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 lobbyDecember 15th, 2008
It looks like Maine may emerge as the next battleground for same-sex marriage. Equality Maine had 250 volunteers at 86 polling places on election day asking voters to sign postcards supporting same-sex marriage to send to state legislators. Equality Maine’s goal was “only” 10,000 signatures; they collected 33,190. Meanwhile, the Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry has been holding press conferences around the state to build support for same-sex marriage.
All of that activity has led same-sex marriage opponents to found a new group, Maine Marriage Alliance, to push for a constitutional amendment:
“Efforts are pretty clearly under way to simply redefine marriage in the state,” said the Rev. Bob Emrich, pastor of Emmanuel Bible Baptist Church in Plymouth and a founder of the alliance. “Let’s put that issue to rest. We want to define marriage, put it in the current constitution so we don’t have to wonder if the court or Legislature will overturn it.”
The process for amending the Maine Constitution begins with a two-thirds vote of both houses of the legislature, followed by a majority vote of the people in a referendum.
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David C.
December 15th, 2008
At least it’s not going to be as easy as it was in California for a small majority to take same-sex marriage away from the gay people of Maine.
Roger Finch
December 15th, 2008
I fail to see what all the fuss is about. Sure, there seems to be a big battle rampaging…but who is it that’s really fighting that war ? Its the lousy activists. The activists of both sides are whining up a storm and trying to divide the people up.
I’m not gay, have no intention of ever being so, but for those who want to live that life style, that is thier choice. What I personally have a problem with…along with many other believers in their faith is that the activists try to shove their life style in my face, act arrogant and try to brand me as some kind of hater all because i have values ? all because I believe in what the bible says ? Give me a break, Forget the big debate and question as to whether such activity is said to send you to hell or not, It really is irrelevant..why? because even if it wasn’t just theology and it was a fact, a person has the right to choose hell if they wish…..I recall many parts in the Bible claiming people have a free will. And I would say this about anyone that was in my face, regardless of what topic trying to force their ways on me or on my socieity. I don’t agree with the use of the word “marriage” but I have no problem with the average gay person whom i’m sure is just living their own life, paying the bills and going on as best they can like anyone else. I have no problem with equal rights and benefits, I have no problem with a person making their own private choice…but then why does the other side of the fence need a parade ? Why do they attack church members, trying to make the El Coyote Restaurant go out of business… .You don’t call this hate ? All because someone is true to their beliefs ?
All the BS campaigning we’ve heard about being gay has been as bad as being Black ? What a bunch of crap. Sure sure, it doesn’t help to say I told you so, but if your going to flaunt your attitude, ruin people’s lives, re-enact the crusifiction of Christ in S&M attire in front of a church, your a fool and to think anyone would care about your cause is plain stupidiy. And THAT is why people take the courage to stand against you. If you were cool, if you were respectful or gracious, then not so many people would care… and now you have to approach the highest court in the land to resolve an issue all because you were unkind, unappoligetic and a bit of a loser when it came to the tactics pulled on the public. I don’t care if your gay. I can live with the bars and other entities that cater to the crowd, as a person, your no different. But if your going to claim all the BS i’ve heard..everything from the black oppresssion angle to the ad campaigns trying to equate being gay to being cool and such…well,….I don’t care who it is, I hate being deceived and lied to.
Get a clue, reign in those stupid activists and you’ll find you can attract more flies with honey than you can with vinegar.
John
December 15th, 2008
Roger Finch,
I hate to break it to you, but you are a bigot and your screed was full of hate, lies and distortions. It also does help your “I am not a bigot” line to directly advocate for unequal treatment between heterosexuals and homosexuals before the law.
I would encourage folks in Maine to start paying attention now to those who organize and support the campaign to constitutionally deny gay people equal rights. Target supporters of discrimination now for boycotts, and if there is a Mormon presence, start calling attention to it NOW!
Good luck to Mainers fighting hate and discrimination.
Timothy Kincaid
December 15th, 2008
Roger,
I’d like to introduce you to the joys of paragraphs. They make reading rather long comments much easier.
Patrick
December 16th, 2008
Roger presents the tired old argument – people will accept you if you just stop being different.
Focus on Gay Pride and ignore Mardi Gras.
Focus on “attacking church members” (in which not a single church member was physically harmed) and ignore all the murders and assaults against gay people (or people assumed to be gay).
Focus on gays “shoving the lifestyle in people’s face” and ignore how heterosexuality is shoved down are throats every second of every day – why does seemingly every film have to have some heterosexual sex-scene or romance in it?
Focus on gays boycotting a restaurant and ignore straights firing gays from their job simply for their sexual orientation.
Focus on the “courage” of those who stand against us using lies, deceit, and misinformation and ignore the courage of those who, in the face of persecution are willing to say “enough!”
Say you are not a bigot but then focus on the sins of others while giving a free pass to the sins of people like yourself.
At least we have one thing in common – we also hate being deceived and lied to. But on top of that we gays hate being lied about as well. Perhaps you need to examine the lies your church leaders say about us and then get upset about how you are being deceived and lied to.
Patrick
December 16th, 2008
*should read “heterosexuality is shoved down *our* throats
Sorry for not adequately proof-reading.
Duncan
December 16th, 2008
It seems to me that Mr Finch’s point, though he does not put it very well, is that full and equal marriage is a symbolic issue that only activists are concerned with, and that it would be better to focus on more material forms of discrimination that affect poorer, less visible people.
The first response would be that to end discrimination, the starting point should be de jure equality because that is easiest to do.
A second is that if this is really of little import, there should not be so much opposition to it. Gay marriage is a simple proposition and it is the social conservatives who are making it into a national issue.
Timothy Kincaid
December 16th, 2008
To anti-gays, “activist” = radical homosexual upsetting the apple cart and making me uncomfortable in having to confront the inequality of the status quo and the contradictions within my own sense of self and value as a good person; the opposite of a “good gay” who accepts their status in life, admits they are a perversion and a sinner, and doesn’t shove their lifestyle down my throat.
To those who believe in equality, “activist” = all of us; and there are no “good gays”, just those too polite to tell bigots off to their face.
Attmay
December 16th, 2008
When do we get to vote on YOUR rights, Roger?
Ben in Oakland
December 16th, 2008
This is what Rosa Parks had to say about the consent of silence: “It’s not that I was fed up (that day). I was fed up all my life, as far back as I can remember, with being treated as less than a free person . . . as long as we continued to comply with these rules and regulations that kept us crushed down as a people, then the power structure would always say: ‘Well, they are not complaining, and they accept this, so they are satisfied with it.’â€
I would re-phrase that for gay people. “I have been fed up all my life, as far back as I can remember, with being treated as less than a whole person, as not good enough, not citizen enough, not human enough, to allow me the simple dignity and respect of living my life in peace. Well, actually they will allow that, as long as I don’t demand equality before the law — or respect, or dignity, or to live my life in peace.”
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