(Nov. 4, 2008) — This year’s ballot is filled with contentious propositions, not the least of which is Proposition 8. Since the California Supreme Court ruled by a 4-3 decision on May 15, 2008 to legalize same-sex marriage, this state has seen demonstrations of both celebration and outrage. Now that Prop. 8 presents the threat, or for some the opportunity, to undo the Supreme Court’s decision, tensions are running high. The facts: California, along with ten other states, allows domestic partnership registrations, known in other states also as civil union. Civil Union grants homosexual couples all the same state-level rights and responsibilities of marriage in California without calling it marriage. From 1994 to May 2008 marriage in California was defined as being specifically between a man and a woman. In September 2005 legislation to make same sex marriage legal passed by strong majority, but Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed the bill, citing Proposition 22 in 2000 in which 61% of the popular vote was cast against making same -sex marriage legal in California. Schwarzenegger expressed that while he supports gay marriage, the decision should be made by the people. Meanwhile, more than 11,000 same-sex couples have already been married, and if this constitutional amendment is passed, it will not be retroactive. That decision is the one Californians are being asked to make next week. Students and teachers have expressed a variety of opinions on this issue, from moderate to radical to concern with the political process rather than the issue of gay marriage. A number of students have expressed the sentiment that, despite their own religious feelings on the matter of homosexuality, they will remain laissez-faire on the issue and will support homosexuals’ ability to marry, if not their decision to. “It doesn’t matter how you were born or what you like, you should be yourself,” sophomore Sarkis Ashchyan said. “Let them believe what they want to believe, but not to force other people to believe what they’re believing in.” Senior Charlotte Anongos expressed similar sentiments of support. “I’m Roman Catholic,” Anongos said. “I don’t want to kill people, I don’t want to lie, I don’t want to commit adultery.” Yet despite her religious choices and personal preferences, Anongos believes that if “two consenting adults love each other very much and they want all the benefits of marriage, then they should be able to get married.” “I’m not someone that’s gay or wants to marry someone my sex,” sophomore Natalie Nazeli said, “but it’s not right to control someone else’s life.” Other students and teachers, however, hold opposing views. United States History and Government teacher Nicholas Doom is one of them. “I don’t believe the role of the courts should be to make new laws,” Doom said. “It’s the right of the people to elect representatives who then make laws, especially in an issue as contentious as gay marriage. I’m voting yes on Prop. 8 regardless of the issue whether it was gay marriage or not because I don’t believe in courts making law because I believe that if there are enough people who want to have gay marriage then the elected representatives of Sacramento who write the laws would amend and change that law. I’m not against gay marriage. I’m against the process on which this was done.” “I would vote yes on Prop. 8,” junior Stella Khashakyan said, “because in the Bible it says marriage is supposed to be between a man and a woman and that’s I think how it should be. It doesn’t matter if everyone is Christian or not, that’s the way it is. It’s between a man and a woman, it’s like that. Getting married and changing the lifestyle of everyone around them, that’s wrong. It’s what I see, and I don’t like seeing that, like them being together and being affectionate and stuff, I don’t like that. Being married finalizes them, it kind of says that it’s okay.” No matter the reasons or personal sentiments, though, voters will only be given two choices on Election Day: yes or no.