PORTLAND, Maine — A co-founder of Facebook who is the editor-in-chief of the liberal magazine The New Republic has offered a $100,000 matching gift to the campaign supporting same-sex marriage.
Mainers United for Marriage on Monday announced the fundraising challenge from Chris Hughes and his fiance, Sean Eldridge, president of Hudson River Ventures and senior adviser to the national organization Freedom to Marry. The campaign will have until June 7 to raise the matching funds.
Hughes owns 1 percent of Facebook, a holding valued at $850 million. The company has announced it will issue an initial public offering of stock shortly.
“Voters in Maine have a historic opportunity to win marriage at the ballot [box] in November,” Eldridge said in a press release issued by the Maine campaign. “We are encouraged by strong statewide support for the initiative and the top-notch campaign team that’s in place, and we hope that our support will motivate others to invest in the campaign. With numerous marriage equality cases heading to the Supreme Court, there is nothing more important than growing momentum and winning the freedom to marry in more states.”
Fundraising efforts will include direct mail and email solicitations, phone calls and the use of social media, David Farmer, spokesman for the campaign, said Monday.
Mainers United for Marriage will have four weeks to raise the matching funds and has set a goal of raising $25,000 per week, according to the press release. The gift is being made through Freedom to Marry’s Win More States Fund.
“Supporters of marriage in Maine have a chance to double the impact of their contributions,” Matt McTighe, the campaign manager for Mainers United for Marriage, said in the press release. “We can win in November, but we need help to continue the conversations we’re having with voters. This matching gift challenge is critical to raising the early resources we need for our campaign. Sean and Chris are strong advocates for the freedom to marry, and our campaign greatly appreciates this early support.”
McTigue said in March that he expected the campaign to raise more than the $5 million spent in the 2009 attempt to keep the same-sex marriage law from being repealed. The other side spend $2.5 million, according to a previously published report.
Mainers on Nov. 3, 2009, voted 53 percent to 47 percent to repeal the law that allowed same-sex couples to marry. It had been passed by the Democrat-controlled Legislature and signed into law by Gov. John Baldacci in the spring of 2009. After the loss at the ballot box, EqualityMaine began an outreach campaign to talk about the issue and began gathering signatures in August 2011 to put a question before voters again.
So far, Mainers United for Marriage have outraised their opponents, Protect Marriage Maine, which opposes same-sex marriage, by about 100 to 1, according to reports filed with the commission Governmental Ethics and Election Practices in Augusta. During the first quarter of 2012, supporters raised nearly $106,000 while opponents raised just under $1,700.
“We’re really at the beginning stages of fundraising, talking to people, explaining what we’re hoping to do, putting together a budget,” said Rev. Bob Emrich, spokesman for Protect Marriage Maine. “It’s been interesting this time around to get phone calls from people around the state asking what they can do, how they can help out, and offering to volunteer.”
As of March 31, Mainers United for Marriage had spent just over $18,000 while Protect Marriage Maine had not spent any of its money.
The next set of financial reports are due June 1.
Mainers United for Marriage is leading the campaign for a yes vote on a November citizens initiative that would allow same-sex couples to receive a marriage license while also protecting religious freedom. The campaign will open field offices Tuesday in Bangor, Lewiston and Portland and launch a door-to-door campaign.
Emrich said Protect Marriage Maine also plans to do some door-to-door campaigning later in the year.
The Maine Freedom to Marry Coalition, which led the petition drive that got the issue on the ballot, is made up of EqualityMaine, Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine, Maine Women’s Lobby, Engage Maine and 16 other organizations.
Protect Marriage Maine is made up of the Christian Civic League of Maine and the National Organization for Marriage.
Holy cow!!! This is AWESOME!!!!
And, unlike the NOM donors, his name is right out there for all to know.
I thought Liberals HATED “outside money.” Oh, yeah, that’s right…only if Republicans and Conservatives are gaining from it.
The people for NOM were afraid to let their names out because of how the PinkMafia acted out in California when Prop 8 was up for a vote. The gay lobby went out of their way to harass people at their places of work and homes. It was disgusting.
Nice use of buzzwords. NOM, not NOW, was found to violate Maine state laws and there is no excuse for that. There were individuals that harassed those who voted for Prop 8 in California, sure, but those numbers were very small and those instances were very much blown out of proportion. I don’t, however, count it as harassment if SSM supporters boycott a restaurant that serves a large gay clientele, as was reported back then.
I would like to know if the businesses and people I give my money to worked to take away my right to marry the person I love. And those who don’t support that have a right to see who donated on the other side. It’s a two-way street.
http://www.wnd.com/2009/01/85641/
Just a taste of how the Pink Mafia acts when they don’t get what they want.
Of course, if the vote this year goes their way..it will be settled once and for all..gay marriage is they way it is and woe betide anyone who wants to repeal it…if they lose you can count on them being back at in a year or two trying to get their way.
that website link set off my virus protection program.
I wouldn’t expect anything different from WND.The wacko clearinghouse.
Yes, it is true that there are some who behaved badly after the vote. But does that excuse the New Jersey-based organization, NOM, from blatantly ignoring the laws of Maine? You seem to think it’s okay.
Pink Mafia is cute, but so you know, THIS gay man does not like pink. I actually like blue. Dark blue is my favorite color. I would never join a club that had “pink” in its name.
The great thing about this country is that we all can work to make change and if something is not the way one wants it, he or she can do whatever possible to try to change it. If a majority of the people want that same change, then it will happen. If not, then it won’t, but Americans keep trying. It’s in our nature.
When I donate I gladly give my name. The names of everyone who donates to the side of equality are available for the whole world to see at any time. Don’t be fooled for a minute that there is not a danger of retribution from people who hate gays. There is always a possibility for attack, whether for donating or for just being ourselves anywhere. It’s disingenuous that these anti-gay donors are portraying themselves as the victim when gay men and women have been beaten and murdered for decades and are still beaten and murdered today.
wnd ???? you’re kidding, right?
Oh like the anti choice nuts didn’t go to people’s houses after a busy day of bombing clinics?
It is not anti-choice is is PRO-LIFE or anti- MURDER. Because someone beliees in the choice for a child to live does not mean they are nuts. To say because people are PRO-LIFe does not mean they all bomb clinics.
Fetus, not child.
If you do not believe in God.
I believe in god, I also believe, he gave us brains for a reason. Women have been having abortions, as long as women have been having babies. You will not stop abortion, by making it illegal, you’ll only make it unsafe and deadly again. Use the brain god gave you, a woman can have sex, with whom and when she wants, a woman can take birth control, when and if she wants. A women can abort a fetus, when and if she wants. It’s none of your business.
Then you DON’T believe in God. You can’t have it both ways, believe in God AND abortions and/or loose sex. One or the other not both. God calls abortion murder and sex outside marriage a sin worthy of death. It’s an oxymoron “I believe in God….and a woman can abort a fetus.” Don’t kid yourself–you’ve been sucked into a big lie.
And who are you to determine that she doesn’t believe in God? Did He retire and name you in His place?
She CAN’T believe in both, for Pete’s sake. You either believe in God OR you don’t. Her own words indicate she doesn’t believe in God. People who believe in God don’t do things God condemns–it’s that simple. A person shows they believe in God by obeying Him. Some people may believe that there is a higher power, but don’t know anything about God. Many choose to do their own thing, showing by their actions they really don’t believe. Unfortunately, this woman chose to put her ignorance in writing.
You do realize that your words make you look ignorant?
no I’m afraid, he doesn’t, very sad indeed.
Freddie, Freddie, Freddie, take a deep breath and relax.
You CANNOT control what others believe in. The USA is still a free country, regardless of the religious right’s attempts to change that.
Look up from your bible and check around. It’s a beautiful world out there.
I’m far from ignorant, I’m not ignorant of god, I grew up going to church, and Sunday school. I can believe what I choose, just as you do. I have not called you names, The god, I believe in is kind, and forgiving, we are what he intended for us to be. He does not condemn us, he gave us brains, to use and think with. I think for myself, what I believe may or not be right, but it’s not for us to decide.
John 3:17
# 7 of the Ten Commandments: “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” That is extra marital sex. Any more questions??
“outside marriage” and “adultery” are different things, freddie.
Uh….HUH? Sex outside marriage is adultery. HELLO???? What part of this don’t you understand???
only if you are already married, then its adultery.
having sex without being married is not a sin.
Think about this: 1 Corinthians 6:9 & 10: “Or do you not know that unjust ones will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be led astray, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexuals…shall inherit the kingdom of God.” Sex outside marriage, even if single is ‘fornication’. So, the verse make it clear–sex without marriage is a sin. Notice also the verse says homosexuality is a sin. So, same sex marriage is a sin. The verse also warns “Do not be led astray.” It seems the whole world is being led astray on this issue of same sex marriage. It is very clear that it is wrong. People certainly have a choice because of free will, but they will be held accountable to God for their actions.
John 3:17
What I don’t believe is religion, I don’t believe in the bible, I have a brain and have drawn my own conclusion, I’m not afraid of damnation after death, I’m a good and moral person.
I do not believe, I have to right to judge or try to control the lives of others, when they are breaking no law, religion is the damnation of this earth, we’d be much better off without it.
Oh, and I’m not a loose women, I would never have a abortion, that being said the only persons morals I have to worry about are mine!
A million likes to you.The CC in particular is the cancer of mankind and always will be.
Good and moral people don’t favor aborting live people. You can’t believe in God and not believe the Bible. However, you are correct about how bad religion in general is. Organized religion is corrupt and contrary to the Bible.
Their you go trying to dictate what I can believe, I believe, what I do mostly because of people like you.
You are kidding right???? One can believe in God and still see the flaws, imperfections and inconsistencies in the Bible that cause them to not believe much that was written and submitted to the Bible.
My ancestors believed in God, I believe in God, but they (and I) didn’t base their lives on the Bible.
Millions of people believe in God but have nothing to do with organized religion or the Bible because they have used their intellectual ability to reason to see the Bible is nothing more than a collection of writings and stories.
John 3:17
pray on it’s meaning, brother freddie.
Amazing. Based on your post, your view of religion is the only viable view. There are many other Christian denominations who don’t believe as you do. Of course, you with your advanced myopia, will claim that they are not Christians. And I will say, beware false gods (yours).
there are 10 sins. having extra marital sex isn’t one of them.
where do you get your information????
And what was Jesus’ relationship with the people that society shunned?
Wow…”a sin worthy of death.” Sounds like the Scarlet Letter now….
yes, exactly. jesus said ‘he who is without sin cast the first stone’.
If you believe in God, interesting. He does say His words say He knew you in the womb before you were born. It may not be my business, I still have the right to believe in the way I do, and vote teh way I do, and the right to believe a fetus is a child. You want it both ways, if a baby is born in the act of a shooting or something,they get you for 2 murders? So not it is a child?
Maybe if more men would support their child there would be less abortions.
….
She already did what she wanted with her body. I suppose you believe in partial birth abortions too. The U.S. has gotten so desensitized that next it will be Logan’s Run.
——
and if some people knew the amount of abortions done for convenience would they change their minds.
Don’t want an abortion, Bruce? Don’t have one. Otherwise, mind yer own beeswax.
I have to right to voice my opinion on legalized murder.The Liberals have not taken completely over yet,
I’ve never heard you complain about war…is that what you’re talking about?
you have not looked hard, how come Obama is still in places he said he was going to get out of?
Wow-sounds like the last time you picked up a newspaper, it was chiselled in stone.
so we do not have soldiers in Iraq or Afghanistan. Interesting what papers you read.
state your opinion all you want, it doesn’t change a thing. women have the federally protected right to a safe abortion if they choose.
and there’ s nothing you can do about it.
Certainly is, laws can be changed for the best interest of the child.
Not a child until it is born, prior to birth it is a fetus.
tell that to all the premies that are born in the United States. Say that when you look at a sonogram. Say that when a doctor lets you listen to a heart beat. It is unbelievable people’s disdain for life.
Premies born being the operative word. You going to save the tape worm too? It is a life that lives inside a woman or man feeding off the host? Birth is the only difference between a fetus and a tapeworm, so make up your “Save the Tapeworm” bumper stickers.
No wonder we are in such a mess, comparing a fetus in the womb to a tapeworm. Their is no diffrence between birth and a fetus, both are alive. Such a disdain for life.
If the religious right were truly interested in the “best interest of the child,” they would teach love, not the hatred they spew so easily.
The problem there in lies, because someone’s opinion is contrary to yours then they automatically hate. A lot more to love than flowers and music. You can have tolerance and still be of an opposing opinion. It seems liberals believe opposite.
Please do not generalize like that. Not all liberals are like that.
Wrong again.
Supremacy Clause of the Constitution, Article VI, Clause II. look it up.
That still does not mean that the Supreme Court can not change a decision.
edited
since your name is ‘bruce’ i doubt you understand the issue at all. thankfully, it is 1. none of your business and 2. a Constitutionally guaranteed right that a woman have access to a safe abortion if she chooses to.
But a guaranteed right that is under attack literally and by law every minute of every day.PP and abortion clinic providers are among the bravest people in the country.
gay bashing, shooting doctors…the religious right is neither
The problem of the reason your using is that most do not believe in gay bashing nor shooting doctors.
Please find ONE instance of an abortion clinic bomber who is NOT a Christian.
Your logic is so flawed it’s almost beautiful.
It has nothing to do with logic, everyone has that chance to be forgiven for any sin. Bombing is not the act of Christian in my view, no more than an eco-terrorist putting nails in trees.
Yup, takes real courage to snuff out a babies life. Yup.
What about the people who preach that every life is important, and then bomb abortion clinics or shoot clinic doctors to get their point across? Seems counterproductive to the ol’ “cause”, eh?
Since when has that gang ever been consistent?(Rick Perry-243 executions-Exhibit A)
You use that as an excuse. It is a simple minority that bomb clinics and shoot clinic doctors. People who support those types of things forget they are someones child. You have extremism in a lot of “cause”‘s.
As another poster correctly said,fetus not baby.
I do more so than you think. Because something is law, does not make it morally right. I geuss since it was brought up, since war is legally right, then you tink we should stay in Afghanistan. Or since it is legal for a partial birth abortion bringing the child out of the womb with the exception of the head. I won’t say the rest, because it may get flagged as being exceedingly gross and cruel. I have my right to voice an opinion on murder.
you confuse “right to safe choice” and “support abortion”.
again, you are only engaging half your intellect here, bruce. try harder.
You confuse safe choice for convenience.
no i don’t
It is obvious that I am not going to change your mind, nor you mine. I will say I do not hate you for your postion, nor am I a radical that beleives in bombing clinics, killing abortion doctors. I hope you have a great day and week.
Yes, that’s totally the next step. Euthanasia at 21 years old as a sport.
Of course they don’t all bomb clinics but if they provide $$ or material support then the bombings happen.
Pro-Life and Anti-Murder ARE YOUR WORDS. Simply because you say them does not in any way MAKE THEM FACT. At the same time, because someone BELIEVES IN EQUAL RIGHTS FOR ALL does not “mean they are nuts” either. When the issue of ending slavery was put to a popular vote, time and again, it lost. It took the national tragedy of the Civil War to convince people that the time had come. Your opposition to gay marriage is based on your, in my opinion, mistaken belief that being gay is a lifestyle and a choice. It is neither. I’ll ask again for the thousandth time, who would choose to be treated as a second class citizen. You hold up the bible to support your “beliefs,” the same bible that was used to justify laws allowing slavery, not allowing women to own property, vote, or work outside the home, laws that said people of color had to eat in the back of the restaurant, if they were allowed in at all, laws that banned interracial marriage. The same book that says that adulterers, those who work on the sabbath, and a whole host of others should suffer the punishment of death. Clearly you don’t support those parts of the bible, so how do you justify supporting just one part? Cherry-picking passages to support your hate?
It is your words, “2nd class citizen” I consider the words “African American” or “Asian American” racist terms, simply because everyone is an American. As I have said for the 1000th time, I am not nor am the Judge.
Do you think that using such terms denigrates any particular race?
Are not we all Americans, is not this the great melting pot. The only possible race it may not is Native Americans, if truely they are. It is the same thing when you look at language, and you call even the Federal Government and you find Spanish.
That wasn’t my question. I was asking what is racist about those names. Racism is the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, esp. so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races.
Those labels are something, but they’re not racist.
It is because they have separated themselves, all you have to do is listen to some of the Presidents speeches and see for yourselves. If that is the case why do not they have English American, though limited you do hear Irish American at times.
I see what you are saying but I see it as more of pointing out that they are not white Americans but that they have a heritage that is not the standard white European. I don’t necessarily agree with it, but I don’t think that using such labels is racist.
For the majority of our history in this country and still today in many places, white male is the default. I don’t see anything wrong with wanting to hold on to one’s heritage. I don’t agree the Balkanization that can occur, but I do like that there are distinct ethnicities in this country and that we aren’t all June and Ward.
I agree to a certain point, I am thankful for all my heritages. I just think it separates us more as Americans than drawing us together. Now with things having to be in two languages it further separates. I think all heritages are unique, that is what makes this nation.
Also the North thankfully won the Civil War.The South is still backward and flying Dixie flags a century and a half later.Sad.And it took more than a century after Lincoln’s death for Loving v. Virginia to be decided.
No more disgusting than the vile and hateful things that the homophobes say and do. People from the GBLT community are harassed every day all over this country, including children. THAT is what is disgusting.
Read the RS article about dead kids in Bachmann’s home district.The school supported the bullies and could care less about the kids who suffered.After the article came out they said they were forming a committee.Anything to avoid paying out $$.
Also,it’s not just this country.Look at the murders sanctioned by the CC in Uganda.The US press is totally ignoring this story of religious extremism.No different than the Taliban.
That might be true, but most of the people who support SSM just want full disclosure and transparency. We would also like these organizations to follow Maine state law.
But they know they don’t have to follow the law with a corrupt admin helping them out.
conservatives hate it when liberals use the same tactics they do— the last vote it was outside money that funded the anti equal rights side
heads will start exploding in 3…..2…..1….
Oh weird, once again it’s those for fighting for equality who are open and honest about their donations.
This is not an issue that people change their minds about. The vote in November will be the same. It will be close for sure, but the voters have not changed their minds. The gay marriage campaign will fall short again, and it will fail.
Um, no. You’re completely wrong.
http://publicreligion.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Same-Sex-Marriage-2.jpg
Some voters have changed their minds, and I imagine it’ll be marginally more in favor of legalization of homosexual marriage than the last time, and that that trend will continue, until it does pass. At least, that’s what I’m hoping for!
Minds are changing. People are more used to hearing about marriage equality. Someday, kids will be reading about this in history class wondering why it took so long!
The issue is working its way through the Federal Courts. As a civil rights issue, it will be decided by the SCOTUS, regardless of what the voters think.
But again the federal courts can say what they want, its up to each state and will continue to be
as a civil rights issue, it shouldn’t be.
It is not a civil rights issue and never has been. All of the protections that the SSM advocates say the chnage in the law with give them they can already obtain through other legal measures. The sole purpose of this law is to validate a lifestyle and nothing more. The only reason the support for this measure is growing is because the younger generation who have been brainwashed in to believing that it is a civil rights issue are beginning to outnumber the older generation who know that its not.
of course equality is a civil rights issue.
My daughter is not brainwashed. I didn’t allow religion to get their claws into her at an early age.
That is absolutely incorrect. And to even approach covering all the legal protections, a couple must spend THOUSANDS of dollars, not the $40 or so for a marriage license.
you’re about 250 years too late to have input on that.
US Constitution, Supremacy Clause, Article VI, Clause 2
That’s what the south said about desegregation, that argument didn’t fly for them either.
Obama changed his mind
True. And the ones who haven’t evolved enough to do likewise, obviously don’t have a mind to change.
Obama is seeking more votes , he never has changed his mind just said publicly where he stands. He has just lost more support than he had!
Latest electoral college map puts Obama at 290 and Romney at 161, with 87 toss ups, meaning Obama wins even if Romney wins all toss ups. This map comes directly from Karl Rove’s website
President Obama never changed his mind, he just decided it was to his advantage politically to let the public finally know how he truly felt about SSM.
so, you’re the washington insider the left media keeps talking about….
and if this is true……?
I can tell you, outdoorman, that this is indeed an issue where people’s minds have changed. I have encountered this many times myself and the data show that it has happened to many more people across the state.
The first problem you have is that several hundred thousand more voters will vote in 2012 than voted in 2009 and these additional voters will be young and skew heavily in favor of same sex marriage.
The second problem you have is that 3% of the 2009 voters have since died and the vast majority of them will have been over 65 and would therefore have voted against SSM by a 2-1 margin. If the very same 2009 electorate showed up to vote today, less those who have died, and assuming everyone voted the same way that they did 3 years ago, the anti-SSM margin of victory would be only half of what it was in 2009.
The third problem you have is that minds are, in fact, changing on this issue. The longer SSM exists and the more states that have it, the greater the shift. And the shift is uniformly in favor. It also makes it difficult to run a campaign based on dire predictions when you have 6 states and the District of Columbia with SSM and none of the predictions coming to pass.
It’s true, you’ all have been corrupting the minds of children. Thankfully my kids are stronger than you. They now think gays find joy in the death of others with your remarks. Thank-you.
Soooooo…your kids can’t think for themselves, that’s a good trait for them to have.
I live in a state with SSM and guess what? we are still here. yup, crime rate didn’t double, disease is the same as ever, the religious and none religious live together in peace. We legalized Gay Marriage and guess what great travesty befell the state…. gays got married, what a bad thing to happen, people in love getting married, simply shameful.
oh and support has for SSM has been going up nationwide most polls say its just short of 50%
If anyone draws that conclusion, then their minds are very strong at all.
Why do you think the R’s are trying voter suppression?They may be evil but they know all the tricks.
Hey conservative haters, doesn’t this story want to make log on to Facebook immediately and delete your page?
Why is it just the social engineering side of this problem call people haters.Hey society haters it will not pass in Maine give it up.
Thanks for your input Michael Heath.
Hey, was his name originally Michael Heathen?
Already did. You should do the same.
Good for them.
During the last cycle Maine allowed itself to be co-opted by the religious right’s outside money and new “residents” determined to prohibit ALL citizens of the state to enjoy equal rights. Good for the goose, I say.
If you don’t want to marry a person of the same sex you certainly don’t have to. Neither does your church have to perform the religious ceremony. That people of the same sex choose to marry in no way affects you, your family, your faith, nor the founding principles of our country.
As long as “marriage” is a civil, legal and binding agreement that affords those who participate different benefits than the unmarried, then according to the Constitution it should be allowed. The arguments we hear today against same sex marriage are the same ones that got trotted out over emancipation, the civil rights movement, voter’s rights laws and now immigration laws as well.
All people, especially Americans are supposed to be equal before the law regardless of race, color, religion or in this case sexual orientation. So unless you want to do away with the fourteenth ammendment and the international human rights law concerning equality before the law you have no argument.
Very well said, thank you Kathy S
But Newt Gingrich’s first two marriages ended because of the threat to traditional marriage posed by same sex marriage!
That’s because being married to Newt Gingrich is enough to turn any woman off of men for good.
This will just mean the “diversification” of marriage. There will be “Christian” marriage, “Muslim” marriage, and Gay marriage. Just like with races African American, Asian American, etc. Just a way to put people into “groups” the liberal way.
you mean just like it is already?
You may not be understanding that we don’t want “gay” marriage. We want the same marriage to the one a person loves that a straight person has. Just marriage.
Who cares what you want, not me…but what i described is what we all will get.
The liberals will never accept his money, he is part of the top 1% whom they despise . Oh, wait…nevermind.
Despise? Who says liberals ‘despise’ the top 1%? That is your choice of words, an uneducated conservative saying that. No liberal I know despises the top 1%: they just want them to pony up more percentage than the rest of us are paying. What liberals do despise is their equals – read ‘you’ – defending the indefensible.
liberals want the top 1% to pay the SAME taxes as the working class not more and certainly NOT less which is what they are doing now.
If you don’t think that many liberals despise successful people then you don’t read the comments on this site. Since this whole conversation is about equality, why should someone who earns more money that you pay anymore than you do? Does it cost more to repair or plow the roads in front of their house? Why should they pay more to educate your child than you even pay yourself? Does it cost more to defend a successful person against terrorism than it cost to protect you?
Wouldn’t “equal” be every single person pays exactly the same amount? Isn’t that the same sense of equality that the homosexuals want?
I’m for a flat tax. Get rid of ALL loop holes….flat tax.
straightens out the whole lobbying influence game, societal inequity…poof. vamoose.
So…a flat tax percentage? Or a flat tax where everyone pays exactly the same amount? There is a big difference.
percentage
well said!!
Outside money, isn’t that what his article is about?
Like
….
The definition of Dirty Money………….
Outside money isn’t dirty if it supports D issues.
Really? You know this for a fact? Or are you twisting that SSM supporters have an issue with outside organizations deliberately breaking the laws of our state? I would think that that would be a problem for all Mainers.
It’s a political reality that both sides complain about the other’s funding, particularly when it comes from “outside.” I don’t like that this individual, who doesn’t live here, is able to influence what happens in my state…but that’s how it goes. I am glad it is at least public and someone transparent, unlike other money that comes in, particularly for both sides on SSM.
….is what in this instance?
my guess would, because sex is dirty, and homosexual sex is really dirty so dirty money (;0)
I’m glad to see there are still some Martin Luther king’s out there fighting for equality. I wish the same sex marriage campaign much success. These people don’t choose to be the way they are. They are born with it; so why stand in the way of what is the right thing to do. Let them enjoy the same rights we all have in marriage. Respectfully, from a happy heterosexual married man!
Whereas I agree with equal marriage rights for all — I don’t agree with comparing fighting for the right to marriage between same sex individuals and the civil rights movement and equality for colored citizens. I think this is where you turn people off from your cause…asking for extended rights is different that asking for equal rights with regards to marriage. It seems that some people are not really talking about marriage rights they are talking about gaining more rights than other citizens — this I don’t agree with.
Nobody is asking for ‘extra rights’ to be awarded. All the LGBT community wants is equality under the law, which is guaranteed to every person by the Constitution. Nothing more, nothing less.
About what extended rights are you writing? Do know that civil rights mean rights conveyed by the government…civil rights do not belong exclusively to the black community. I feel that I am fighting for my civil rights as a tax paying American citizen: I pay taxes, but my partner of 13 years and I are not allowed to file jointly. I pay into social security but my partner is not allowed social security survivor benefits when I die. When I die, my estate cannot pass tax free to my partner because we are not considered married. I cannot list my partner as next of kin on my United States Passport, because in the eyes of the government he is considered my roommate. These are just some of the CIVIL (IE: Government rights to married persons) right that I am fighting to attain for my family.
….
lets take this scenario dont think sex think companion.you live with a person and share everything. the person you lived with passes away. you have 0 protections. everything in both of your names is sold off and you get part of it your part. thats not extended rights thats equal rights.
how about said person tells you “i dont want to be hooked up to machines” but doesn’t do paper work. something tragic happens and the “family” steps in and hooks your best friend to machines indefinatly. you have no protections without marriage.
i wont even go into the insurance or tax’s side just the humanity side of it.
i personally believe that we should remove marriage from the law books and leave that to religous orginizations to deal with. only have civil unions for all not just gays but all people. a civil union also does not imply sex. one human can love and want to share their life with another without it being sexual.
You bring up a great point that goes beyond this ballot.EVERYONE should make their wishes known and do the legal paperwork NOW.I did that as my birthday present to those I love and care about.Best $$ I ever spent.NEVER assume that things will go as you think they will without the paperwork.
Excellent advice, and hopefully soon we will get a Death with Dignity Act as well.
Unlikely only b/c it makes sense.The death panel liars will be well funded for that one as well.
“Colored citizens?” Yeah, you sure make it clear YOU understand the civil rights movement. What extended rights, exactly, are you talking about? Put another way, what rights beyond those provided to heteroxexual couples do you claim same-sex couples seek?”
I’m not sure what you mean by ‘more rights’?
“More rights”???? Can you explain that?
People are born black, people are born homosexual, they are discriminated against for both reasons, and for no more than these reasons. A black person can bleach their skin, and hair, but they still are black. A homosexual, can live a heterosexual life style but, they still are homosexual.
Which colored citizens? We got Red, White, Pink, Black. Green with envy,Blue.Yellow,,,,Did I leave any out?
Awesome! Thanks Chris and Sean, hopefully your gift with help get Maine on the list of states with open minds and hearts!
I didn’t catch where in Maine he’s from….
And does it concern you where the National Organization for Marriage’s donors are from? Not that anyone could possibly know considering they continue to break our campaign disclosure laws.
Donating again. Fourth time in the last three months for this Maine Resident.
Good. Throw away another $100k just so that Maine voters can once again, let you know we do not want gays to marry here.
All we can do is try….you know that we will all still be here after the election, one way or another, right?
Too bad you don’t want gays to marry here….it is a no brainer job creator across the board. Too bad that you cannot see how much extra money would come into the hands of inn keepers, florists, jewelry stores, lawyers, restaurants, etc. I bet you know several people who might benefit from having extra income due to a positive win for marriage equality.
So your OK with people changing their views on morality for the money? That works for you?
My post was in response to one that said nothing about morals. it just said “we do not want gays to marry here.”
but while I have you here: Tell me what is morally wrong with being in a loving and committed relationship for 13 years with a person that makes me truly happy and whom I love with all my heart?
Gay marriage is completely a moral issue which the citizens of Maine have voted down multiple times. Now, opponents of gay marriage will have to spend lots of money to combat the propaganda about how gay marriage is such a great thing.
And no I would never change my view on this because of your theorized “economic stimulus effect”
Only ever been voted on once, and only once. Check it out.
Same question to you: Tell me what is morally wrong with being in a loving and committed
relationship for 13 years with a person that makes me truly happy and
whom I love with all my heart?
The thing that is great about the U.S., is that someone’s bronze age dogmatic morals are perfectly ok for them to lead their lives by, but it is not ok for them to push those morals onto others. That was proven by Roe v. Wade. This is not a moral issue, it may be for some, but people who don’t believe in Invisible Sky Wizards tend to think its a civil rights issue, not a moral one. Funny thing is, the ones who believe it to be a civil issue are the ones who are adhering more to the Invisible Sky Wizards code. They aren’t throwing stones or judging, the ones who think it is a moral issue are.
Morality isn’t dependent on religion. Civil rights issues ARE moral issues.
I’ll ask you this, Who are you to judge morals? who are you to judge anyone. I see you as an immoral person, for judging people you know nothing about. 2 people of the same sex being married, will n0t hurt you, it will not hurt your children, or our society. it might just make it better.
….
God prefers kind Atheists over hateful Christians.
“Hateful” is a very strong word. The Bible clearly states that homosexuality is a sin, so why is a Christian against gay marriage being “hateful”? Please point out what I said that was hateful, and tell me how being against gay marriage is “hateful”.
Because you are using your religious beliefs to deny people their rights. The same way the south used its Christian code to justify slavery, and deny them their rights after slavery was abolished. Christianities entire history is full of hate to the point now Christian and hateful are interchangable words.
Someone using slavery, that is an old cop out. Read the whole Word about servants/slavery. Pulling a few verses out of the Bible you are doing the same thing as others do.
I didn’t use is to justify slavery, others did to justify their hate. The “word” is still a fictional account cobbled together by man 4oo years after the death of the supposed savior. So no work in that text is “the word”
That is your right not to believe, I am sorry if you do not believe in the Inspired Word of God. Ok, you said Christian Code to justify slavery. Either way you were using semantics.
You and your beliefs are precisely the reason I left organized religion many years ago. Luckily, my faith survived intact. The bible thumping, judgemental holier-than-thou crowd of hypocrites who can spout chapter and verse but never practice it drove me away. My world is much nicer now.
I am not thumping the Bible, and I have not judged them. I am expressing the way I feel. Unless you do not believe in that. I guess it is ok for you too, but not others. You look to God, mot to man. He is the only Judge. Interesting what you say, about Holier than though, sounds judgemental in its own right.
Also my beliefs come from the Book you say I am thumping.
You’re not being hateful. You’re exercising your freedom of speech. We have many freedoms in the USA, of which most of us are very thankful. Now, speaking of freedoms, we also have freedom of religion here in the USA. Your assumption that everyone else should follow your RELIGIOUSLY-BASED morals is a bit hypocritical, don’t you think? Do you have any other reasons for opposing gay marriage other than religious beliefs? How will it affect your life (religion aside)?
Gay is wrong period. Stop trying to argue with GODs word.
You just made my point for me. Thank you kindly :) Thankfully not ALL christians are so hypocritical
U lose
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—–Original message—–
Romans 2:1
Luke 6:37
Luke 6:41
John 8:7
Romans 14:10
Romans 14:13
Corinthians:5
James 4:11
Ah you are using the Bible to make a point. Let’s start with your first one. Romans 2. Scripture is clearly taking about being hypocritical in your judging. Let me illustrate. You are condemning someone for making a judgement when right above you made the comment that two “fat” people gross you out. This is precisely what God is referring to. You are being a hypocrite in how you judge. Is that clear? Do you want to move on to the next one?
thank you for seeing the hypocrisy I was trying to point out.
A typo on your part. I was pointing out your hypocrisy….but I think you knew that ;)
what typo?
I wasn’t being hypocritical. I was using hyperbole.
….
U dont have a clue….good luck
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—–Original message—–
….
John 3:17
the gospel according to remington
Go ahead..defy God
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If a person wants to be atheistic, it’s his God-given right to be an atheist.
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GOOD LUCK
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Who gives a rats pootooty what some imaginary man in the sky thinks? Not me.
GOOD LUCK
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Thanks, you too!!!
yay! Hugs for all! :o)
You mean the words of the men who wrote the various books that make up the Bible. Men who didn’t know how to explain earthquakes and floods and famines, and who needed to justify how they won or lost battles and wars.
The same men who said that a woman who doesn’t yell for help when raped must marry her rapist.
You r a fool
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John 3:17
the bible states a whole lot of things-i’m bet a load of the anti equal rights people have been divorced multiple times (like newt) and have fornicated outside the sanctity of marriage,or are presently living together
kinda like them bible belt people, they have the highest divorce rates and the highest rates of teen pregnancy— kinda wonder how all that helps preserve marriage
….
the hypocrisy is that there are far more references in the bible to “not judging” than there are negative references to homosexuality, of which I can find only two. So, Christian values are far more in support of compassion than condemning, in contrast to what the ‘religious right’ is trying to make us believe.
I don’t call myself Christian, but I think Jesus was a compassionate and wise man. There is much truth in the Bible. There is much truth in many books, of course all words are words of Man. People just need to learn to read with an open mind and heart (the way Jesus would have asked us to, I believe).
peace
Tell me, which parts of the Bible are true and which parts aren’t.
The Bible is meant to be read figuratively. Your question is out of context.
Does hate-filled fit better, then?
You speak for God do you? According to my bible, it would be neither.
and you’re a prophet that can tell every one about the bible according to bruce
Not at all, doesn’t take a Prophet to read what His Word says.
His Word, as read by so many people, has been used to justify wars, torture, and all kinds of horror throughout the dark ages and in to modern times.
Now you are using His Word to propagate your message of bigotry and hatred. Please read these verses and then pray on whose place it is to judge.
Romans 2:1
Luke 6:37
Luke 6:41
John 8:7
Romans 14:10
Romans 14:13
Corinthians:5
James 4:11
Are not you doing it? You best read the whole Bible, not just a few verses. Since you are using verses how about the ones that state I knew you in the womb? As I have stated before, I am not the one that judges nor am I judging, I am stating the way I feel. We are still in the United States
who am i judging? no one. so no, I’m not “doing it”
The essecence of your previous comment.
so, you admit judging people is wrong and should be left to God?
exactly right. so leave gay people alone, let them marry who they choose, and leave judgement to our heavenly father.
He is the Judge, and it will be by His Word. I am not judging because I have a diffrence of opinion, what does His Word say. Because the UCC have perverted his word does not make things right.
I read your comments and you are definitely judging gay people. You are certainly making an effort to prevent them from marrying the person of their choice.
Belief is not judging, take care.
it is if you stand in the way of your neighbors civic rights
The nice thing about the St Bruce version of the Bible is it doesn’t give you too many facts.
The facts are their if you read them, all.
There is no biblical support of bigotry, bruce.
You need to look up the definition of bigotry. Once again there’s a finger pointing at you.
i know what bigotry means. do you? what’s your point?
I guess you need to look the word up, to many people use the word bigotry, and hippocrit without knowing what they mean. I am not perfect nor pretend to be. I try to treat everyone the same, no matter what. I may not agree with what they do, it gets tiresome because I disagree with you, remember the 2nd Commandment? And again, I am not the one who will be judging.
hippocrit??
please. you expect me to have a conversation about the nuance of language and you spell it like that???
hypocrite.
Do I complain about your spelling, context and grammer. If you need an reason, I am working with a keyboard that is new, which because of moving things around the screen is a ways away. I guess I will have to put a disclaimer on every comment.
ridiculous. your keyboard didn’t make you spell “hippocrit”.
bwaahhahaha.
my keyboard made me do it!
semantics.
no, not semantics. spelling.
Here are a few facts for you…
http://burningatthestake.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/memes-odin-kills-ice-giants.jpg
http://www.myconfinedspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/christianity-my-god-has-a-hammer-your-god-was-nailed-to-a-cross.jpg
The Bible isn’t any more fact than The Brothers Grimm or Aesop’s Fables
We will have to see when the final chapter begins, or before. I will not be the one you will be standing before.
Well, that is disrespectful.
*yawn*
AGAIN-this is first time the question of letting us marry has been brought to the polls. This is the second time the marriage question has been put to vote. That is HARDLY multiple times.
If you’re going to be against it, please, at least know what you’re talking about when you discuss why you’re against it.
I’m not seeing anything wrong with a committed relationship, or an uncommitted one. You do not have to say anything about morals, its implied, its the core of your opponants fight. You did bring up the money. Its the Obama thing, I don’t care about his position, its changing it when its time for a big payday.
It does matter to some people. It’s impossible to give one reason that will satisfy every single person in the state. There are many reasons why this is not supported and we address those reasons point by point, not by some blanket statement meant to shut people up.
Some people say that we need to focus on the economy and that this gay nonsense should be put on the backburner until things are better. Well, this point addresses the economy. Allowing marriage for all consenting adults who love each other will help the state. I can tell you that I’ll marry here in Maine instead of going to Canada or New Hampshire. This state is “Vacationland” so I am sure that there will be many gay couples who come here already who would love to get married in this wonderful and beautiful state.
It’s not ALL about money, but it is a component.
you’re ok with imposing your “morals” on others?
I know of a very conservative wedding photographer whose state has marriage equality.His company decided they would not book gay weddings.Guess what-they have now laid off people and sold equipment.I would doubt they last until the end of the year.
think of how quickly he would have been out of business if he refused to take photos of conservative christian weddings
Those photos would be too ugly to develop.
Glad to hear they’re going under. Good riddance.
It sure doesn’t break my heart.They deserve all the crap that hits them for being ignorant of the marketplace.
I’m assuming that you’re a married straight person, as am I. If you don’t mind my asking, exactly why do you have such opposition to them marrying? What is your particular reasoning behind it? To be honest, I have given this issue a great deal of thought and, if gays were allowed to marry their significant others tomorrow, it would not take one thing away from me. It would not lessen the love I have for my husband, it wouldn’t affect our marriage in any way whatsoever, and I would still be a happily-married straight person. What do you feel is so negative about allowing someone this same privilege and, more importantly, in what ways do you find it is going to hurt you? I’m very curious why people feel so strongly opposed to this issue as they do.
When the first state provided marriage equality,the lies from the right continued about the “homosexual agenda”NOTHING has gone wrong in any of those states.
I think one reason is people have been frustrated with the moral decline in this country for a long time and the gays have become an easy target.
I think you’re right. We all want someone to blame for the moral decline of society. Myself included. I don’t like the situation our society is headed in. Maybe blame could be put on these straight folks who are pumping out babies left and right with several different mates, not bothering with any commitment whatsoever to their children’s other parent, neglecting their kids and providing them with no guidance whatsoever, allowing the video games to babysit for them, living a life on taxpayer’s money and having not enough self respect to attempt to fend for themselves. That might be a crack at the surface anyway.
Those on both sides of this issue are just dying for “the state” to come down on their side. I say “the state” has no business defining what marriage is or who can get married. They should keep the heck out of it. The vows that my wife and I exchanged are between her, myself, and God. I don’t know when Maine, or most other states started requiring people to get a marriage license, but it hasn’t always been that way and shouldn’t be that way now.
Does this mean that you would gladly give up the over 1000 government rights and tax deductions that you and your wife have as a married couple? Are you willing not to be considered her next of kin, are you willing to have your estate taxed to the fullest extent of the law rather than have the marriage deduction? If you file jointly with the IRS, are you willing to give that up? Are you willing to give up social security survivor benefits? Will you willingly travel with copies of your will, copies of medical advocacy papers, copies of your wife’s will and her medical advocacy papers in case you get into trouble and you cannot prove that you were married by the government?
Yes, I would give up ALL government benefits. I’m not too far away from being able to collect SS, but I would give up all that I’ve put in to see the system go away (and no, I don’t have much put away to make up for it; either way, I’ll be working until I drop). Yes to all that you asked about. That’s probably not the norm, but it’s what I’d like to see.
ok, thanks for the reply. Totally respect your opinion. Thanks again
Really? Do you think two people who aren’t divorced yet should be able to get married? How about two 10 year olds? Yes, there are laws about who can get married. There have been marriage licenses for a long time in many places. They used to do blood tests first too.
People already get married who aren’t divorced. Granted, it’s not an epidemic problem, but it happens, and the law is powerless to prevent it from happening. If you end up with two 10 year olds getting married, you’ve defeated some built in safeguards such as parents and somebody who would be willing to perform the service. Do you really think that this would be happening without state involvement?
Then keep the state out of it entirely, there are plenty of churches more than happy to wed same sex couples.
That’s what I just said. Keep the state out of it entirely.
Let me know how not being able to see your spouse in the hospital works out for you.
That’s a wholly separate issue. It is currently the way things are that the state issues marriage licenses and some gay people what that to extend to their relationships. Whether the state SHOULD do that is not the issue. Nobody is saying that one MUST get married by the state, but we all know that there are legal ramifications to state recognition of a marriage.
When you can’t see your wife when shes in the hospital, because your “marriage” isn’t recognized by the state, get back to me.
Until then, stop it with the “the state has no business in marriage” BS, you’ve benefited all your life by it, pretending now that you don’t is just contemptible.
So, Facebook users who are against homosexual/lesbian marriage in Maine: Are you going to defriend yourselves from this billion dollar business?
They got you into the “fun” way to respond to others and keep in touch; now that they have your info, they are unafraid to let you know where they are on immoral issues.
I don’t think these 2 ever hid, that they stood against bigotry and hate.
Go ahead and leave FB.I doubt Wall Street or anyone else will notice.
It’s a Social Network. If you’re anti-social, go ahead and leave, who cares that you’re so bigoted and hate filled that you don’t want to participate ?
YOU are the one making ONE persons donation to a cause an issue. Grow up.
Hand over all your private information to Fakebook… They sell that data…Then they use that money push their own political agenda…. If you are not supporting gay marriage, how do you feel about using fakebook now?
The Citizens United decision has determined that corporations can do just that with their money. And in fact, this is an individual that can do whatever he wants with his money.
If people want to stop using Facebook for this reason, that’s great. I don’t eat at Chik-Fil-A because it supports anti-gay organizations (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/01/chick-fil-a-donated-anti-gay-groups-2009_n_1069429.html). It goes both ways.
(By the way, I hate Facebook and abhor it’s business practices. That being said, we’re free citizens to use and do as we please).
Joe,
Kudos! Goes to show that no matter what side of the political landscape you are on, we need spend ($$ and privacy currency) wisely. Problem is most people hand over their privacy currency (which is worth more than dollars because it can be resold again and again) for free. Kind of like you going to Chik-Fil-A and just giving them all the money in your wallet.
This isn’t Facebook’s money, is it? Did I miss something?
No you did not miss anything. It is wealth created by fakebook.
Thanks very much Chris and Sean. It is so nice to see the progress that is being made in this pursuit for marriage equality. This vote means everything to me, Maine is where I grew up and where I want to spend my life and raise my family, but I cannot and will not reside in a state that fails to recognize my love and my rights.
Children who are alive now are going to grow up wondering why we supported bigotry in any form in this beautiful free country that people are dying to live in.
They will wonder why people (including their parents) didn’t support the right to all people to enjoy the same benefits of marriage.
They will wonder why people (including their parents) didn’t want a black man for president.
They will wonder why the religious right’s agenda was shoved down the throats of free American people despite the supposed separation between church and state.
It’s my hope that when the time comes for them to ask those questions, we can tell them that it was because the people were uneducated or forgot about the basis on which this country was founded, that all people are created equal, that this is a free society built on compromise, and that there is NO race or sexual orientation or religion or political group or any other group that is better than another, despite the zealots who believe otherwise.
Leave them alone, let them get married and let’s get back to ensuring that we leave the children with a country that people still want to come to and live in because of the rights and benefits that America represents.
Not only are people dying to get in here,our soldiers(gay and straight)are dying for our freedoms.As a straight man,I am proud and happy to support MUM and all my sisters and brothers who suffer discrimination.
People shouldn’t mix business, politics, and religion – not smart.
That claim that Prop 8 supporters were harassed at home and work was debunked as a lie during the Prop 8 trial. Courts considering the issue have been presented with no evidence that any allegedly harassing activity exceeded that normally associated with controversial political matters. So no, people didn’t go out of their way at all.
What makes you think the religious right would ever present facts?If they did,it would be a first.
Like.
Shared.
From far off realms and kingdoms, phalanxes of lesbians buttressed by rear echelons of sodomites are amassing against the citizens of Maine, bearing arms and booty to denigrate the institution of marriage and destroy the integrity of the family. These violators of nature will not be content until God and family and country are destroyed from the memory of future generations forever.
http://bangor-launch.newspackstaging.com/2011/10/04/politics/funding-concerns-leave-fate-of-dorothea-dix-up-in-the-air/
What kind of nonsence are you trying to push now ???
A friend of mine feels that
even though eating shellfish is an abomination – Lev. 11:10, it
is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don’t agree. Can
you settle this? Are there ‘degrees’ of abomination? I hope you aren’t one of those devilish “lobster-lovers”!
The Bible contains six admonishments to homosexuals and 362 admonishments to heterosexuals. That doesn’t mean that God doesn’t love heterosexuals. It’s just that they need more supervision.
It’s also forbidden for you to shave or to have tattoos or to wear clothing made from more than one type of fabric. Let us know when you notice that the stuff in that book is irrelevant and ridiculous.
God destroyed? That’s funny cause you can’t destroy what doesn’t exist. As for violators of nature… you are wrong, homosexuality occurs often in nature other than in humans. I don’t figure you would know that. I mean science is on the banned book list for god-lovers isn’t it? Right up there with Stephen Hawking and J.K. Rowlings works. The only thing those books are good for is fire fuel, right?
Wow, you wax poetic while spouting nonsense.
No one is seeking to destroy anything, that is ridiculous hyperbole. We are seeking to enter into the good and valid contract of civil marriage, conveyed by our government, to protect the lives we are building together in love and commitment.
This is a very inaccurate portrayal of me and my family and friends who are working hard for equality. This is very insulting. Especially the baring booty part.
Joe, it’s has nothing to do with equality! It’s all about despoiling the sanctity of marriage and thumbing your nose at God!
Your god has nothing to do with anything good. And he could stand to take some science classes. My God, on the other hand, is caring, logical, intelligent and best of all…FAIR!
Maybe I should marry a woman and several concubines instead.
that is your opinion. thankfully, we have the Constitution to protect us from people who think as you do. It may be a long, arduous journey to equality, just ask black people and women, it took our country centuries to get it right.
But we did.
You must believe in a very weak god if he/she/it can be destroyed by people being given their civil rights.
This made me giggle. Thanks for the laff, I assume it was intentional.
Also, that sounds like the best parade ever.
Source: http://anthropologist.livejournal.com/1314574.html
When Same-Sex Marriage Was a Christian Rite
Contrary to myth, Christianity’s concept of marriage has not been set in stone since the days of Christ, but has constantly evolved as a concept and ritual. Prof. John Boswell, the late Chairman of Yale University’s history department, discovered that in addition to heterosexual marriage ceremonies in ancient Christian church liturgical documents, there were also ceremonies called the “Office of Same-Sex Union” (10th and 11th century), and the “Order for Uniting Two Men” (11th and 12th century).
These church rites had all the symbols of a heterosexual marriage: the whole community gathered in a church, a blessing of the couple before the altar was conducted with their right hands joined, holy vows were exchanged, a priest officiatied in the taking of the Eucharist and a wedding feast for the guests was celebrated afterwards. These elements all appear in contemporary illustrations of the holy union of the Byzantine Warrior-Emperor, Basil the First (867-886 CE) and his companion John.
Unfortunately, the RW haters have all put their fingers in their ears and are shouting NANANANANA CAN’T HEAR YOU as loudly as they can.
For all the republicans who have handed over their personal data to fakebook, the democratic party thanks you for your contribution.
Wise up everyone, personal data is currency, and you are giving it way for free
I fully 100% unanimously agree with this!
Yup, FB is totally a liberal conspiracy now. Liberal data mining op for the democratic party! Because a guy who owns 1% of it contributed his own money to the campaign! Um..
Check this out: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/15/technology/facebook-needs-to-turn-data-trove-into-investor-gold.html?emc=tnt&tntemail1=y
I am sorry people but a marriage is with one man and one woman.
six states, the District of Columbia, and a number of other countries would disagree with you, as would history.
Are you sorry cause you know you are wrong?
Is it in your own mind that he is wrong? As it stands in the majority of the country, he is right. Other countries are “other countries”. There are a lot of differences between our country and the rest of the world.
The majority of the country once thought slavery was right too. A majority can be wrong. Equal is equal. This is why we have the Supreme Court, for when the majority is wrong. No one shall be denied their civil rights based on race, color, creed, or sexual orientation. As the state issues marriage licenses, they therefore cannot discriminate based on sexual orientation any more then they can deny a woman a fishing license based solely on the fact that she is a woman. So it doesn’t really matter what the states say, as long as there are rights and protections granted to people because they are married, the Supreme Court has to rule that SSM is perfectly legal.
Unfortunately I have no faith in SCOTUS to do the right thing.
Yea cause affirming people’s rights is wrong. Like affirming the rights of blacks and whites to marry, how wrong was that. Making the south integrate the school systems, OMG the horror! Your ignorance amazes me almost as much as your blindness.
IF you look my posts you will see I am CLEARLY and CONSISTENTLY in support of SSM.What I meant was this Roberts led court is unlikely to grant rights except to corporations and the wealthy.
oops sorry, dyslexia hit me. Thought that was posted by someone else in a sarcastic manor, my apologies.
Not sure if it’s the majority of this country anymore, brah… http://www.gallup.com/poll/147662/First-Time-Majority-Americans-Favor-Legal-Gay-Marriage.aspx
yes, the difference with our country is that we have a Constitution and a Supreme Court. Thank God, because those two institutions are what will settle this argument and grant equal civil rights to gay Americans.
That has always been the traditional way. But let me ask you this. Are you married? If so, in what way will it affect your marriage if gays are allowed to marry?
….
Are you really sorry?
Yup, and we’re trying to change that! Thanks for the lame comment, though!
It used to be just between one white man and one white woman or one black man and one black woman. That changed this will too.
The 1% RICH ,is stepping up with the LESS THAN 2%, lol.That is one way to confuse the extreme Liberals.
I’m not sure if I understood you correctly, but I think liberals in general are asking the 1% to step up, contribute more. This type of donation could be considered very positive from a liberal pov. It’s not that confusing, is it?
My argument is that The USA should have been willing to compromise long ago
and allow all domestic partners to partake in the lives of their partner.
Marriage was not needed and never should have been a requirement. It was always the right thing to do. This is another indication of how we have advanced over our outdated laws of the Eighteen hundreds.
If our Supreme court was not so old and living in so much comfort, they
could help to bring us into the twenty first century. Our State representatives
are equally as responsible, heck they can’t even get our municipal laws updated and don’t want to bother to undertake this mammoth task, so it just sits. So many promises, so little
action. But we keep putting them into office.
Just look at Angus King and how much he finagled out of the state with very
questionable tactic’s and as some say, out right lies. Now, he wants to reap
even more benefits from his schemes. We keep allowing it to happen. Until, we the people say no more, and force the issues, we remain blind and hopelessly out of touch with common logic.
Oh yes, our two party system is broken and very much outdated and we need to have it changed and updated.
I’m going to set aside my support for marriage equality for a moment and simply address the question of out-of-state funding that seems to be a bone of contention for many.
I don’t particularly like out-of-state funding, but it is a certainty that anti-marriage equality people will be employing non-Maine dollars. So be it. For Mainers United for Marriage to turn down out-of-state funding would be not only idiotic but suicidal.
Maybe two wrongs don’t make a right. But an un-countered wrong is just plain stupid.
One last point: Obeying the law is important. Those who break it should not be allowed to play. Period.
I hope they raise a lot of money to get the message out that gays and lesbians should have the same legal rights as heterosexuals.
Man marries five year old son, women marries pet dog, grandmother marries hamster: don’t worry its all covered in the constitution. Live and let live.
If you cannot argue against gay marriage without bringing up pedophilia and bestiality, you don’t have an argument against gay marriage.
Seriously— show us one other state or nation on Earth where same sex marriage has led to any of that?
True that. And an interesting note: It seem the closest we’ve come to institutionalized pedophilia in America was within the Catholic church.
And seriously, people aren’t going to start having sex with animals. Because they DON’T WANT TO. It’s not like beastiality will be unleashed upon the world like a demon. Some people have a problem with having sexual feeling for animals; they’re a tiny minority and will remain that way. It’s no reason to deny a totally unrelated group of people a right which they desire. (Yep, these groups are totally unrelated, even if in some people’s dirty christian minds they’re all piled on top of each other screwing away our morality with abandon!)
We didn’t get tot the point where girls are practically walking around naked on our beaches overnight. We didn’t get the point where school shootings were commonplace overnight, or rampant drug abuse, alcohol, rape, murders, beatings, child abuse, porn, stealing etc.. And here we find ourselves facing homosexuality becoming just an alternate lifestyle. We’re quickly progressing into an immoral bliss with the lines between right and wrong being completely obliviatated.
It’s sad that you justify harming families and children of Maine with “kids today act inappropriately in public” logic.
There is nothing immoral or wrong about a couple needing civil marriage to protect the life they built together, and the children they raise together.
Is there an argument against SSM in that somewhere?
What about cat married chair? My cat has a chair she LOVES!!! Is that covered? She really hopes so!!!
One step at a time. It’s always a progression for the worse.
Well, hurry it up. She’s chomping at the bit and making a big stink about it.
That is the same argument that was used against inter-racial marriage. It doesn’t make any more sense than it does. The constitution protects consenting adults and allows then to live a life they want to live no matter your uncomfortably with it. Children, dogs and hamsters do not posses the faculties to make that kind of decision thus they are protected.
Also, it is just bigoted to equate homosexuality to pedophilia and bestiality. Your rude and not adding anything to this conversation.
That must be a Mapleton thing; I knew there was a reason I avoid that part of The County.
apparently, you don’t understand the words ‘consenting adults’
somebody hide the pets, there’s a GOP member trying to make a point.
Wake up people, this is all an effort to fundamentally transform our society, it’s not about equal rights at all. To say that gays and lesbians get equal rights by being allowed to marry is silly. The real fight is over the role of religion in society. Many gays and lesbians openly admit to not wanting marriage because it is of absolutely no use to them, what would gays who are married actually get for it? Absolutely nothing. Marriage defines a union of a man and a woman so that they are qualified to have children, and children have the structure to depend on. Anxiety and depression in teens these days with all the medications to treat it is no coincidence, our children are coming into a world that lacks structure and believes in no God, and alcoholism and drug use becomes more popular among young parents because of it.
——
Heterosexual couples are given certain status in our society due to the fact that they have or can have children. It’s a taxation status. originally it was setup by culture which was led by a belief in jesus (for most of the population in the US anyway)
And those things can be blamed on a lack of belief in God. The void is there because the image of man was created with the need to fill that void.
I tend to blame the issues of most teenagers today more on the straight couples who have a new partner every year or so and make additional babies with each partner they are with and then move on, thus offering no stability for their children. Not to mention that lack of parental guidance that so many kids have from these straight parents who created them. Give them some PG, show them how to be responsible adults who can solve problems, make wise decisions, and who realize life is not always a walk in the park but be prepared the deal with what it throws at you, and you’ll see far less drug use and disrespectful teenagers. It has nothing to do with gay relationships or lack of a god in their lives, in my opinion.
I blame it on that loud Pat Boone! That and the MTV. Spring Break does more for the decay of society than the relationship I have with my boyfriend!!!
Back in my high school days, it was Madonna. Madonna was the DOWNFALL of society :) Gosh, we could blame it on so many foolish things..I say decaying parenting skills is the main factor. And no, I’m guessing that your relationship with your boyfriend has NOTHING to do with any of it, except to those who feel what you and he do in your bedroom (because YES, to them it is ALL about the sexual aspects of it rather than the loving and caring) is a far bigger issue than these idiots who are killing their kids and breaking their arms here in Maine lately :)
Haha-yes, I was in high school around the same time. I remember the uproar about Madonna. Oh, Boy George was decaying us, too!
Sigh…those where the days!
I agree it is a problem, but disagree with your conclusion
There are over 1,100 benefits and privileges contingent on marital status at the federal level alone. Denying same sex couples the ability to enter into a civil marriage is absolutely denying them equal treatment under our laws.
Obviously there are gays and lesbians who don’t want to get married! There are many more heterosexual couples who don’t want to get married either, but we don’t use that as justification to deny civil marriage rights altogether, do we?
Your argument about procreation doesn’t hold up– marriage vows make no mention of having children, we don’t forbid the infertile or elderly from marrying, and we don’t prohibit divorce for parents.
The rest of your ranting goes off the topic entirely.
If all that is wanted are certain rights why isn’t it a civil union that is requested? Also, what is to keep legislatures from redefining marriage to discern between gay and straight if this passes? I can tell you this, there are ways to give rights to gay and lesbian couples without changing the definition of marriage, but like I said this isn’t a fight for equality, this is a fight against the christian – judeo culture. My faith tells me that marriage is defined by a man and a woman, and by allowing the government to change that definition it compromises my ability to teach my children this, as the government would contradict my beliefs. Just because you don’t force a church to allow a gay marriage doesn’t mean it doesn’t affect the church in a big way.
Just say, “this is what we believe, but the government doesn’t agree.” We don’t live in a theocracy. Do you want to? I don’t. The government won’t always agree with your faith, and it certainly won’t always agree with everyone’s faith. That is the price you pay for religious freedom.
Because the groups against SSM have made it VERY clear that they have no intention of letting us have even civil unions.
It doesn’t impact your church in any way. If it did, you and the others constantly claiming such would actually say HOW it does.
Your church doesn’t have dominion over MY church. Get used to it.
“[T]his is a fight against the christian – judeo culture.”
Do you respect the First Amendment? If so, then it appears you would agree that Christianity has no business dictating the laws of the land.
The first amendment does not block us from setting laws based on what we think is morale: look at the laws against prostitution, drugs, and alcohol in dry counties. These laws are in place because they reflect what our society wants as policy for the area they are in.
Laws against prostitution and drugs are in place because of their harmful impacts. For example, drugs are dangerous to a person’s health and they can cause increase in crimes.
Moral disdain or disapproval alone, as held by the Supreme Court, is NOT enough for a law. Disapproving of someone is not a rational basis to punish them with the law.
However, morality is not based on any one religion — or religion at all.
Sorry, you do need to take just a basic course on American civics. That is not at all how the Constitution works.
Ok how
The Constitution provides for the Supreme Court of the United States. The founding fathers did this in order to PREVENT majority rule. The Supreme Court is the final arbiter of law. Majority rule, moral majorities….this is exactly what the founding fathers were afraid of. Remember from history, the settlers of our Country fled Europe because of religious persecution. Many new Americans came here because they were being judged and condemned by the ‘religious right’ of Europe at that time.
but don’t trust me, read for yourself:
Kahn Academy has an entire section on American Civics to help you understand. Anything you want to learn is available online. iTunesU is amazing and free.Here is a link to the Library of Congress http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/Constitution.html
No I think you need to educate yourself. This is not something that was set in place that forced people to keep all religious thought from law making, it was to keep the church (literally) from being directly involved with setting government policy. So does this mean that you can’t pass any law that parallels a commanded law in the bible? I don’t think so, prostitution is wrong by bible standards and we’ve made it illegal. We set laws based on how our population decides it should be run, with the constitution as a guideline, but you can’t tell me that religion has not influenced lawmaking since the formation of this country. Our law making is a representation of our culture, at the end of the day this is simply a popular vote and the constitution will not have anything to do with it.
you grossly misunderstand the US Constitution.
1. people can pass any law anytime.
2. if other people think their civil rights are violated, they sue
3. eventually the Supreme Court decides the case, based upon how those 9 individuals interpret the meaning of the original document and subsequent case histories.
4. This information is available in any middle school American History class. Please inform yourself.
No, there isn’t. There is no way to make the words marriage and “civil union” interchangeable, so you could never confer all those same rights to gay couples unless the word marriage is used.
No one can force your church to do anything. This is about legal rights. Why would a gay couple want to get married in a place that doesn’t want them there? They want their day to be special. It doesn’t make sense.
Read my other posts, it’s not about forcing a church to marry a gay couple, it’s about pitting church belief against government policy, and the effect that it has on children and how they decide what marriage means to them.
But there are many churches that do believe gays should have the right to marriage. Why does your church get to trump the other churches?
There are not many churches that believe in this, they are the minority. The Catholic church for instance does not allow gay marriage in their church, as well as many other protestant churches. I wonder why this minority is allowed to speak on every behalf of every church? I believe its because the play is to try to make it not about a faith issue and more about discrimination. The more that opposition appears to be motivated by hate or discrimination and less by a conflict of social beliefs, the easier it is for proponents to convince people that there is some sort of discrimination occurring.
It doesn’t matter. Whether you’re the majority or the minority, you deserve your rights. Does free speech only apply when it’s the majority using it? The answer is absolutely not.
When you’re saying a certain group of people can’t have the same rights as you, yes, that is what discrimination is. The fact that it’s appalling to you that you might have your marriage included with the marriages of gay people does sound like hatred.
It does matter when its the minority because the fact is that their interpretation of the bible is incorrect!
I don’t believe I really have much else to say if you are accusing me of hate, I’ve said what my platform is and if you choose not to believe it then I’ll see you at the polls.
It doesn’t matter because freedom of religion applies to all, not just the majority. So you don’t get to use your church as an excuse to steamroll over the rights of others.
Look, you can call it whatever you want, but if you’re so disgusted by the possibility of being groups with a committed gay couple, then you don’t get to claim you have no problem with them.
I do have a problem with gay couples, I don’t have a problem with their right to be a couple, I do have a problem with you trying to put words in my mouth, and I do have a problem with a church that claims that gay marriage is legitimate. Clear enough for you now?
Exactly, so you want special rights for you and your church. You think you are above others and that’s why you deserve those rights over others.
How American of you.
Does it matter that they aren’t the majority? Does that mean that they don’t have the freedom of religion?
It sounds like you think that allowing MY church to do this, that this is somehow preventing Catholics from practicing their religion. Is that what you’re saying? You do know that this is no way that any church ever will be forced to marry two people of the same gender.
Why are you perpetuating these falsehoods?
Marriage already means different things to different people and to people of different religions. It’s not one homogeneous concept that is MAN AND WOMAN and that that concept is being threatened. It is MANY different things already.
Your religious beliefs really shouldn’t have any influence on the law. When this passes, your church can still NOT marry gay couples. That will always be true. But at the same time, those churches that do support SSM will be able to perform such marriages. Everyone wins.
As for civil unions, there is a letter in today’s paper that address that here in Maine.
That’s really interesting because most of the gay people I know here in Maine are people of faith. I’d better get them this memo post haste!!!
Well then I would seriously consider what faith they belong to, if they claim to belong to the faith in the God of Abraham, and Jesus who is his son, then they might want to re-examine how their faith is rooted.
Are you judging them?
“Marriage defines a union of a man and a woman so that they are qualified to have children, and children have the structure to depend on.”
Um, unmarried couples are “qualified” to have children, and nothing prevents these couples from providing children “structure to depend on.”
They are CAPABLE, but they don’t always offer the same structure based on what I have seen in my life. There are always exceptions, but people hook up these days with no thoughts about marriage, they have a kid and just kind of move on to something else. They think that there is something better in the future that will never come. Our culture has been fundamentally changing to put less and less priority on children. It was not gay marriage that brought it to this point but gay marriage now has the ability to really finish it off. I for one am someone who believes that if our culture has been shifting to allow gay couples to openly live together and establish themselves in some sort of unit, then they should be able to do so for legal purposes but not through the use of marriage. I don’t write these comments over any bias against gays and lesbians, rather my belief that marriage must be preserved in it’s current definition.
So why punish gays? They’re already raising children and starting families. They need legal protections just like “straight” families do.
As a Republican, teaparty, occupier I will vote yes on Gay marriage. I won’t be shamed into it like they are trying to do. I just think people in domestic unions need the legal represention.
Thanks for your support! I too am a registered Republican, though I consider myself a Libertarian at heart.
Tea Party and Occupier voting for gay marriage. You are one confused man.
I thought the the true TEA party stood for small government. If this is what Davidvsgoliath believes, then it jives.
Its great these donations are coming in, but then the next question is the voters need to change there mind Just because donations are coming in does not mean marriage rights will be given. Its gonna be a close call again, and i wish you the best of luck, as i said before i will vote for you because its proven you guys deserve rights
i changed my mind 2 winters ago. my transmission blew on I95 during a snowstorm, a good one. as is stood outside my car, clearly needing a ride for a 1/2 hour, at least 100 cars passed by ,including 2 vehicles with firefighter plates. as i had fire fighting decals in my window, i assumed 1 of them would stop, but nope. just as i decided to walk to newport(9 miles), a man and woman stopped and offered a ride. gladly i accepted. as we drove, i noticed boxes of pro-gay agenda political material in the car and figured they were doing political work for some issue. right then and there, i said to myself “f- it. if the SSM marriage ever comes up again, i’m voting for it.” well, here it is again and they definitely have my vote. if any of you friends of jesus out there have a problem w/that, awwww too bad. i guess one of you should have been a good samaritan about it and picked me up. that’s 1 tax paying/hetero/christian/he-man vote for manKIND.
Great post, and i am glad you got picked up
That has to be the dumbest reason to vote for an issue, any issue, I have ever heard!
i… don’t… care….
That’s o…b…v…i…o…u…s!
What’s dumb is to continue to pretend that gays are these awful demons.
Changing hearts and minds, one person at a time. Thanks for your post and vote!
AWESOME news although MUM still needs all they can get.Nice to see unlike NOM they are happy to publicize their work.
time for Maine to follow North Carolina and the other thirty or so states. The ballot boxes in Maine need to be watched this year.I suggest using the dems tactics this election.Tie everyone of the totals up in court until the no side gets enough votes.
Didn’t the head of the Maine GOP have some issues with preventing people from voting recently?
And what “dems tactics” are you referring to, exactly? That last sentence doesn’t make sense…
Wow, the out of state funds roll in to impact a local decision. Seems like a waste to have a local election/vote on something to have one side bank rolled by “foreigners”. Why bother doing it at all at the state level?
You do know that the other side will be heavily bankrolled by the New Jersey-based NOM, right? They heavily bankroll in campaigns from coast to coast.
where do all the millions that are being spent on this issue go, and how do i get a piece?
Own a television station, that’s where most of the funds have to go– advertisements.
If you’ve seen a lot of very bad in this world you can walk away or try to change it.
I don’t think gays have anymore good or bad then anyone else, or thing. Imposing morals is one way to bring change. Yes, I would be OK with some change.
Lets start that change with harsher punishments for these people who are breaking their baby’s legs, killing their infant sons and not cooperating with police when their toddlers mysteriously go missing after their blood is found in the parent’s home :) Then we’ll worry about all this other petty stuff later.
Good point!
As I see it, some people arn’t happy unless they have their nose in someone else’s business. I fail to see the harm done to the rest if 2 same sex people want to get married.
You know, as a teacher, I’ve taught many deeply closeted gay, lesbian, and transgender students over the years. They were afraid, as well they might have been, of their parents’ religious beliefs, of being bullied at school, of the belief that they would never find any kind of happiness. Some of them have been able to come out to their parents, and many are in long-term committed relationships. For this I feel relief. Sadly, at least one gay student committed suicide because his parents, after sending him to be “de-gayed”, disowned him when the “treatment” didn’t stick. Still others struggled for years to conform to a heterosexual lifestyle that they knew was a lie. To this day, one of the worst epithets one student can hurl at another is to call that student a “fag.”
Unless we are lying to ourselves, we know that homosexuality is not a choice; we know that within a generation people will wonder what the fuss was about; we know that we have an opportunity to to stand up and give gay and lesbian couples the same civil and legal rights that heterosexual married couples have, just for signing a marriage license.
This is a divisive issue; there’s no question about it. The comments on this forum reflect that. But marriage is, legally, a CIVIL right. If you want to be married in a church, that’s your prerogative. Just don’t tell those of us who were married at city hall that we’re any less married than you are. And let’s allow my former students who wish to marry their same sex parters to do so. It’s a civil right for them, as well.
Well put! Thank you for posting this!
No problem.Love your posts.Have a great day!
Simple, if you don’t support Gay Marriage protest by getting rid of your Facebook account.
If you keep your Facebook, you support Gay Marriage in Maine.
How juvenile. ( and I don’t have a Facebook)
sure ;)
That’s rather simplistic.
Money means nothing. It is what the people say when
they vote and no ad is going to change anyone’s mind.
Spend away like idiots…both sides. Maybe you would
be better off giving the money to the recipient class so
taxpayers wouldn’t have such a heavy burden.
Nice. Outside money won’t change my vote but we’ll be happy to absorb the $$$ into our economy. Thanks.
Most of the revenue for campaign ads will be spent outside of the state just to make the ads.
I wonder just what this money will be spent on. People already know in their heart how they feel about this. But bring it on- more money isn’t going to sway the vote your way.
It’s going to pay for media ads to counter the millions spent to lie about gay people from mostly anonymous sources violating state disclosure laws, that’s where. Duah.
Having posting difficulties. Tapping out for now :) As you were.
I saw today that news week said “Obama is the first gay president” . I wonder if Michelle knows this?
Sorry, Ronald Reagan beat him to it, not that there’s anything wrong with it. :)
I don’t need that right to be given to me by anyone, real or imaginary.
Hey its Maine. Anything goes right. Some guy fromParkman tried to marry his dog, I dont know if he got any money from a millionair though ? I guess she was a pretty dog
What does this even mean?
So how is it okay for people having the desire and belief that they have a right to impose their religious, or personal definition of marriage on others? You are either for liberty, or you are against it. You cannot state that you are for liberty and then pick and choose which liberties you decide are okay for others to have based upon what you consider to be acceptable behavior.
People have every right to have their own opinion and be against homosexuality, but people do not have a right to tell others what is acceptable behavior between them and their consenting partner based upon their own personal beliefs or opinions.
I’m so sick of people form out of state trying to influence us. If they could they’d prohibit us form voting. I’m not talking to anyone who comes around It’s a total turnoff . The people will decide.
This issue is bigger than just one state. It’s nonsense to say that people from out of state would prohibit us from voting if they could.
Many of the people who work on both sides of the campaign are unpaid volunteers from your neighborhood.
The people will decide, but wouldn’t you like to base your decision on all the facts? Or is it based on what little you might know on the issue.
Aww, you mean we’re done? I was just getting started. Anyway, you’re welcome.
;)
Speaking of “out of state” influences, I’d like to bring to people’s attention the role of Frank Schubert, formally of Schubert-Flint Public Affairs, based in Sacramento, California . This company, and specifically, this man, has been involved in, not only California’s Prop 8, but the Iowa Supreme Court Justice recall campaign, and Maine’s Question One campaign. He has worked with the New Jersey-based National Organization for Marriage in all these campaigns. You can read about that, and the legal battle between the State of Maine and NOM here: http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/straight-out-the-door/content?oid=5639066 .
North Carolina has the right idea– defining marrage– is between a man and woman.
There are so many more important issues this country is facing.
We have a president that has tanked the economy and has this country so far in debt my great great grandchildren will be paying the bill. And instead of worring about our economy or foreign policies, he is come out of the closet and agrees with un-natural acts of marrage.
How about getting a backbone and get the drone back from Iran, After all they did take over the control and stole it. This president has been against the rigts of the church and the american people. remember what OBAMA stands for:
O = ONE
B = BIG
A =A$S
M =MISTAKE
A = AMERICA
North Carolina. Where you can marry your cousin; just not your gay cousin.
And, today we discover that FB will be raising its IPO offer from the $28.-$35. per share to $34.-38.
Perhaps this article had something to do with investors now having to pay more? Or, was it the fact that child porn posters are sharing their pics among their FB “friends?” How many will “defriend” FB now? Oh, but they own your information and photos posted, so guess it might be hard to do.
if you’re asking questions like that, you obviously are clueless about social media.
There ought to be a three strike rule on some of these referendums. The good citizens of this state have spoken- they don’t want gay marriage. At a minimum there ought to be a 10 or 15 year waiting period before defeated a referendum can be brought for another vote. I would support a law allowing civil unions but marriage between same sex couples is wrong. Libs are always squawking about maintaining the separation between church and state. In my mind marriage is a faith-based covenant, whereas a civil union between homosexuals is legal protection in matters of property, wills, etc. Therefore, I think there needs to be a distinction made between what the law allows and the Bible teaches. Given how rabidly libs hate all things Christian, I would think they would want no part of a union sanctified by God. It seems to me they want to have their cake and eat it, too, on this issue. I realize that there are some churches which have come out in support of gay marriage but I don’t know what version of the Bible they’re reading- mine (and I have both the King James and NIV) is crystal clear in condemning homosexualtiy. I don’t judge gay people and have some very dear friends who are gay- the morality of the lifestyle is for God to determine, not me.
There ought to be an informed-only commenting rule.
This is the first time gay marriage has been put on referendum. Last time we voted it was a people’s veto. That means, last time the anti-equality bunch gathered signatures and this time the pro-equality time did.
I’m sure you have a lot going on in your mind, but in reality, civil marriage is a civil institution. Unless you’re willing to give up all the legal rights, benefits and responsibilities that come along with marriage it isn’t right to deny gay couples marriage.
Liberals don’t hate Christians either. That’s ridiculous. There are many religious individuals on the left.
This is only the second time this issue has come to vote.
Are you anti-democracy?
It’s amazing how many stereotypes you perpetuate in this post…
Such a union is not marriage because, despite what you say, marriage is grounded in the Bible and homosexual unions are not. The Founders very wisely dilineated the separation of church and state. You libs can’t have it both ways. You demand that the very use of “God” must be stricken from everything from the Pledge of Allegiance to the face of public buildings, yet want to mandate that homosexuals be joined in what is based in faith. Furthermore, it is the gay marriage supporters who are providing the lions’s share of out-of-state financial backing.
No, you can’t have it both ways. If marriage is purely a faith based institution then either give up the legal rights that come with it or apply the law equally and allow gays to wed. That’s it.
No, you aren’t paying attention. We are asking for CIVIL marriage-you know, that which is done by the STATE government.
Furthermore, while it is true that at this moment, MUM has more money than the group that opposes us and therefore any out-of-state money will be greater for us, please keep watch and see how much the New Jersey-based NOM, the Connecticut-based Knights of Columbus, and the Colorado-based Focus on the Family donate to the opposition.
Out of state money flows all over the place and money that Mainers give to any religious, rights, or charity organization could be flowing to other states. It goes both ways and I KNOW that there are Mainers who have given to support the anti-SSM cause in other states.
I am thankful that we are receiving help from our fellow Americans and I am pretty darned sure that the anti-SSM campaign feels the same derned way.
Sure… Whatever you say
no, it’s not what i say. it’s what the Constitution says.
have you read it? have you taken an American civics class?
AP U.S. History, ancient european civilization, but I ended up with an engineering degree. sorry, I guess I’m not as smart as you are.
yes, I am stunned that an educated person doesn’t understand the fundamentals of our Constitution.
Sure, and you are the expert
funny thing, when people respond like you just did, it’s generally because that person has a poor grasp of the subject at hand.
as I had suspected.
Or, rather, its when it doesn’t really matter what is said, the insults start and the debate is lost. You will see us at the polls.