Proposition 8

Sean *******

D****

English 152-013

Due: 10/2/2012

Proposition 8 - Explanatory Synthesis

The argument on Proposition 8 was a very heated debate in California. “Proposition 8 was a California ballot proposition and a state constitutional amendment passed in the November 2008 state elections. The measure added a new provision, Section 7.5 of the Declaration of Rights, to the California Constitution, which provides that ‘only marriage between a man and a women is valid or recognized in California” (Wikipedia) I watched a video relating to Proposition 8 before the vote, trying to sway voters to vote “No” on the amendment. To help the voters choose a side, both parties supporting and disagreeing with Proposition 8 created ads to help gain supporters for their views. For the “No” party on Proposition 8, they created the ad called “And She’s the California Constitution” to help convince young viewers how the proposition is wrong. In the ad, the “No” party uses age difference, attitude, clothes, dramatic views, sexual appeal, stupidity, teenage interests, and a relation to previously popular commercials to help effectively get their view across.

Before explaining the “No” commercial later discussed, I will explain why gay rights have always been a very highly debated topic. Dr. Simon LeVay from Salk Institute for Biological Studies in California did a study on the brains of homosexual men after they had died. (Gay Rights) He discovered that the section of the brain known as the hypothalamus was two times larger in straight men than in gay men. (Gay Rights) While this is only one study, having science support the idea that being homosexual is not a choice, rather something one is born with, could be something the help disbelievers believe.

In the ad “And She’s the California Constitution” the use of age difference makes it much more appealing to the younger generation. With this factor in combination with the sexual appeal of the hot “California...