This just in: The once on-the-fence Gov. John Baldacci has signed the same-sex marriage bill that just hit his desk when Maine’s Senate voted a final approval of the legislation. His signature, which most folks were unsure of, comes an hour after the Senate’s move.
Baldacci, who once supported only civil unions and not marriage, said in a statement: “I have come to believe that this is a question of fairness and of equal protection under the law, and that a civil union is not equal to civil marriage.” But also: “Just as the Maine Constitution demands that all people are treated equally under the law, it also guarantees that the ultimate political power in the State belongs to the people,” recognizing the matter may be up to a statewide vote anyhow. “While the good and just people of Maine may determine this issue, my responsibility is to uphold the Constitution and do, as best as possible, what is right. I believe that signing this legislation is the right thing to do.”
Blond-Dog
Maine rocks. And it is a beautiful place to vacation. So, reward this state with your gay tourist dollars this summer!
Fight On!
Katie
WAAAAHOoooooooooooo!!!!!!!!
Progressive people of faith were integral to securing marriage equality in Maine, and have stood up for civil rights every step of the way.
This comes a day after Clergy Call 2009 was a major success. http://www.sokatie.com
Kudos HRC!
Paul
@Blond-Dog: Can hardly wait to go. Way to go Maine!
arjuna52
Boy, he got down on it!
Bertie
Fantastic news and kudos to his fantastic press statement which addresses NOM’s propaganda “storm”:
he said:
“I have come to believe that this is a question of fairness and of equal protection under the law, and that a civil union is not equal to civil marriage. This new law does not force any religion to recognize a marriage that falls outside of its beliefs. It does not require the church to perform any ceremony with which it disagrees. Instead, it reaffirms the separation of church and state. It guarantees that Maine citizens will be treated equally under Maine’s civil marriage laws, and that is the responsibility of government.”
Listen up Obama! Pull it out yer arse and emulate your “hero” Abe Lincoln. Liberty and Justice for All.
Captain Freedom
Maine has always been one of my favorite states. Now I don’t have to decide between Boston and Des Moines! I can live in Bar Harbor!!!
I can’t wait to see the look on George Bush Sr. and Barbara Bush’s face when they see all the “sodomites” taking over Kennbunkport. That will be CLASSIC
Dennis
and the walls keep tumbling down…
SUCK IT, Maggie Gallagher!
Celo
Dear Gov. Baldacci,
You are tops in my book.
Sincerely…
Forrest
Wonderful news to be sure but this will go on the ballot. And let’s hope the folks in Maine have a better game plan to defeat it than CA did.
tavdy79
You may well have a straight Maine couple to thank – Pam’s House Blend’s newest Barista, Louise, and her husband spoke to Gov. Baldacci (in fact he called them) about this issue just recently. Let’s hear it for straight allies!
Zakakaka
Maine, together with Massachusetts, Vermont, and probably NH should join Canada and become the province of New England. NY can join later…
JohnV
OBAMA TAKE NOTICE:
Nation’s first African-American president advocates “seperate but equal” civil union policy for minority group. What a flaming hypocrit!!
Our president should emulate Abraham Lincoln, not just pay him lip servce!!
rick
h.p. lovecraft would be so proud!
TANK
@rick:
? He was from rhode island.
Ringbearer
Way to go Maine!
Welcome aboard Civillywedd.com
Jonathan
Great. Now all we need is 45 more states to sign marriage bills before people finally turn their attention to the important issues facing the queer community, like job and housing discrimination, transphobia, school bullying, hate crimes, the slaughter of gays in Iraq, queer youth homelessness, drug addiction, etc.
Not that I’m against marriage, it just hasn’t always felt like the right fight to me.
TANK
@Jonathan:
Amen! It’s a good thing…but those issues you indicated impact more people in a more adverse way (job and housing discrimination, for examples) than marriage.
Al Benson
By looking at the map, I am beginning to see the start of a Free State/Slave State divide resembling the divisions in the country prior to the Civil War….
Bruno
@Jonathan:
I know what you mean and in fact agreed with you before I actually got married. It really does change things for people as far as what it means to be gay and your role in society. I still don’t put much personal investment into the idea of marriage, but I’ve learned that it’s what society understands as good and proper. And if our relationships are considered good and proper, I think a lot of the other issues follow suit quickly.
In addition, once the marriage issue is mostly settled, I don’t think those other issues will stir as much up on the wingnut side. They view all of the hate crimes laws, ENDAs, repeal of DADT, etc., to be springboards towards what they fear the most: marriage equality.
Forrest
Some context from from nytimes.com
“With the enactment of the Maine bill, gay-rights activists have moved remarkably close to their goal of making same-sex marriage legal throughout New England just five years after Massachusetts became the first state in the nation to allow it.
But gay couples may not be able to wed in Maine anytime soon. The law would normally go into effect 90 days after the Legislature adjourns, which is usually in late June. But opponents have vowed to pursue a “people’s veto,” or a public referendum allowed in Maine to ask voters if they want to overturn the law.
The opponents would need to collect about 55,000 signatures within 90 days of the Legislature adjourning to get the question on the ballot, and if they did, the law would be suspended until a referendum could be held. That would be in November at the earliest, and more likely, in June. “
billy
I’VE NEVER BEEN PROUDER TO LIVE IN MAINE.
Cam
@Jonathan:
I understnad the point you are making, but part of what makes it legal to discriminate against us, and what allows people to defend their discrimination in court is the fact that the Federal and state governments consider us second class citizens. If you give gays the overiding civil right of Marriage, it takes away a HUGE argument that landlords etc… can use to discriminate against us….i.e. “the state discriminates against gays so I can too”.
Jason in WV
@Al Benson,
If it’s a free/slave state thing like the civil war, then look out for WV – we split off slave-holding VA to join the Union. I wonder what that fortells????
strumpetwindsock
@Cam:
Plus the fact that many opponents seem to be offering (whether they mean it or not) everything BUT marriage means the fight for marriage equality is the major linchpin in the psychological battle.
Sean
@TANK: You’re right. He was from Rhode Island. His tombstone actually says “I AM PROVIDENCE.” He’s buried in Swan Point Cemetery in Providence.
Forrest
This struggle is different in each state. We all face our own reality. Here in North Carolina, our main focus has been on gay inclusive anti-bullying legislation. This state can’t fathom civil unions much less marriage. Other important goals include hospital visitation, employment, and housing.
So for those of us in more conservative states, marriage is certainly important but not doable until the issue gets to the US Supreme Court.
Victories on all the aforementioned issues bring us closer to equality.
TANK
Meh, I don’t think so. I think we’ve chosen to make marriage the priority when it’s still legal in many states to get fired for being gay or transgender. That has a real cost, and it’d surprise how much it does cost. And how about the cost of hate crimes? APparently, our leadership thinks that it’s more detrimental to lgbt people to deny them the right to marry than the denial of comprehensive federal hate crimes… I disagree. These are real problems; marriage is but an option for some. Don’t get me wrong, I think marriage equality is important…it’s just not nearly the number one priority that the lgbt leadership has made it into.
The Gay Numbers
a) Marriage equality is a part of the other battles. Why? Because whether it is ENDA or DADT at base those are equality issues.
b) It’s incredibly destructive to gay rights in general to play this game of trying to look at this as other than a big group of civil rights lumped together. There is a synergism here in which the battle for one, helps the other. The marriage debate has helped the causes of equality and rights in other regards. How could it not? People are talking about us, deciding what they think, etc. Constructively,t he best thing that can happen is for some gays to realize that we are all inthis together or none at all. That as Lance Ian Black said we need a national civil rights effort for gay rights, and that we need to understand marriage as a part of that battle as such.
c) Yes, the map will eventually look like Jim Crow laws and post civil war map of the country regarding rights for gays. This is why the action will eventually stall, and require federal action. We are picking off the low hanging fruit right now. What happens when we got to Alabama?
TANK
@Sean:
Yes, I have a photo of that tombstone. No one quite captured that new england township vibe like lovecraft.
The Gay Numbers
Tank
Can you demonstrate that these issues do nto all impact each other through empiricism?
TANK
@The Gay Numbers:
Apparently this misses the point. No one’s arguing that they’re not linked in some way, but that doesn’t in any way address the prioritization of issues that have a demonstrably more detrimental effect on the community in terms of money and terrorism (hate crimes).
The Gay Numbers
By the way, I can demonstrate my position- in states like Utah and othr places- to say they are not “bigots” because of their position on marriage, the bigots are being forced to engage us on other issues. Even where we fail in those states on other issues, its the first time these issues have come up in the legislative process. Do you tihink these things are unconnected. For that matter, let’s talk morale. Do you seriously think that people hearing of sucess elsewhere are not impacted to push forward on their aspect of the greater civil rights struggle?
The Gay Numbers
Tank
No I get your point. You are one of those people who thinks you can separate out what should be important to others. My argument is that we are all linked together, and that I am not interested in attacking marriage equality just because other issues exist. I see these issues are interconnected, and the one, regardless of which is prioritized as you call it, impacts necessarily the other. They are interrelated, and thus per se not something that will harm the other.
TANK
LOL! That’s a loosely drawn together string of anecdotes and wishful thinking. Once again, I’m not saying that marriage equality isn’t an important issue–it’s just far from the top.
TANK
@The Gay Numbers:
Once again, I didn’t need to rely on separating these issues to priortize them.
TANK
@The Gay Numbers:
Yes, we’re all linked and kumbaya. I’m talking about the monetary cost of hospitalizations do to hate crimes and the terrorism that those crimes inflict upon more than just the immediate victims. I’m talking about the financial cost of getting fired because you’re gay or transgender, and the psychological harm that causes as well. You are more interested in this overarching interconnectedness (which I Never denied)…and abstraction. I justify the priortization based upon the comparative magnitudes (# of people impacted) of actual harm.
TANK
due to…
The Gay Numbers
Tank
At least I am able to draw together actual example versus posting multiple statements of mere opinion. I asked for empiricism. I got Tank’s opinion. Marriage rights are monetary issue as well. You show your ignorance here. The cost of paying taxes for example is increased for many couples due to the filling status. There are issues related to health insurance amongst others. I could go on, but you are vested in your positon although it is factually a false one.
The Gay Numbers
nc, by the way, is example of a state in which one debate leads to another.
strumpetwindsock
There are lots of homophobes who say (at least im public) that they think we should be free from attack and discrimination, have equal pay, and even partner benefits.
Many of those people draw the line at that sacred cow of theirs that makes them feel different from and superior to us – marriage. Not “partnership” or “civil union” – marriage.
It is a small thing in may ways – for them even more than for us. The fact that so many of them can accept that we are human beings in every way BUT that shows what an important issue it really is.
TANK
@The Gay Numbers:
Well, it is your opinion. Forced the utahns to talk about other issues? please… I even gave you the justification for why it’s more important (hurts many more lgbt people by impacting their quality of life more dramatically–e.g., hate crimes and workplace and housing discrimination).
You asked for empiricism! Okay…empiricism is the doctrine that the origin of all our knowledge and concepts comes through our sensory interface with the external world.
The Gay Numbers
No its not my opinion. It’s based on following the issues and how people come to their opinions outside of myself. Now you are just bullshitting me by providing me dictionary definitions of words rather than providing factual assertions to bakc up your claims. That and repeating yourself with things you can not possibly prove such as claiming workplace discriminate hurts more gays than the economic impact of not being allowed to marry does. YOu can not possibly factually make that claim, but you do.
The Gay Numbers
“make claim” should be “prove the claim but you pretend that you.”
Tim
Let’s all have a weekend in Ogunquit!!!! Beaches, Lobsters and Piano bars..gay gay gay and only about an 2 hours from Boston.
When my partner and I tie the knot next weekend I will feel even better about it knowing I am surrounded (come on NH) by states that also recognize our union.
Now if only those idiot jesus-freak southerners would get theirsheads out of their asses so we would have someplace warm to retire to….
t.
GPW
@Jonathan:
There is the couple who lived together for twelve years and shared every aspect of there life, one of them was not a US citizen and when his job as a journalist was lost so was his right to stay in this country. What would you do if your husband or wife was forced to leave the USA?
My friend had no choice he had to go with him, leaving all his family and friends behind.
There was the couple who were together for 27 years, they purchased a home together and had a nice life, Frank was 61 years old when Rick 51 years old was in horrible car accident. Rick was in intensive care for 3 days before he died. Rick died with strangers because Frank was unable to visit or even see him in the hospital. Rick’s family had disowned him and had not seen him for over 25 years. Of course they still got half of the house, and all of Rick’s personal possessions, which they sold in a yard sale. Frank was unable to buy their half of the house so he lost it all. You see, Frank was older and he put as much as he could in Rick’s name because he believed with his poor health and age that he would die first and he did not want Rick to become homeless. Ironically Frank was the one that earned all the money to buy the home.
AlwaysGay
Wonderful!
Now the work begins. You have two goals; stop a repeal effort and encourage people to support marriage equality in case the repeal gets on the ballot. START TODAY!
http://equalitymaine.org/
Jeffrey
Tank- The economic disadvantages to not having same-sex marriages recognized at the federal level are huge. The social security payments you would receive if your spouse dies or is injured could add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars for each individual. The tax that is currently levied if you add a same-sex partner to your health insurance policy adds up to over $4,000 dollars a year. That can add up to well over $100,000 over the long term. Straight couples don’t have to pay one cent.
Since every single glbt individual has the possibility of getting married, this potentially steals over $200,000 from each one of us.
That seems like a pretty big deal to me.
The Gay Numbers
Jeffrey
I agree with your understanding of the economic facts involved in marriage discrimination. The problem here is that people want to parse out what sorts of economic impacts are involved. The reality is that being gay produces multiple economic impact on gay peop from marriage economic issues to jobs. The danger here is that a lot of people do not appreciate the breath o the econmic issues.
Forrest
Our string of wins will definitely play a role in the upcoming Senate hearings for the Supreme Court.
The rightwing will demonize us to rally their base and fund raise. Obama is too scared of electoral backlash to stand up for us and will say nothing. Hopefully a few of the Democrats will have the balls to press the selected person on their true beliefs concerning equality.
TANK
@The Gay Numbers:
I can’t possibly back that up? I think your imagination is failing you. How about workplace discrimination that keeps people from getting promotions, forcing them into alternative professions that they’re settling for at lower wages, and getting fired or conveniently let go because of gender identity and sexual orientation. If you can’t see how that impacts MORE people’s quality of life adversely overall than the right to marry, then there’s precious little hope.
atdleft
@Forrest: So will it take effect immediately or will implementation be delayed pending a “People’s Veto” vote?
Btw, I’m crossing my fingers and hoping that the CA Supremes realize that The Golden State needs to catch up on equality! 😉
TANK
Most LGBT people WILL not marry…and cannot marry–and further, even if they could, the majority (going by the current trend of married couples in the u.s.) won’t marry. The federal workplace antidiscrimination law applies to everyone, married or single. I don’t deny that they’re related issues, nor that a discussion of one can dovetail into a discussion of the other along the periphery; I deny that marriage is the priority.
GPW
If the State and Federal governments say that it is okay to treat GLBT couples unequally that is a STRONG MESSAGE!
That translates to society saying that is okay to treat us like dirt. The public is then feels justified in all the other issues of discrimination that the various LGBT singles and couples face.
Children are taught in school that GLBT’s are not equal by the GOVERNMENT!
If we can have marriage equality it will be a huge leap forward toward acceptance and tolerance.
Once people get used to GLBT people having the right to marry then it will enable them (okay some of them) to see that we are not any different then the rest of society and less and less people will hate us for no reason.
TANK
@TANK:
And being ghettoized and denied housing because of sexual orientation and gender identity…another one that, in my opinion, is more damaging to lgbt people than the right to marriage…though that too is significant, once again, and it’s unethical and unjust to deny marriage equality on the basis of gender.
The Gay Numbers
That’s basically the point TPW. At its core, almost everyone of the rights being sought for by gays is really just a reinteration of the same issue- equality.
ENDA, DADT and DOMA are all directly legally speaking premised upon that idea. When one is saying they do not want people to lose jobs based on sexual orientation, one is saying that the law should require equal treatment regarding employment. That an employer can not treat people different over the category of sexual orientation whether gay or straight.
The same is true of DADT. THe same is true of marriage because the issue again is equality under the law as to how people treat marraige rights.
The same is tangentially true of even the hate crimes bill. The goal is to get at the inequality that society produces by ignoring the violence against gays. It is to signal to others that singling out gays for than such attacks will not be tolerated. Its a convoluted way to address it, but at its core is the concern that such crimes will increase or be ignored. Thus, such crimes will not be treated equally by law enforcement or criminals. That the criminal will think that the courts will go light on them because they killed a gay person rather than a straight one.
These things are all unified out of hatred of gays. That’s what they are each addressing- targeting of gays as not deserving of justice when theya re victims crimes, not deserving of the ability to serve to protect their country, not deserving of jobs, no deserving of their relationships, etc.
There is a certain irony to read gays defend the idea that we should not focus on marriage equality since our relationship with the same sex is at the core of the concept. Hatred of the core concept is what defines all bigotry whether its in the military, in criminal law or housing. It’s the same issue.
Forrest
If I understand correctly, 90 days is the standard wait time for any signed law to take effect, after the legislature adjourns.
Opponents have those 90 days to get 55,000 signatures to qualify for the ballot. If they achieve this goal than the law is suspended until the final say is had on the ballot.
Having spent many summers in Maine it’s obvious that there is a strong hardcore base of religious fundamentalists that will turn out in big numbers. On the bright side Maine does share the “mind your own business mentality” prevalent in the rest of New England. But it’s not the touchy feely bleeding heart liberalism found in MA and CT. It will be a tough fight to get our allies out and change minds.
Both sides of this issue have victories to point to in the past.
So, as happy as I am about this victory, the Governor’s action today does not ensure gay marriage in Maine will occur.
The Gay Numbers
they say that the pro marriage equality side has one of the best field organizations in Maine’s history. I am less worried than others about this. What kills us in close races is apathy and a failure to compete with get out the vote. GOTV is what makes or breaks close races.
Rob
@TANK: I don’t agree with you that “our leadership” has made gay marriage a higher priority than hate crimes. I think a lot of the leaders in established LGBT rights organizations, such as HRC, want to focus on hate crimes and non-discrimination laws. The push for same-sex marriage is coming largely from the grassroots. Whether LGBT leaders like it or not, marriage equality is the issue that’s been getting people excited.
konrad
Who cares about gay marriage? Why are you not covering the #1 gay story in the world? Why don’t you have an interview with Kyle King?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7xtp0Ut1MQ
The Gay Numbers
Actualy, Rob, makes a very good point. Most of the efforts regarding gay marriage grew out of grassroots efforts. Many national gay groups, including the legal ones that I followed, wanted to avoid these battles so its historically inaccurate to say that this is a from the top-down issue.
Lena Dahlstrom
Woot!
OhYeah
Go white states!!
Matt Bradley
This Californian can’t WAIT to go to Ogunquit this summer. I never would’ve thought it would happen there before it happened here. If it wasn’t so blasted cold I’d love to live there (the people are fabulous and in the summer its a beautiful place to visit).
longfellow lives
Here in Maine, we have seen how the marriage equality issue has forced people who would normally not think twice about gay issues re-think their ideas of equal protection and discrimination (just as our governor did). Sadly, hate crimes legislation, don’t ask-don’t tell, etc do not hit home for most straight people in the way that marriage does. I believe, however, that most of these issues are not mutually exclusive. As people begin to put the marriage issue in perspective and take it out of the realm of mythology, they begin to identify gay people, correctly, as a legitimate minority group who should not be discriminated against. You should all move to NE, it’s a fabulous place to live! We’ll have you all over for supper.
Robert, NYC
@Forrest:
Forrest, from my reading of the constitution, legislation enacted to protect minorities is prohibited from being overturned by the tyranny of the majority (mob rule) as we saw in California. Minority rights once legislated MUST be protected according to the constitution. I don’t understand why initiatives, propositions and referenda are allowed if they violate the constitution, makes no sense.
Bruno
@Forrest:
Actually there’s a kink to that timeframe. If the opposition to the bill want to get it on the ballot this November, that will evidently limit their time to gather the signatures to 60 days. They can take the full 90 days and have the issue put on the ballot at a later date next year, but I don’t know if that means there would be a stay put on the law’s start date.
mtumba djibouti
@Captain Freedom: dude, everything isn’t about bush! the bama man is now in power – and so far as anybody can tell, he’s dodging all the tough choices. i wouldn’t be counting on him any time soon to do what’s right by gay people. can anyone say “don’t axe, don’t tell?”
carol
@JohnV:
Gays are so quick to throw the race card at african-americans. It’s as if they better go along with the gay agenda or else. Please. As soon as gays get their rights they wont give rats ass about any other minority group. Oh wait, they dont give a rats ass now. The whole gay agenda is being set by the affluent white gays who didnt get on the ground and campaign in CA instead blamed it on african-americans and women for having different opinions. Do you care at all about the disparities between whites and other groups? Besides just the rights between gays and straights??
PuddyKatz
Baldacci is sorta hot in a middle-aged Italian daddy way.