Good on Maine

[Walter]

Maine voters reject gay-marriage law
By GLENN ADAMS and DAVID CRARY, Associated Press Writers Glenn Adams And David Crary
PORTLAND, Maine – Maine voters repealed a state law Tuesday that would have allowed same-sex couples to wed, dealing the gay rights movement a heartbreaking defeat in New England, the corner of the country most supportive of gay marriage.
Gay marriage has now lost in every single state — 31 in all — in which it has been put to a popular vote. Gay-rights activists had hoped to buck that trend in Maine — known for its moderate, independent-minded electorate — and mounted an energetic, well-financed campaign.
With 87 percent of the precincts reporting, gay-marriage foes had 53 percent of the votes.
"The institution of marriage has been preserved in Maine and across the nation," declared Frank Schubert, chief organizer for the winning side.

 

[JLM]

Maine voters reject gay-marriage law
By GLENN ADAMS and DAVID CRARY, Associated Press Writers Glenn Adams And David Crary
PORTLAND, Maine – Maine voters repealed a state law Tuesday that would have allowed same-sex couples to wed, dealing the gay rights movement a heartbreaking defeat in New England, the corner of the country most supportive of gay marriage.
Gay marriage has now lost in every single state — 31 in all — in which it has been put to a popular vote. Gay-rights activists had hoped to buck that trend in Maine — known for its moderate, independent-minded electorate — and mounted an energetic, well-financed campaign.
With 87 percent of the precincts reporting, gay-marriage foes had 53 percent of the votes.
"The institution of marriage has been preserved in Maine and across the nation," declared Frank Schubert, chief organizer for the winning side.

I think you may find these gay marriages are just a temporary trend. Personally I think they should allow them (although I do have a problem with the definition of "marriage" being bastardized) as if two people are happy together they are not bothering anybody else and what they do in the privacy of their own homes has absolutely no affect on the rights of the rest of us.

 

[SirJosephPorter]

Maine may have said no to gay marriage law, but Washington (a much bigger state) said yes. I suppose Glenn Adams overlooked that in his enthusiasm and zeal to spout anti-gay rhetoric.

Indeed, Washington made history yesterday, by approving an initiative legalizing gay marriage (well, marriage in all but name only, now gays can enter civil unions with full rights of marriage).

Anyway, posters like Walter probably look across the border with envy, where a majority is given the veto power over the minority rights, where a majority can decide what rights women, blacks, gays etc. may or may not have.

Indeed, it is fortunate that they did not settle the issue of civil rights for blacks by referendums. If they did, most of the Bible Belt in the south would still be practicing segregation.

 

[ironsides]

To quote SJM: "Anyway, posters like Walter probably look across the border with envy, where a majority is given the veto power over the minority rights, where a majority can decide what rights women, blacks, gays etc. may or may not have."

"It is my house, my rules, you want to live here, you will abide by those rules." How many times have you heard your parents say that. The U.S. Constitution gives every man, women and child the same rights as any other. Problem with the law was that it was not being applied evenly to everyone. Individuals, courts etc interrupted it as they saw it, which was wrong and not how the laws were written. The laws must be interrupted as written. There is no reason to give special groups their own protection. I am not against "Gay" having a civil ceramony, To quote JLM, "I do have a problem with the definition of "marriage" being bastardized" I also take offense to homosexuals being called gay, totally destroyed the meaning of a very nice word. Now when children hear the term "Their hearts were young and gay", they giggle.
I am glad a majority trys to run the U.S. and will do my best to see they always do.

 

[china]

The laws must be interrupted as written. There is no reason to give special groups their own protection.
I am glad a majority runs the U.S. and will do my best to see they always do._________________________________________

Listen Canada.

 

[gerryh]

The laws must be interrupted as written. There is no reason to give special groups their own protection.
I am glad a majority runs the U.S. and will do my best to see they always do._________________________________________

Listen Canada.

There3 ya go Canada...the polack living in china has spoken.

 

[Tonington]

Good on Maine for being a state of busybody nosy meddling gossipers who feel the need to interfere in private personal matters of no consequence to themselves. That'll show those minorities!

 

[SirJosephPorter]

I am glad a majority trys to run the U.S. and will do my best to see they always do.

And that right there is the problem with USA, ironsides. While in a democracy normally the majority rules, some basic, fundamental rights are guaranteed by the constitution, and should not be subject to the majority whims.

Indeed, none of the significant social advances would have been achieved if they had been put to the vote by the majority. Do you think an all male electorate would have voted in a referendum to give women the vote? Or that states like Mississippi, Alabama or Texas would have granted civil rights to blacks if it was decided by a 50%+1 majority referendum?

The matters for basic rights, fundamental rights are for the courts and the elected bodies (Parliament in Canada, Senate and House in USA) to decide. I don’t think they should be subject to a veto by the majority.

And that is recognized in Canada, Britain, most of Europe etc. No other country (except perhaps Switzerland) gives the majority a veto over what rights a minority should or should not have. When we had the debate about gay marriage, even Harper (who was the leader of the opposition at that time) did not call for a referendum on gay marriage. While he was opposed to gay marriage, he nevertheless realized that such a matter cannot be put to a mob rule, where the majority by 50%+1 vote can nullify minority rights.

I find the whole idea of giving the majority a veto over minority rights odious and repugnant.

 

[TenPenny]

The laws must be interrupted as written.

I thought that was the point of the vote, to interrupt the law.

 

[#juan]

The laws must be interrupted as written.

Is it possible you meant "interpreted"?
I suppose interrupting the law could be accomplished by shooting the sheriff.:roll:

 

[AnnaG]

It's only a religious affectation that man is "supposed" to take a female as a spouse. The reasoning has no basis in fact or good sense. It's archaic and stupid

 

[AnnaG]

Is it possible you meant "interpreted"?
I suppose interrupting the law could be accomplished by shooting the sheriff.:roll:

... or finding a rebellious judge.

 

[coldstream]

Well done Maine. But it looks close, 53% to 47% and you know this victory is of a battle, not the war.

Washington State's backdoor approach to legitimizing homosexual 'marriage', by extending all governmental marriage benefits (Prop. 71) to homosexual 'partners' looks like it might be heading for a narrow victory. It's the thin edge of the wedge.

The homosexual lobby has been nothing if not relentless in pushing for not only full legitimization, but celebration.. and inculcation of the young... through the educational system... into the homosexual 'lifestyle'.

This is an all-out campaign for the heart and soul of Western Civilization by undermining the family as its social foundation. It's been going on for a long time.

Whenever some nominal recognition and rights have been given to homosexuals, it only forms a beachhead for more ... and more .. demands. You can't negotiate with evil... it lies, it won't honour it's promises, it fights dirty.

The bottom line is that homosexuality spawns such deep misery and confusion in the individual, that they really don't know or care about the issue. They think a little bonafidus will cure the desertification of their spiritual landscape, but it will only enslave them in gratuitous promiscuous futile sexual gratification all the more. That's all there is to homosexuality.. there ain't no more.

What most of the West has lost, is that Homosexual Rights is the tip of the spear, of a manifest and rampaging Evil.

 

[AnnaG]

And the Inquisitor from Chillywacky shows up right on time.
Burnt any crosses lately? Dunked any witches lately? Inserted "the Pear" into any gay person's orifices lately?

 

[Cannuck]

I suppose Glenn Adams overlooked that in his enthusiasm and zeal to spout anti-gay rhetoric.

Anti-gay rhetoric? Being opposed to gay marriage does not make one opposed to homosexuality...or are you suggesting that over half the people in Maine oppose homosexuality?

 

[coldstream]

And the Inquisitor from Chillywacky shows up right on time.
Burnt any crosses lately? Dunked any witches lately? Inserted "the Pear" into any gay person's orifices lately?

Nobody respects the Spanish Inquisition!!! :x ;-)

 

[AnnaG]

Nobody respects the Spanish Inquisition!!! :x;-)

Exactly, but you sure come across as an inquisitor in your posts. :-|

 

[Andem]

The homosexual lobby has been nothing if not relentless in pushing for not only full legitimization, but celebration.. and inculcation of the young... through the educational system... into the homosexual 'lifestyle'.

The homosexual lobby?? The inculcation of the young through the educational system? You seem more than paranoid.

Since it's something you don't agree with, you have to make up stories to back your feeble opinion.

 

[coldstream]

Exactly, but you sure come across as an inquisitor in your posts. :-|

Actually that was quote a lot of people will remember from the Monty Python show... spewed by a trio of maniacal crimson robed cardinals. I meant it in jest, but the postulates of of Spanish Inquisition might have been correct, if not their methods. :smile:

 

[Andem]

By Maria Sacchetti, Globe Staff

PORTLAND, Maine -- Proponents of same-sex marriage vowed today to continue their fight in Maine a day after voters narrowly shot it down. Opponents of gay marriage said they, too, would keep up their efforts.

Yesterday, 53 percent of Maine voters repealed the state's gay-marriage law just six months after the governor signed it, and a year after California voters defeated same-sex marriage by a similar margin. It was a devastating blow for national efforts to expand gay marriage since Massachusetts was the first to allow it in 2003, and a victory for opponents who say marriage should be limited to a man and a woman.


<snip>


"That's a wonderful number, one that we're not going to forget," she said. "I assure you we are going to build in the future."

"We are on the right side of history," said Shenna Bellows, executive director of the Maine Civil Liberties Union. "This is just another beginning."


source: Backers of same-sex marriage pledge to keep up Maine fight - Local News Updates - The Boston Globe


As far as I'm concerned, I think it's terrible that the majority has the right to decide about equal rights and civil liberties. 47% vs. 53% is still pretty impressive and I believe they will build on it.