Most on committee back gay-marriage bill (Maine Legislature)

[MaineDem]

Source: Portland Press Herald

AUGUSTA — The Legislature's Judiciary Committee voted overwhelmingly Tuesday in support of a bill to allow same-sex marriage in Maine, setting the stage for full legislative debate.

The bill now goes to the Senate, with 11 committee members in support, two opposed and one who wants to send the issue to Maine's voters.

People on both sides of the debate packed the committee room and spilled into two overflow rooms as legislators deliberated the bill.

Sen. Lawrence Bliss, D-South Portland, the committee's Senate chair, said the issue has been especially difficult for him.

"It comes as no surprise to any of you that I'm a gay man and this is extremely personal to me," he said. "I've worked hard to set that personal piece aside because it is about fairness."

Read more: http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=253508&ac=PHnws

[mainegreen]

1. It's a coming. We wont be the last one up here, thankfully.

I think NH will take that prize.

[friedgreentomatoes]

13. Rhode Island? n/t

[Botany]

2. New England to be the new gay "Mecca"

:rofl:

[closeupready]

8. New England and the East Coast have always been the most progressive on social issues,

particularly with regard to gays. I mean, as far back as I can personally recall.

[Botany]

9. Get New Hampshire and you will have a small country

Hell who else is gonna run the B.B.s with wall sconces, track lighting, and throw pillows? (gay men)

Or run the gardens and repair the broken cars? (lesbians)

[customerserviceguy]

3. If it were referred to the people

does anybody have a sense of how it might do? Have there been any reliable polls released on the subject recently?

[LeftHander]

4. I can tell you what will happen....

Gobs of money would flow in from right wing fringe religious crazies hell bent on stepping on the rights of gay people. They will spread FUD, lies and anything else to smear same sex couples and induce fear into the public to prevent same sex couples from marrying. And the people would acquiesce to the strong arm tactics and vote in a ban and even institute punitive additions and take away more rights...

JUST LIKE THEY DID IN WISCONSIN in 2006.

[No Elephants]

6. They sure tried that in Massachusetts, but the Legislature, by inaction, did not let it

get to the people.

I don't think it's been much of an issue here lately. However, if it gone on the ballot, I fear what would happen, even in what is SUPPOSEDLY the bluest state in the nation.

[high density]

7. There have been various anti-gay measures on the ballots in Maine for years now

Every two years there seems to be a new one to bring out the fundies to the polls. So far we have been voting them down.

[lazyriver]

10. The catholic church is already on it. They've already started

running a TV ad with dramatic music and images of hetero couples hugging their children. The narrator lays on the fear pretty thick "now, some people are trying to CHANGE Maine's laws and the VERY DEFINITION of marriage". It's disgusting and I'm sure they will only get worse.


These guys aren't taking it lying down though. Anybody who wants to help bring equality to Maine should check them out and get involved...
http://equalitymaine.org/

[JerseygirlCT]

12. Is Maine as Catholic as the rest of New England?

(I really don't know, just wondering). I would guess there's also a strong streak of live and let live in the people's character, too, though.

[lazyriver]

15. Catholics are declining in Maine just as they are declining

everywhere in New England (and nationwide per recently published studies). Southern Maine has more than my neck of the woods, I guess because of the greater Boston influence there. We seem to have a few more fundies around here. There is also a pretty strong live and let live contingent but my experience tells me it is hard to get many of them to participate in politics beyond voting in presidential elections...unless of course it involves hunting regulations and/or gun rights or the issue directly affects their lives. That said, this past election might have changed things, especially among young people.

[MaineDem]

5. Polls show it's pretty evenly split

The better organized and funded side will probably win. And the opponents may have the money but they don't have the organization and GOTV effort to back it up.

[JerseygirlCT]

11. Wow, we're looking at a northeast landslide here. Add NJ and NY to New England's states...

(Rhode Island, you're falling behind....) and we have a bona fide movement here.

I hope that Iowa finds itself swamped with people from the midwest, eager to spend many dollars celebrating their marriages. Sometimes when law or morals don't work, the almighty dollar will.

So we'll have these islands across the country. Only a matter of time until this silliness is done and marriage equality is just a boring old fact!

[jpak]

14. K&R

Dirigo

:thumbsup: