Box Turtle Bulletin
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobby“Now you must raise your children up in a world where that union of man and box turtle is on the same legal footing as man and wife…”
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobbyOctober 27th, 2009
We have more details on that poll on Maine’s Question 1. The poll is the Pan-Atlantic SMS Group’s final 2009 tracking poll (PDF: 227 KB/13 pages) on questions being put before Maine voters next week, and the news is very encouraging. Compared to a similar poll conducted two weeks ago, their statewide sample of 400 likely Maine voters on Question 1 breaks down this way:
| October 14 | October 26 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Vote YES | 40.9% | 40.0% | |
| Lean YES | 2.0% | 1.5% | |
| Vote NO | 50.6% | 51.8% | |
| Lean NO | 1.2% | 0.8% | |
| Undecided | 5.2% | 6.0% | |
| Margin of error: 4.9% | |||
Given the large margin of error, this shows things to be relatively stable. Despite all the fearmongering attack adds the YES side have been throwing at Maine voters, the NO side continues to hold a significant lead. Maybe that’s why Stand for Marriage Maine has decided to shift their tone with their latest television ad:
The tone is much less menacing, but the message is still there, softened with the assurance that “we want to be tolerant of gays.” Calling Maine’s second-class domestic partnerships adequate for LGBT couples, this ad claims that “it’s possible to support the civil rights of all citizens and protect traditional marriage at the same time.”
The ad includes text from Maine’s Office of Health Data and Program Management, which administers Maine’s Domestic Partnership Registry, which states that “registered domestic partners are accorded a legal status similar to that of a married person with respect to matters of probate, guardianships, conservatorships, inheritance, protection from abuse, and related matters.”
But the act is actually very limited. Click on either of the links for “Instructions and Information for the Domestic Partnership Registry,” and you’ll find this notice:
It is important to remember that a registered domestic partnership is NOT the same as a marriage and does not entitle partners to rights other than those for which the registry was intended. This registry is intended to allow individuals to have rights of inheritance as well as the rights to make decisions regarding disposal of their deceased partners remains.
In other words, most of these these so-called “benefits” only kick in when one of the partners is seriously ill or dead. And somehow I get the impression that this is exactly the way they want it.
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Alex
October 27th, 2009
So now we’re “dismantling” traditional marriage? The last time I checked, same-sex marriage hasn’t prevented a single straight couple from marrying, nor has it restricted the legal protections of heterosexual marriage in any way.
“We want to be tolerant of gays.”
That part made me laugh. Notice she didn’t say “We ARE tolerant of gays.”
Ben
October 28th, 2009
What a disgusting commercial. The way they say, “gays” is dripping with hate, no matter the tone the voice actor was told to assume.
Elizabeth
October 28th, 2009
The current battle over domestic partnerships in Washington state is proof positive that these people will oppose any and all legislation that recognizes gay partnerships.
I hope Mainers don’t fall for these lies.
Alex
October 28th, 2009
Exactly, Elizabeth. Their campaign has nothing to do with “protecting marriage” and they know it.
Timothy Kincaid
October 28th, 2009
A proposal for an ad in Maine:
Those who want to take away rights from gay people in our state are running a commercial claiming that they want to be tolerant of gay couples. They claim that domestic partnerships are the way to go.
But that’s a lie. They don’t support domestic partnerships at all.
Just this week, the same out-of-state organization that provides most of the money for Yes on 1 also gave hundreds of thousands of dollars to a campaign in Washington State to take away domestic partnership rights from gay couples.
You see, they aren’t really about protecting marriage at all, they only want to deny rights to gay people.
It’s no wonder that Yes on 1’s funding is mostly from big out-of-state anti-gay groups. Because these are not the values of Mainers. We don’t lie and we don’t hate.
So let’s not reward those who do. This Tuesday, vote NO on Question 1.
ravenbiker
November 18th, 2009
Let us all revisit the 1960’s and put civil rights on a ballot. The people, their vote, ought not to determines who and who does not receive civil rights. Last I looked, and don’t agree with, the institution of marriage is a right granted by government and not so much the hordes who decide to vote this year because of this burning issue.
When will straights wake up an realize that voting for or against civil rights for a fringe group is wrong.
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