California is in the midst of what some would call a "cultural crossroads." Only months after dropping the ban of marriages is California, the state will be voting on Prop. 8, which aims to amend the state consititution to define marriage as only between a man and a woman. The recently hired Dean of Law at UC Irvine, Erwin Chemerinsky, has spoken in opposition to Prop.8.

The O.C. Register reports: 

Chemerinsky said Prop. 8 would not only define the issue of gay marriage in California, but would have a nationwide influence.

 

"If Prop. 8 is defeated, I believe that within my lifetime we will see a majority of states allow same-sex couples to marry," said Chemerinsky, 55, a renowned constitutional scholar who became the founding dean of UCI's Law School earlier this year.

 

"If it is approved, that progress will be halted," he said, "The stakes are enormous."

Standing up for gay marriage is very admirable for Chemerinsky. His hiring at UC Irvine was a lengthy battle between him and the administration, so for him to stand in support of gay marriage law in a conservative arena like Irvine shows he is a man of conviction and common sense.

The debate about gay marriage has been rapidly growing in California, and some instituions are starting to put out videos claiming ridiculous things like: gay marriage is harmful to children and gay marriage is destructive to the institution of marriage.

The people in support of Prop 8. should ask a gay couple why they want to get married.

They will probably say, "The same reason you got married: love and tax breaks."