Maine Signs Up For Equality

Up in Maine, advocates of marriage equality have turned in more than enough signatures to move ahead with a Citizens Initiative to allow gay and lesbian couples to marry. More than 85,000 signatures were gathered, turned it, and validated, far above the 57,277 needed for their bill to get to the Legislature.
Lawmakers now will be presented with that initiative proposing the legalization of gay marriage in Maine, and they will have the option of passing the bill as proposed or--and this is the more likely scenario--sending it to voters in November. 
Now, I am not a fan of allowing the majority to vote on the rights of the minority--as we've seen in California, it doesn't work--but marriage equality advocates say enough Mainers have changed their minds that the measure will pass this time.
Michael Gray, pastor--yes, pastor--of the Old Orchard Beach United Methodist Church, says, "The story of the 2012 campaign is not going to be gay folk coming out and supporting this, it's going to be heterosexuals like myself coming out in support of gay marriage. We're now realizing how important it is for us to speak up."
Of course, the naysayers, like Brian Souchet, director of the Office for the Promotion and Defense of Marriage with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, have a different viewpoint. While Souchet expected the advocates would get enough signatures, he believes they will have a harder time convincing the public that it's time to allow same-sex marriage in Maine: "This is a group that's attempting to redefine marriage. We don't see how a majority of Maine voters are going to go for that."
Yes, perhaps it is redefining marriage from one-man/one-woman, to two people, but I don't see that as a massive redefinition. It's semantics.And, i think, most people in Maine, if they aren't swayed by fear-mongers and their talk of Gay=Pedophile, or indoctrinating children, will see that equality is best for Maine.
Hell, it's best for all.


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