Well this is a terrible way to wake up the day after Election Day. Did that really happen last night? Yes, yes it did. Maine’s voters, by a 52.7-47.3% vote (with 87% of precincts reporting), continued the trend of the populous that, when given the chance to eliminate marriage rights for gays and lesbians, do so.
We thought, surely, Maine would be different. They’re a more “live and let live” community than California’s splintered voting block.
But rather than celebrating a new dawn in LGBT equality, we’re dealt a major blow. Indeed, last night Washington State’s voters enacted Referendum 71, granting domestic partnerships (to both straight and gay couples) in a state where same-sex marriage is illegal.
And while neither Stand for Marriage Maine nor the National Organization for Marriage have taken to their websites to gloat yet, the latter did update its homepage to say campaign manager Frank Schubert “claimed victory.”
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
For the No On 1 side, Protect Maine Equality’s Jesse Connolly says, “We’re in this for the long haul. For next week, and next month, and next year until all Maine families are treated equally. Because in the end, this has always been about love and family and that will always be something worth fighting for.” The group expects a statewide recount.
We’ll have more on last night’s results throughout the day.
ChristopherJ
So I’m confused—did the people who were married already get their licenses revoked now?
YCKTR
So how do we find out which companies supported the YES position? It’s time for a boycott.
!
naghanenu
This just proves that people will never support gay marriage to win …i say repeal DOMA then we can get somewhere
CHIP
No one got married in Maine. The petitions were filed so quickly after the state legislature’s law was signed by the governor, that they suspended enacting the law until after the vote.
dbzeag
ChristopherJ- There was a stay on the issuing of same-sex marriage licenses until the outcome of this election was counted. There won’t be a situation like CA and those 18k couples that were issued licenses that were later revoked.
Fitz
What happened in Maine? The yes-on-1 group ran a powerful scare tactic campaign, and the no-on-1 campaign ran a victim based “please like me” BS campaign. THAT is what happened.
terrwill
What we need to do is mimic the Washington situation across the country. To be perfectley honest I don’t give two shits about the term “marriage”. I want the exact same rights and benefits that straight couples are entitled to and enjoy.
If the rightwing-nutbag zealots want to claim the term “marriage” let them have it. The Gay unions I have attended where the couple basically create the ceremony to reflect their own relationship have been ten times more moving, inspiring, and heartfelt than any marriage ceremony I have attended in a church or temple. The argument these rightwing-nutbag zealots use is that they don’t wish to deny us rights but object to the term “marriage” due to religious connotations. And if they are able to deny us our rights thru continued success in legiislative and ballot mearures we will face an insurmountable battle.
The fight over the term “marriage” is a tremendous cash cow for the likes of the actual cow Maggie Gallagher and her vile ilk. They raise millions thru their campains of fear. The success of Washington is the key. If we can get everyting but a simple term “marriage” let them have it. There will be those who will argue that we are then second class citizens. If we are entitled to every right and benefit as straight couples, can create our own ceremonies that cater to our relationships, why then fight for an institution which is based on religions and cultures that spread hate towards us? Again let them have the term, give us the rights…………….
I will gladly accept separate but equal. I WANT to be separate from these hate fulled vile zealots and their sacred “marriage”
ROBZTER
DBZEAG – thankfully those 18k couples did not have their licenses revoked and remain legally married to this day.
YellowRanger
The same thing that happens every time. The powerful, RELIGIOUS fucktards played dirty, using a campaign based on lies, misinformation and scare tactics to get out the anti-gay vote; while the no side tried to be nice and friendly about it, kindly saying to the heterosexual masses “please sir, I’d like some more rights…” instead of fighting back using the same methods as the other side, because they wanted the moral high ground.
Fuck the moral high ground. It’s time we STOP PLAYING NICE WITH THESE FUCKS. They’ve been demonizing us for years. Let’s return the favor. Their tactics are obviously fucking effective, so let’s use them. They’ve spent years claiming that gays are waging a war on their values, I say it’s about god damn time that if they want a war so badly, we give them one.
scott ny'er
i’m not surprised. but the vote did seem close. So, maybe in a few years, it’ll pass.
vernonvanderbilt
@YellowRanger
I’m fucking there. Have been for some time now. If there’s anything good to come from these losses, it’s that more and more people are seeing that politeness is a tactic destined to fail. When we treat our enemies with respect, we are indirectly treating their position with respect. There is no room for debate on issues of civil rights. You’re either a fair-minded person or a bigot. There is no grey area here. If fighting dirty is what needs to be done, then we need to fucking do it already. We’re better than the haterosexuals at everything we do. Let’s show them we’re better at war as well.
Brian Miller
America is a nation of hypocritical deadbeats, I’m afraid.
We lecture the world on inalienable constitutional rights, yet we have destroyed so many of them for so many people (including gays) with popular votes.
Now we seek solace in the idea that maybe in another 10 or 20 or 30 years, things will change and we might get a slim majority to support our equal treatment under the law. It’s a hope that keeps many people from total despair, but it is a false hope.
The promise of America as a place where one’s rights were assumed and an inherent part of citizenship is long-dead. Now, we’re just another mob-rule “democracy” where the politically and economically powerful can put their fingers on the scales of justice… just as they did in Maine yesterday.
emb
Check out fivethirtyeight.com (http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2009/10/despite-claims-anti-gay-group-in-maine.html), where Nate Silver shows that 70% of the (winning) anti-gay campaign’s financial support came from OUTSIDE THE STATE (vs 52% for the pro-equality camp). Like others here, I want to know who the corporate funders were, and their names should be shouted from the rooftops. If the gay community can be distracted momentarily from self-indulgent shoe-shopping, it might be a good idea to think about where we spend our homo-dollars…and where we don’t.
terrwill
While we gained one in Washington and lost one in Maine. One of the most encouraging events isn’t getting a lot of play. The rightwing-nutbag zealots got a huge bitch slap by the moderates in the Repugnatcan party. In the 28th District in NY the RWNBZs forced a moderate repub out who supported abortion and Gay marriage. Scarah Pallin, Beck, Hannity and their vile ilk got behind the extreme conserative party candidate. The jilted rep candidate then supported the Democrat and thankfully the lunatic fringe lost and the Dem was elected by a significant margin.
Goes to prove all vile poo these scumbags are spewing about “getting back to traditional values” are being rejected even by the moderate repubs. Virgnia only the last election got somewhat blue, so going red wasn’t that much of a suprise. As far as New Jersey Corizine lost because of the skyrocketing taxes in that state. Most voters polled stated moral “values” had nothing to do with their voting for Chunky Christy but rather dollar “values” So while the RWNBZs can boast how “the tide has turned” they are as usual only preaching to the choir and that choir is singing a tired old tune that the majority of Americans are tired of hearing……
FreeAtLast
What happened is Maine is the same as what happened in WI right after we moved to Canada. 50 states will never come together on this issue and the President sure isn’t going to help. We are living free and equal in Canada and loving it.
ericka v.
VernonVanderbilt is a stupid ass. Fight dirty? Already there asshat. Demeaning Christians, Mormons, check. Calling people who oppose you bigots? Check. Labeling opposing views hate? check.
By all means VernonVanderbilt keep shitting all over Christians, about 47% of whom supported you, and who you abuse, a sure fire way to help your cause now isn’t it moron?
What you are Vernon, is a big pussy who talks all bad, and is nothing more than a little cocktail weenie when it comes to doing anything else.
Go ahead Vernon fight as dirty as you think you want. Roll in the mud, but remember the door swings both ways. Egg on people ti upp the ante as you suggest and you will find yourself on the receving end.
Another pencil necked weenie.