Why Maine rejected gay marriage
Will same-sex marriage always lose when voters—not courts—get to decide?
Michael Seche, a supporter of same-sex marriage, holds a sign at a rally.
(San Francisco Chronicle/Corbis/Hardy Wilson)
The people of Maine narrowly voted to repeal a law allowing gay marriage, making Maine the 31st state to reject same-sex marriage at the ballot box. (Five states have legalized gay unions through the courts or legislative action.) Gay-rights groups, smarting from their failure to defeat California's Prop 8 last year, were hoping to turn the tide in a New England state with a "live and let live" tradition. Why did Maine reject same-sex marriage?
The majority didn't want it, pure and simple: The issue of gay marriage "loses when the people decide," says Thomas Peters in National Review. "And it loses every time." Unlike in California, gay-rights groups can't blame it on the Mormons this time. Maine—like all the other states—simply supports traditional marriage.
"Remember (the) Maine!"
The Catholic Church got out the "no" vote: This time it wasn't the Mormon Church, says Bridgette P. LaVictoire in Lez Get Real, it was the Catholic Church that stirred up "bigotry, hatred, and suspicion" to get Maine to "turn its back on equality." The gay-marriage opponents simply put the trusty tyranny of the majority to work—as former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura put it, "If you put it up to the vote of the people, we’d have slavery again."
"The shame and betrayal of Maine’s New England values"
Inevitably, civil rights movements face setbacks: The Maine vote was a setback for gay rights, says Andrew Sullivan in The Atlantic, but civil-rights history is full of those. The important thing to remember is how far we've come—a decade ago the gay-marriage issues "was toxic," and now, in Catholic Maine, it divides people evenly. "Soon, it will win everywhere."
"The other marriage nail-biter: Victory"
Show: Oldest | Newest
49 Comments
Posted by Kat, Wednesday, November 4, 2009, 10:12 am It's only a matter of time. As more individuals become educated, and the crazy old bats hanging on to the notion that gays evil die off, winning comes closer. Same thing happened to interracial marriage, including the same halfbaked arguments that marriage needs protecting. Besides, marriage hasn't been so sacrosanct in the straight world: ridiculously high divorce rates, spousal abuse, 20 minute marriages Im looking at you Britney, Jon Kate, really? This is what all the religious nuts are screaming about protecting!? C'mon!!!!!!!!!
Posted by Olaf Gniechwitz, Wednesday, November 4, 2009, 11:05 am Religion has caused more hatred, death, and wars throughout the beginning of mankinds existence. Churches glory in their ignorance and people follow like sheep. Everyone has a right to love and happiness. Marriage is just a state of mind anyway. You can always leave all of your worldly goods in a will to any significant person in your life, even your own animals. Everyone should write up a contract prior to living together, including a will, which might help out in the long run for a gay lifestyle. Fuck the church and the government!
Posted by JMo, Wednesday, November 4, 2009, 11:36 am I'm sick of all this talk about people of faith being focused on hatred and bigotry. As a passionate member of the Christian faith, I have MANY friends who are gay, and I care for them deeply. I do not hate them. I do not view them as lesser people. They are my close friends, and yet at the same time, it is against my spiritual beliefs to recognize marriage as anything other than between a man and a woman.I'm not hating anyone, it's a faith issue. When a Jew or Muslim can't support something it's religious freedom, but for me, it's not?
Posted by Aaron, Wednesday, November 4, 2009, 11:53 am Um, maybe the prople of Maine rejected it because they feel it is wrong.
Posted by JMo is a biggot, too blinded to realize it, Wednesday, November 4, 2009, 12:17 pm JMO says As a passionate member of the Christian faith, I have MANY friends who are gay, and I care for them deeply. I do not hate them. I do not view them as lesser people. They are my close friends, and yet at the same time, it is against my spiritual beliefs to recognize marriage as anything other than between a man and a woman..........Yet you support them not having the same rights you enjoy. If your church doesn't believe in gay marriage, then don't marry them in your church. Don't impose your PERSONAL spiritual beliefs on others!!!!
Posted by JMo is a biggot, too blinded to realize it, Wednesday, November 4, 2009, 12:21 pm Also, Jews and Muslims don't support a lot of things, it's their religious freedom to do so, as it's yours. However, laws aren't dictated by what Jews and Muslims don't support, but they are dictated by Christian opposition. You're free to hate whoever and whatever you want in the name of Christ, just don't force me to follow your backwards beliefs. There are many Christian churches that would happily marry gay couple because they believe in love and that God created everyone equally. You're closemindedness shouldn't interfere with that.
Posted by Calm down, please, Wednesday, November 4, 2009, 12:39 pm The poster who calls JMo a biggot sic should calm down. We all have the exact same right to marry as everyone else. But the right to marry has always been entailed by restrictions relating to age, gender, family relationship, existing marital status bigamy prohibited, and so forth. All of these restrictions are supported by good social ends, regardless of religious belief. While religious people obviously are highly sensitive to moral issues, they are not the only people who are. And of course laws implement moral judgments.
Posted by tim, Wednesday, November 4, 2009, 12:41 pm Regardless of the issue, the real question is, Why elect government members when they're only going to govern by referendum? Elected officials are supposed to argue and weigh the pros and cons and then vote on the bill. Binding decisions made by referenda are arrived at by, at best, gut reaction with little constructive thought.
Post a Comment