Marriage Equality
Rhode Island, and the Quest for Gay Marriage Throughout New England
Published October 18, 2009 @ 02:56PM PT
When it comes to gay marriage and New England, all eyes are on Maine as voters prepare to decide whether the state's same-sex marriage law will be kept on the books, or repealed at the hands of anti-gay church folk. But three states down is the tiniest state in the country, Rhode Island, and if Maine beats back its anti-gay ballot measure, Rhode Island will become the only state in New England that does not recognize marriage equality. And activists are letting it be known that they want that changed.
This weekend, around 150 marriage equality supporters rallied on the steps of the State Capitol to boost public support (and thus, political action) for same-sex marriage. To say they are angry about Rhode Island not joining the marriage equality bandwagon might be an understatement.
"It's embarrassing, frankly, to be part of the only state surrounded by all of these other states that have already made the progressive choice," marriage equality supporter Ken Fish told WPRI. "And to have it happen here in Rhode Island -- how ironic -- the birthplace of religious freedom!"
Part of the problem is that Rhode Island's governor is, by many measures, a complete tool. While unemployment figures balloon in Rhode Island and the state is forced to ponder shutting down for up to two weeks to resolve a budget crisis, Gov. Don Carcieri high-tailed it up to Massachusetts this week for a $50-a-head fundraiser for the anti-gay Massachusetts Family Institute. During his speech, Gov. Carcieri said that gay rights activists piss him off when they try to fight for equality.
"[Same-sex marriage] is not a civil right," Gov. Carcieri said. "I get aggravated when it is portrayed that way."
Funny, I get aggravated when Governors start behaving like televangelists and parade around the country peddling discrimination.
Gov. Carcieri is barred from seeking another term in office after this one ends. Since he's already a member of the National Organization for Marriage, perhaps he'll consider employment there. Beyond that, one can only hope that Gov. Carcieri's successor isn't stuck in the stone ages when it comes to respecting equal rights.
Maine Newspapers Agree: Let Gays Marry
Published October 18, 2009 @ 05:58AM PT
In just over two weeks, voters will head to the polls in Maine and decide whether or not same-sex marriage will be allowed to stay legal in the state, or whether right-wing pundits and religious leaders will succeed in scaling back civil rights for gay and lesbian couples. The question voters will decide -- Question 1, officially -- asks Maine voters this:
Do you want to reject the new law that lets same-sex couples marry and allows individuals and religious groups to refuse to perform these marriages?
The No on 1 campaign, which is leading the fight in the state to protect marriage equality, is doing a bang up job. Through this week they were on television more than opponents, and have responded with amazing fundraising prowess (thanks to the netroots!). That's all the more important because in Maine, the official Roman Catholic Church has decided to make fighting gays and lesbians the bread and butter of their faith this year, donating hundreds of thousands of dollars to help pass the discriminatory ballot measure known as Question 1.
Poll numbers show a tight race, and that marriage equality advocates cannot let up (all the more so now that early voting has started).
One set of good news? Two major Maine newspapers have come out on behalf of equality. The first is the Bangor Daily News, one of the larger papers in the state. They have an absolute kick ass editorial this weekend on why Mainers should preserve the rights of gays and lesbians to marry. And the editorial delivers a sucker punch right into the mid-section of the Maine Catholic Church, which has tried to paint gays and lesbians as destabilizing threats to the common good. Check out the money line:
"The repeal effort has been led by the Roman Catholic Diocese. Bishop Richard Malone called same-sex marriage 'a dangerous sociological experiment.' The fact that gay couples have existed for generations — many of them raising children — counters this argument," the paper said. "Worse, however, is the church’s attempt to force its views on all Maine’s residents, whether they are Catholic or not."
The paper goes on to point out that Maine's governor who signed marriage equality into law, Gov. John Baldacci, is a Catholic. How's that for some equal rights irony?
The second paper this weekend to come out strongly on behalf of marriage equality in Maine is the Maine Sunday Telegram, Maine's statewide Sunday newspaper. And like raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, here are a few of our favorite things from this editorial:
- "Limiting marriage to a man and a woman would not make families led by same-sex couples go away. It would just keep them in a legally inferior position that is inconsistent with Maine's tradition of equal protection under the law."
- "[Marriage equality opponents] argue that extending the rights and responsibilities of civil marriage to families headed by same-sex couples would have broad effects throughout society. We have listened to their arguments, but we just don't buy them."
- "Families led by same-sex partners are here now. They are part of our communities and they need and deserve the legal protections – as well as the dignity – that comes with civil marriage status. Maine voters should recognize that even if their personal beliefs about marriage haven't changed, reality has. They should accept reality and vote "no" on Question 1."
Aren't those lines amazing? It's almost as if marriage equality advocates couldn't ask for better editorials. But then again, the editorials just reflect reality. And that reality is that opponents of marriage equality will go to any length and pursue any bogus argument to try and discriminate against gays and lesbians.
Maine's newspapers are starting to get that opponents of marriage equality don't have much to argue with other than hate. Here's hoping Maine voters think the same thing when they cast their ballots.
Harry Potter and Support for Gay Marriage in Maine
Published October 15, 2009 @ 02:24PM PT
A group of Harry Potter fans want to make sure that if Dumbledore were a real, living character, he would have the right to marry in Maine. That's why the Harry Potter Alliance, a non-profit based in Massachusetts, is coordinating an effort in Maine to urge voters in the state to vote No on Question 1 and preserve marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples.
The Harry Potter Alliance is dedicated to bringing the themes from the seven "Harry Potter" books into the real world. Among those themes include tolerance, acceptance, love, and fighting the "Dark Arts" of the world. That includes the type of bigotry that comes along with ballot initiatives that repeal basic civil rights for LGBT people.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the Harry Potter Alliance will hold two benefit concerts for marriage equality, and participate in a phone bank for the No on 1 campaign.
“The parallels in Harry Potter around equal rights, including marriage equality, abound,” Andrew Slack, the Harry Potter Alliance director, told WSJ.
That's pretty awesome. Now if we can just figure out a way to get fans of "Twilight" to support marriage equality, it shouldn't be long until gay marriage is the most popular thing on the planet.
Belinda Carlisle Thinks Gays Should Be Able to Get Married
Published October 14, 2009 @ 12:25PM PT
"I Get Weak" every time I see a celebrity come out for marriage equality. And sure enough, Belinda Carlisle has a message for the gays: she's "Mad About You." And if she has her way in Maine come this November, equal rights will win at the ballot box and prove that "Heaven is a Place on Earth."
(OK, how about a round of applause for three Belinda Carlisle puns in the opening paragraph! If only they gave out Nobel Prizes for such accomplishments...)
It's true, though, that artist Belinda Carlisle has come out in support of marriage equality in Maine, filming a little promotional video championing equal marriage rights for gays and lesbians in the state. She's not speaking as an artist or public figure, though. She's speaking as a mom with a gay son.
"My son, James, is gay, and I want him and every other gay person out there to have the same opportunities and rights that I’ve had in life," Carlisle says on camera. "After the devastating setback that was Proposition 8, it is absolutely vital that we win this battle in the Pine Tree state. By doing so, we send a strong message to President Obama and our representatives in Washington that public opinion is with us and that it is time for federal action."
Goodness, someone get this woman to run for public office.
Check out the video below, and if you haven't already contributed to the No on 1 campaign via the Moneybomb for Maine, please consider doing so. Support now is more critical than ever, as we're two weeks out and (at least by some poll standards) doing a heckuva job fighting this battle.
Mormons and Catholics Waste Church Resources Fighting Marriage Equality
Published October 14, 2009 @ 04:57AM PT
Sen. Harry Reid is the highest-ranking member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints serving in Congress. His church was one of the biggest funders of the anti-gay ballot initiative in California, Prop 8, which rescinded marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples. Sen. Reid is now saying that as a whole, the Mormon Church has bigger fish to fry than fighting marriage equality.
According to the Salt Lake City Tribune, Sen. Reid regretted the divisiveness caused by the Mormon Church's involvement in Prop 8, and wished the institutional church would have spent resources on something much more productive to society.
"He said that he thought it was a waste of church resources and good will," LGBT rights activist Derek Washington told the Tribune. "He said he didn't think it was appropriate."
Sounds about right. Spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to take away the civil rights of gays and lesbians doesn't sound like the type of investment anyone should support, let alone the Senate Majority Leader. Now let's see if we can find a Catholic politician to criticize that Church's behemoth money dump in Maine to do discriminate against gay and lesbian couples. Numbers were released yesterday in the state, and the Catholic Diocese of Portland donated $245,000 to fight marriage equality in the state.
Meanwhile, God was heard to say yesterday, "Do you know how many hungry people $245,000 could feed." Way to misplace your priorities, Catholic Church.
A Moneybomb For Marriage Equality in Maine
Published October 13, 2009 @ 05:00AM PT
Well, it turns out that the Ron Paul presidential campaign was good for something -- it gave us the term moneybomb. And now LGBT activists are seeking to take the word and use it for marriage equality in Maine.
Before 11:59pm on October 15, activists are hoping to raise as much money as possible to support the No on 1 campaign and their efforts to beat back a ballot measure that will repeal marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples in Maine. With the National Equality March now over, all eyes can literally turn toward the two states that are fighting ballot initiatives -- Maine, and Washington (which has Referendum 71 it must pass to retain full domestic partnership benefits).
MoveOn has helped raise money for No on 1. Thousands of other people have already given, too. But October 15 is a critical date that we can't afford to miss. It's the first day of early-voting in Maine, and also the last day for which campaigns have to report fundraising numbers. Imagine the momentum we'll have going into the full blast Get-Out-The-Vote efforts if we've got the kind of money that winning campaigns need.
As Joe Sudbay at Americablog writes, "The netroots and online community have been extremely generous...Let's wrap this one up big." He's right. We deserve to close strongly in Maine, so that we can take a victory there to every state in the country. If you can, donate through Americablog's ActBlue page, OpenLeft's ActBlue page, or Pam's House Blends ActBlue page now. Or better yet, hit up all three :)
And lastly, if you want to see the No on 1 campaign's latest ad, here it is:
Harvey Milk Finally Gets His Day
Published October 12, 2009 @ 10:11AM PT
Harvey Milk, the legendary LGBT activist and San Francisco Supervisor who was assassinated in 1978, has finally been given official recognition by the state of California with his own day. The bill to establish May 22 -- Harvey's birthday -- as Harvey Milk Day was signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger last night, capping off a whirlwind year in which Milk Day was originally vetoed by the Terminator, then the "Milk" movie exploded, then a Presidential Medal of Freedom was given posthumosly to Milk, and now, full circle, Schwarzenegger gets that Milk is an important figure for the state to honor.
Geoff Kors from Equality California noted that the honor for Harvey Milk will set history.
"The Milk Day Bill marks the very first time an openly LGBT person has been officially recognized by any state government. As a result, Harvey’s legacy and our history will be taught for decades to come and youth will learn that they have a role model who sacrified everything to make the world safer and more equal for them," Kors said. (H/T Karen Ocamb at LGBT Pov.)
What's more is that Schwarzenegger also signed into law a bill that allows California to recognize out-of-state gay marriages. This doesn't unravel Prop 8, of course, but it's certainly a welcome sign in a state where 11 months ago advocates for marriage equality were defeated at the ballot box. Said Schwarzenegger of the out-of-state marriage bill (known as Senate Bill 54):
"Following the passage of Proposition 8, there has been some uncertainty as to how California should treat same-sex couples that married out-of-state while same-sex marriage was legal in California. Consistent with the California Supreme Court’s decision that upheld the validity of those in-state marriages entered into prior to the passage of Proposition 8, Senate Bill 54 clarifies that California must also recognize as married couples that legally married in another state during the same period of time in which same-sex marriage was legal in California."
Wow. What great victories to celebrate less than 24 hours after marching on Washington. To quote Harvey Milk, "Hope will never be silent." And in these two cases, hope coupled with hard work has yielded results.
