pop music’s newest phenom, Macklemore, also happens to be a gay rights activist. Everywhere you go, the rainbow flag is flying. Most importantly, though, there is a national atmosphere of acceptance—of greater appreciation of diversity and difference—that did not exist in 2008 transcending the gay rights issue and speaking to how much we have matured as a nation since Prop 8 passed. We will learn the fate of Prop 8 in June, and I have faith that America will make a fair and just decision. Whenever I feel doubt, I need only look back at our nation’s history to be reassured. America has a reputation for choosing the path of change. We are a country that is constantly looking to the future, searching for ways to apply the principles of our forefathers to the present day. When I look at it that way, I have no trouble believing that America will eventually make progress on the issue of gay rights, no matter what form that progress may take.
Star Wars and Ratatouille By Jenna Shapiro Editor-in-Chief
Photo Courtesy of Christopher Andras
It is no secret that Sage has an appreciation for, verging on obsession with, the act of reflection. We reflect on our backgrounds, families and dreams, and at the end of the year, we reflect in eight different essays which culminate in the capital-P Portfolio essay. And then there is the search for the metaphor, perhaps the greatest challenge of it all. We rack our imaginations, with possible help from Google, for that perfect metaphor that can seamlessly relate our experiences in the past year to our connection to the world— not to mention one that will make a sick display in the gym. Yet despite the stress that can come during this all too familiar metaphor selection process, Sage has taught me to fall in love with the metaphor. I know that statement absolutely cements my status as an English nerd. I have come to love the metaphor because it has the power to
express what cannot be easily put into words. So, as I reflect on my experience at Sage Hill and write my final words to this school, I naturally find myself falling back on this wellknown and loved figure of speech. To me, Sage is every Star Wars movie combined, a special universe that generates an invisible force that passes through us and compels us to think and act differently. Sage is the Eighth Wonder of the World, a place to marvel at and be inspired by time and time again. Sage is a bowl of ratatouille, a conglomerate of personalities and talents each of which adds its own unique flavor to create a distinctive, colorful recipe. Finally, Sage is a home that holds a very large, supportive family that feels comfortable enough to fall asleep just about anywhere, be it Ms. Orr’s couch during a free period or the middle of the quad (I have done both). Thank you, Sage Hill, for giving me an experience that cannot be easily put into words.