Tomorrow, Maine Voters Have the Next Say on Marriage Equality

Published November 02, 2009 @ 05:04AM PT

Protect Maine Equality Maine voters head to the polls tomorrow (that is, if they havent already participated in 'early voting') to determine whether a state law that recognizes marriage equality can stay on the books. Thousands of volunteers have poured into Maine for the final stretch, working a Get-Out-the-Vote (GOTV) campaign that is as impressive as it is important. But this is still going to come down to the wire.

A new, and very humbling, poll was issued by Public Policy Polling (PPP) today showing that supporters of Question 1 (a "Yes" vote on Question 1 will rescind marriage rights for gays and lesbians) are slightly ahead of opponents of Question 1. It's still within the margin of error, but 24 hours before polls open, it's always a bit shocking to see the good guys losing.

PPP has the race at 51 percent of Maine voters rejecting same-sex marriage, and 47 percent supporting it. With results that close, this thing is going to come down to turn-out, turn-out, and then more turn-out.

By any stretch the No on Question 1 campaign has run a far more superior campaign, praised by everyone from the Governor of Maine to national newspapers. Anti-LGBT folks have resorted to fear once again -- like they did in California, and like they've done in more than 30 other states that have passed laws banning same-sex marriage. Their campaign has known no shame, but unfortunately elections aren't always determined by integrity and honor. They're determined by who gets their asses out and votes.

The No on 1 campaign has released their final television commercial for the campaign, and it lays things down on the line. "Maine has a clear choice," the ad says. "We can choose to treat some Maine families differently. To make these families feel shame. To deny them basic protections like health care, or making sure their children are cared for if a parent dies...or we can choose equality."

Hope, pray, and for sure if you have the means, get up to Maine and help equality win at the ballot box for the first time in regards to marriage equality.

Watch the No on 1 campaign ad after the jump.

(Photo courtesy of Equality Across America's Web site.)

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Comments (15)

The time has come. For if we lose this battle, let it not darken but galvanize the hearts and minds of all those who think that time will secure our future. If we lose let it be a lesson to all that despite money, despite courage, despite the atmosphere of peace and love, and despite time; our enemies will never show mercy, compassion, reason, and most importantly they will never show love.

We shall learn immensely from this if we lose or if we win. If we lose we will learn that no matter how many letters we write into our legislatures, our senators, and our supreme court justices, that no matter how many hearing we receive on the senate and house floors that grant us our equality, the many trials before the supreme court grants us our rights; the new constitution only grants rights to those who the majority seem to hold favorable views for. It would appear, even today that we are still far from human enough to be protected from the whim and will of the majority.

We have tried to win their hearts and minds with emotional and reasonable campaigns. As great as our efforts; so too was the greatness of the failures. If this be another failure then let us rise up. For this is the will be the hour, this will be our day of reckoning. Our founding fathers of this country and their declaration of independence made it clear that everyone, not most, not some, have a right to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. - That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, - That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security."

It is time my brothers and sisters to take our fore fathers words of truth and use them to create a new country, a country far from the tyranny of the religious zealots who wish to eradicate us for our love. So for all those out there, religious or not, who believe in the segregation and discrimination against us gay people, bisexual people, and transgendered people; let the words our fore fathers shake you to your core, for now is our hour and day of our reckoning and let it be a day that will never be forgotten.

Posted by Chris Marshall on 11/02/2009 @ 09:17AM PT
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Indeed...

And such a time has ever been long over due.

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 11/02/2009 @ 01:15PM PT
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fuck that Chris! i'm pissed, and the catholic church, mormon church - finances laundered through NOM WILL hear about this. Don't be surprised if you see my name on TV. I am no longer playing Mr. Nice Gay. I'm done!

Posted by Dave Hershey on 11/04/2009 @ 12:50AM PT
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Here on my college campus in Maine, and in the state altogether, there is a good amount of hope that No on 1 will prevail and the LGBT community will keep the right to marry. As a native of Connecticut I was happy when I heard that gay marriage was legalized. Now that I am attending university in Maine I hope that gays will be allowed to keep that same right.

And since voting is taking place tomorrow, some friends and I are getting up early and working with volunteers from Equality Maine to tell people to get out and vote no on 1. Everyone deserves the right to marry. No one should have that right taken away from them just because others think it is disgusting and morally wrong. Love is Love and if you love someone to the point where you want to marry them and they are the same gender as you then you should be allowed to marry them.

Posted by Caitlin Schmedlin on 11/02/2009 @ 09:31AM PT
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You go sister. -hugs-

Posted by Chris Marshall on 11/02/2009 @ 09:40AM PT
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Hugs back!

Posted by Caitlin Schmedlin on 11/02/2009 @ 09:45AM PT
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May equality prevail over the lies and deception of the bible thumpers.

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 11/02/2009 @ 01:17PM PT
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Same-sex marriage is a very important right which must not be revoked. It's already unfortunate that the bill which would recognized same-sex marriage in Maine is on a ballot, in effect a gamble on a LGBT right. However, the No on 1 campaign has done a great job with their ads in order for people in Maine to see the importance of equality for that state's LGBT community. LGBT rights trumps and will always trump the intolerance which opponents spew.

Posted by Edwin Bonilla on 11/02/2009 @ 02:21PM PT
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Guys I was talking to Wayne Benson... sorry but I think, that is my own opinion, that we will lose Maine and possibly Washington.

However looking at the bright side of things; late night commentators will have a laugh about Washington. Because in Washtington it is legal to fuck or get fucked by your dog or in the case of news, a horse (which killed a man), but if you are gay, it is not legal to get even a single right to protect your family. Oh the irony.

So while i know my stab at humor is not funny. It should make some of you shake your head in disgust while more fundies prepare the non coming of their christ that was supposed to have happened this year of every last year for the last one thousand years. Three cheers for the eradication of our constitution and democracy as we know it. Another cheer for the theocracy we are about to become.

Posted by Chris Marshall on 11/02/2009 @ 06:00PM PT
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Chris,

Sadly, I have the feeling you are correct about Maine (but I think you are wrong about Washington.) I spent the day making phone calls, calling Maine residents, and I'm not sure how I feel about that now. It appeared that although we have many supporters, a lot of those supporters are "weak." Meaning, it just isn't important to them, which translates to me that they may or may not get to the polls.

I tried turning it around on them to ask them how long they felt it would be before someone comes after their rights. Answer most commonly received? "Oh they won't do that. If they do, I'll go down shooting." My reply, "That is exactly what we are doing, but we are trying to be nice about it."

All in all, by 9 PM (Maine time - 6 PM here) I ended up being somewhat depressed, again!

Posted by Dave Hershey on 11/02/2009 @ 06:16PM PT
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Mr. marshall...

Your right...It is very ironic that while its legal for heterosexuals to have sex with animals in some places...I thought florida was the only place ?...That the G.L.B.T. community is being denied their rights just shows how hypocritical some heterosexuals are.

Mr. hershey...

Thank you for doing the best you could and I can only hope as do we all that the citizens of maine will surprise everyone and side with equality.

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 11/03/2009 @ 02:36PM PT
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I am so tired of this crap...we pay taxes to support heterosexuals and they get to vote on our civil rights. What a bunch of crap.

I suspect that if we lose today, asshats like Ely Loew will come on and patronise us...he already has on the Scholastic Book thread (the revocation of the ban) and on the thread about the Republican moderate who had to shut down her campaign because of the intolerance.

I am afraid that you are right, Chris and I say we start going after these people's tax exempt status. If you want to meddle in something that is not properly your business--such as the churches who meddle in politics, then goddamn it, sooner or later, you need to pay Uncle Sam for the priviledge. These people have no love and no decency--of course, all the religious wrong idiots who much about on the GLBTQ threads are going to whine that I'm being hateful--SO THE HELL WHAT?!

The religious nutters made it impossible to marry in this country without wondering when THEY were going to circumvent the courts (and in this case the Maine Legislature) to get that right revoked. I went to Canada because I know that chances are excellent that a lot of superstitious BIGOTS aren't going to be able to destroy my marriage. They want the right to determine their own destiny and marry whom they want to marry--but Goddess forbid that an LGBTQ person be able to make that choice. When the time comes I can be reasonably sure that my marriage is legal, if only in Canada and a handful of states.

I laugh ruefully at all this crap about the "noose being around the necks of Christians" simply because we are now protected by law from their hateful actions. Christians and other monotheists are detested in much of the LGBTQ community because of their smug bigotry and their arrogant opinion (and that is all it is--OPINION) that we are at best second rate citizens.

I may or may not live to see the end of the struggle but I sure as HELL ain't giving up1

Posted by Ioan Lightoller on 11/03/2009 @ 04:52AM PT
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Well said miss lightoller.

I too will continue to fight alongside all of you folks for equality and Im seriously considering putting a curse on the bible thumpers.

We will win...We will win.

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 11/03/2009 @ 02:45PM PT
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i don't know about anyone else, but I've set up a savings account and have STOPPED paying taxes (4 years ago.) I REFUSE to be taxed higher than our heterosexual counterparts!

Posted by Dave Hershey on 11/04/2009 @ 12:49AM PT
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i don't know about anyone else, but I've set up a savings account and have STOPPED paying taxes (4 years ago.) I REFUSE to be taxed higher than our heterosexual counterparts!

Posted by Dave Hershey on 11/04/2009 @ 12:49AM PT
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Michael is the Communications Director for the Human Rights Program at Harvard Law School, and previously was Communications Director for Pax Christi USA, a progressive Catholic human rights organization.