The Christian Civic League of Maine's Mike Hein calls Pam's House Blend: "a leading source of radical homosexual propaganda, anti-Christian bigotry, and radical transgender advocacy."
He is "praying that Pam Spaulding will "turn away from her wicked and sinful promotion of homosexual behavior."
(CCLM's web site, 10/15/07)
Ex-gay "Christian" activist James Hartline on Pam:
"I have been mocked over and over again by ungodly and unprincipled anti-christian lesbians."
(from "Six Years In Sodom: From The Journal Of James Hartline," 9/4/2006, written from the "homosexual stronghold" of Hillcrest in San Diego).
"Pam is a 'twisted lesbian sister' and an 'embittered lesbian' of the 'self-imposed gutteral experiences of the gay ghetto.'" -- 9/5/2008
Peter LaBarbera of Americans for Truth Against Homosexuality heartily endorses the Blend, calling Pam:
A "vicious anti-Christian lesbian activist." (Concerned Women for America's radio show [9:15], 1/25/07)
"A nutty lesbian blogger." (MassResistance radio show [16:25], 2/3/07)
Pam's House Blend always seems to find these sick f*cks. The area of the country she is in? The home state of her wife? I know, they are everywhere. Pam just does such a great job of bringing them out into the light.
--Impeach Bush
who monitors yours Bevis ?? Just thought I would drop you a line,so the rest of your life is not wasted.
By Jesse Connolly
Former Campaign Manager of No on 1 / Protect Maine Equality
While it's difficult and, one might suggest, even slightly irresponsible to weigh in on our marriage equality loss so soon, it's also tough to sit on the sidelines while others make sweeping proclamations or conclusions, usually hundreds or thousands of miles away from Maine.
This was a very painful loss. The simple fact is that their margins were wider in the places they needed to win, and our winning margins were either smaller than we projected, or we lost bigger in places where we needed to keep it much closer. Clearly, there is town-by-town, city-by-city analysis we need to do and much of that is already underway.
Nonetheless, permit me to make a few observations.
First and foremost, marriage equality is a complex issue. Many people are conflicted and we know from national and state specific polling that it is very difficult to move people on this issue, particularly in the confines of short campaigns.
Secondly, our opponents capitalized on that conflict by constant distortion and misrepresentation. It reminds me of the movie, Supersize Me: why order a midsize coke when you can have a giant coke? Their bar is much lower than ours. They only have to plant and feed the doubt. And it is difficult to fully restore any reputation, be it an issue or character, that's plagued by constant doubt.
Remember, this was a campaign where we got up on the air first and where we put genuine Maine values as the context for supporting marriage equality. We used real Maine families: gay and lesbian Mainers and their kids, and parents who wanted all of their children treated equally under the law. In sharp contrast to other campaigns, gay and lesbian families were woven into our advertising and images as they are in society - organically and realistically.
We also acted and responded like a campaign: no negative went unanswered, and any paid media attack got a swift rebuttal, usually within 24 hours. The messages were tested, we were disciplined across media lines -- from earned and paid traditional media, to new media, including social networking sites and outlets.
We were also benefited by a strong coalition of 60 state and national organizations who gave us the help we asked for, but didn't ask to run the campaign. In short, we got the money and the support we needed to run the campaign we wanted to run.
But here's where it gets tricky and here's where we need some answers over the next several weeks or months. It's clear that polling research, both ours and others, did not capture the intensity of Yes on 1 support. Polling cannot predict turnout and the impact of Tuesday's turnout was counterintuitive. We weren't alone: our opponents, political observers and field operatives all believed a high turnout benefited the NO on 1 vote. With voting approaching 60% in Maine, it's clear that wasn't true.
Here's what I do believe after some sleep and a break from the caffeine: we moved the equality ball further up the hill, not just in Maine, but everywhere else. Voters do need these conversations which we had by the tens of thousands; they do need to see real gay and lesbian couples and their children up close and personal; and they do need to be reminded that these are neighbors and soccer coaches we're talking about, not "homosexual activists" which is the well worn handle our opponents trot out.
I'm not skirting anything here when I suggest that we need to remember that it was not long ago when we were losing in double digits, when they threw an anti-marriage equality question on a ballot in a presidential year to drive conservatives to the polls.
It may turn out to be simply this: that by moving this basic premise of equality from the sink hole of catastrophic defeat state after state, year after year, to within striking distance of a win, that we are almost to the finish line. This tide is turning and you can tell by the histrionics from our opponents, from their "gathering storm."
It's not fast enough for most of us, certainly not for the families who deserve the same basic protections my wife, son and I enjoy, but we're getting close. We will learn more from Maine, we will keep making progress and we will win.
Let no one doubt -- least of all our opponents -- that we're in this for the long haul, until all Maine families are treated equally. This has always been much more than another campaign. It's about love and family and that will always be something worth fighting for.
Jesse Connolly was the NO on 1/Protect Maine Equality campaign manager.
Despite a very foggy and soggy morning, many made the drive to Augusta earlier today to have breakfast at the Cony High School Civil Right Team's Diversity Day fundraiser.
In fact, when I got there at 8:15 all of the restaurant's parking spaces were taken and I had to park next door at the Comfort Inn!
Walking in, I was greeted by a few of the CRT members and met April Fenton-Hulett, their teacher/advisor. A delightful woman... I asked her quietly how turnout had been, both of supporters and protesters-
And was told that NOT A SINGLE ONE SHOWED UP. NOT ONE.
And that not a single supporter had brought a sign- they ALL came simply to have breakfast and support the kids.
The 99's manager, Ken Stinchfield, was talking with a local police officer (that "99" paid for themselves, to be there for the event! Talk about unwavering support!) and 2 Kennebec Journal reporters, who later sat down for breakfast themselves. I later thanked Ken and chatted with him; it was nice as one parent to another to discuss the value of Maine's Civil Rights Teams- he said that they have held similar events for other schools and will continue to do so.
She was equally pleased by the large turnout and extremely positive outpouring of donations and support the students were receiving- the kids were seeing and learning first-hand that while we Mainers come from very diverse backgrounds, we come together to help each other for a common goal.
She introduced me to Tom Harnett- he and I sat down to chat for awhile as well and he related stories of his work with Maine's GSAs, CRTs, etc, as well as the recent campaign and what happens next.
The Cony High School Civil Rights Team is holding a fundraiser breakfast Sunday, 15 November, at the 99 Restaurant at 281 Civic Center Drive in Augusta. The breakfast begins at 7:30 and runs until 9:00, with proceeds going to help defray costs of the Team's Diversity Day presentations.
The Cony Civil Rights Team holds its Diversity Day as a way to expose their fellow students and families to the various cultures in the Augusta community. The face of Maine is changing, and past Diversity Day events have featured presentations pf traditional Pakistani dance techniques and on what it's like growing up as a Franco-American.
The Team also addresses gay rights issues, which will explain why the Family Policy Council (formerly the Christian Civic League of Maine) is planning to protest the fundraiser.
Now let's see what "Big Dawg" Hein has to say!
The League has learned that an announcement by Cony High School in Augusta says that a local family-friendly restaurant, the 99 Restaurant, will host a fundraiser Sunday morning for a so-called "Civil Rights Team," which among other things, works to normalize homosexuality in the minds of impressionable young school children.
Yeah, because certainly a gang of threatening adults MFPC sheeple intimidating everyone over eggs does such a GOOD job of normalizing harassment in the minds of impressionable young school children, right Mikey?
"So-called"... as if he's never heard the phrase before. Bad Dawg, lying to your sheeple like that!!!
Many people are offended by the fact that the fundraiser will be held at the 99 Restaurant in Augusta, a restaurant which markets itself as "family-friendly." The past activities of the Civil Rights Teams' Diversity Day at Cony High School have been nothing less than outrageous, and have not only portrayed homosexual activity by minors in a positive light, but youth transgenderism as well.
According to the November 12th announcement on the Cony High School website, the Civil Rights Team will hold the event at the 99 Restaurant (281 Civic Center Drive, Augusta, ME 04330-8033, (207) 623-0999) on Sunday morning, at a time usually devoted to Sunday worship (from 7:30am until 9:00am).
The corporate officers and local General Manager were both contacted several days before the fundraiser with objections from the League about the event, but the restaurant both coporately and locally refused to re-consider their hosting of the homosexual youth fundraiser.
It is regrettable that a business which wishes to be known as family-friendly is allowing an event which has the potential to cause moral harm to many of our precious young people. A real injury is done when young people, who lack knowledge and experience of the real world, give their whole-hearted trust to people in positions of authority - their teachers - who in turn give them a false opinion regarding homosexuality and practices which cause devastating spiritual and physical harm.
And ya gotta add chili on top- Dawn doing the honors:
So what did we talk about? Heck, what didn't we... I especially like what Dawn wrote on her site and will let her tell the tale...
Louise from Pam's House Blend came up yesterday and we had a marvelous visit. She brought home-made pickles and apple butter and fudge and we all went out to lunch at Geddy's and got the nachos on a hubcap and then to Ben & Bill's to buy goodies for the folks back home and then a short tour through the park. We stopped at Thunder Hole, which was not thundering at all (low tide) and we showed her where those people got washed off the rocks into the ocean, and we saw some deer and some nature and it was good.
We laughed and cried a little; over lunch we talked politics and Maine stories and discussed our experiences gutting deer. The young hetero couple at the next table barely blinked. I do love a small, rural town. We talked some more about politics, and came up with some ideas that have had Laura and I doing research and data entry and trying to coalate things so that I can look at them and get what I need easily. I've got some ideas for future campaigns, but I want to have them properly organized before I offer them for public consumption. Stay tuned, though. I'll share them here eventually.
Blockquotes are statements released by the producers of this documentary, done in 2 parts because of YouTube size restrictions.
In May, 2009, the Maine Legislature extended marriage rights to gay and lesbian couples. As expected, opponents of equality, led by the National Organization for Marriage and the Catholic Church, petitioned to have those rights put to a vote by referendum.
This film chronicles the final days of the on-the-ground campaign to protect marriage equality in Maine.
The Democratic National Committee ignored the fight to protect marriage for all couples in Maine, neglecting to donate funds to the cause (even though they reportedly raised over a million dollars from gay donors in June of this year) or to mobilize potentially thousands of volunteers through its Organizing for America arm. The DNC even sent emails to voters in Maine urging them to help with Joe Corzines failed gubernatorial reelection in New Jersey, potentially diverting needed volunteers, but also showing that they deemed the fight for marriage equality unworthy of their attention. President Obama never acknowledged the NO ON ONE campaign.
If marriage equality is to be fought for on a state-by-state basis, then our national gay rights organizations should hold the DNC and President Obama responsible for their inaction in Maine and in other state battles.
And so should we.
WHAT WE CAN DO:
President Obama was elected cashing our checks and making promises to our community, but so far he has failed to be the fierce advocate for gay rights that he said he would be. The gay community is being told to wait, and be patient-hes only been in office a year. But many of us have been waiting for decades. Were being told to wait while hundreds of much-needed soldiers are being thrown out of the military under Dont Ask Dont Tell (DADT), a policy President Obama could end today with an executive stop-loss order. Were being told to wait while it is still legal in over thirty states to be fired from your job just for being gay, a practice we could end by passing the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). Were being told to wait while the administration puts off repealing the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), a law his justice department has defended by comparing loving gay relationships to incest and pedophilia. Were being told to wait even while we have an overwhelming majority in the House, a filibuster-proof Senate, and a President who promised action on all of the aforementioned issues. It is unlikely that we will sustain this Democratic super-majority, so if not now, then when?
John Aravosis and Joe Sudbay of AMERICAblog have launched a donor boycot of the Democratic National Committee, Organizing for America, and the Obama campaign until Congress and the President pass ENDA and repeal DADT and DOMA, as was promised during campaign season, when the gay community gave plenty and worked hard to get Democratic candidates elected.
Red- solid 'no'
Pink- majority 'no'
black- tie
white- no data (yeah, we have alot of places with no folks whatsoever)
Lt Green- majority 'yes'
Green- solid yes
Opinions may differ on particular strategies. But the unofficial results show that, as with many other cultural issues, whether Mainers voted for or against same-sex marriage largely depended on where they call home.
Rural Maine voted heavily to overturn Maine's law allowing gay and lesbian couples to wed.
In the most extreme example, 73 percent of the nearly 27,000 Aroostook County voters who cast ballots voted "yes" on Question 1. Roughly two-thirds of voters in Piscataquis, Somerset and Washington counties also favored repeal.
The opposite was true in many of Maine's more populated areas.
In Cumberland County, 60 percent of voters opposed the repeal and in Portland, Maine's largest city, that figure swelled to 73.5 percent. Roughly 54 percent of voters in Bangor and Scarborough cast votes against the repeal of the same-sex marriage law.
Gay marriage also had strong support in college towns, picking up 73 percent of voters in Orono and 63 percent in Brunswick.
One notable exception to the rural-urban divide was in the heavily Roman Catholic and Franco-American neighborhoods of Lewiston and Auburn, where 59 percent and 54 percent of voters, respectively, favored the repeal.
To say this week has been challenging... well, you know.
Wednesday I made my way through 200+ emails and found this one from my Charlie. No words, just this photo- gawds, but I do love him so...
And today? This message to all supporters on Facebook:
"It goes on one at a time, it starts when you care to act, it starts when you do it again after they said no, it starts when you say We and know who you mean, and each day you mean one more."
We are NOT done- not by a long shot. We will not be deterred; we will not lose our resolve- we will not give up.
I will stand up in Maine, and I will not be alone. I will have over 260,000 fellow Mainers with me and our numbers will grow...
Let's just say that a little leaked email proves LGBTs are seen as the easy gAyTM to the DNC that can be manipulated, ignored, and pickpocketed as mob rule strips us of civil rights without a finger being lifted to help at the eleventh hour. It's worse -- stripping resources at the time of need. I won't chronicle what John and Adam have detailed quite well, but if you had any reservations about the intentions versus the reality of how games are played with our community, this should clear it up.
I spoke with another DNC official today after my piece on the OFA's fuckups/refusals to help, and that official told me "Some Mainers inadvertently got the email, but it was not sent to our Maine list." I was also told that this was a "glitch", and the quote above confirms that. Okay, one might think, a glitch is your system has a few people with the wrong zip codes in them, so they get a blast meant for someone else. Whoops. Fine. That's not actually what happened. What happened, per Tobias' e-mail, is the DNC did a large e-mail blast on this, and wanted to make sure Mainers didn't get that e-mail, for fear that the gays might find out and ask, how come we didn't get this kind of help?
It's kind of like being forwarded a party invite the host doesn't want you to come to, and when you show up, everyone gets silent and it's a-w-k-w-a-r-d. The party, in this case, was electoral help, and OFA wanted to make sure people didn't find out it was being grossly insensitive by not extending an invitation to the gays in Maine. Awesome.
I don't know about you, but at the very least, it's a peek at the kind the two-timing that goes on in national politics with constituencies they find "troublesome" or a perceived "liability" (save the $$$, of course). The difference is that the peek inside makes you realize how easily you've been had. In the case of LGBTs, it's a screw job over and over. They don't mind lying flat out, but catching them with their pants down usually hits a raw nerve.
[T]he DNC has concerns about getting involved in local ballot initiatives? Why? They did it last year under Howard Dean, when they donated $25,000 to the coalition fighting Prop 8's repeal of gay marriage. President Jimmy Carter did it in 1978, when he came out against the Briggs Initiative, that would have banned gays and lesbians from being teachers in California. But regardless, why does the DNC (and the White House) have a problem getting involved when a core Democratic constituency is having its civil rights taken away by the far-right base of the Republican party? We were promised that this administration would be our fierce advocate. Now all we get are excuses.
Shut the gAyTM down; only give directly to candidates and organizations you believe are truly working in your best interest. Not a penny to the DNC; it's the only leverage you have as an average citizen. The big donors in our community have to take a stand on this kind of nonsense, otherwise, they are enabling this kind of treatment of our community. It's party-building at our expense each and every time, as we watch windows of opportunity close. The thought of a halt to the cash flow will stop this BS pronto, if only to make them listen for a goddamn minute before stepping on the gas to run over us again.
Justice of the Peace Office, Portland Maine
Thursday Morning---8am
"Mornin', Gladys."
"Mornin', Frank."
"What's on the schedule today?"
"Marriages, marriages, marriages. You've got McGillicutty-Swarthmore at nine."
"They're the Satan worshippers, right?"
"Yup, so make sure you're wearing your flame-retardant jacket, just in case. Then at ten you're doing Hinkle-Johnson. He's been divorced six times, she's been divorced three."
"Oh, yeah. I did his second, third and fifth, and her first and third. Nice folks."
"Then we moved Org-Zod, the rapturists, from 12 to 11, since they say the end is coming at noon and they want to be married by the time they go poof."
"Understandable. 'There are no singles bars in Paradise!' Corinthians 3:16."
"Then at one o'clock you're heading out to the county jail to marry Carr the crack addict mother of eight and Blankenship the axe murderer before they send him up to maximum security for a hundred years. Then you've got Welch and Nutt at two-thirty. He's the neo-nazi anarchist and she's the former nun who got booted for schtupping sixteen priests, two bishops and a cardinal."
"Great. As long as they love each other..."
"Then at two you're joining Kettlebaum the porn addict and Ganz the kitten-drowner, and at three you'll unite Smith the deadbeat dad and Browlowski, who chain smokes in front of her kids."
"And then the gay couple at four, right?"
"Oh, no, sir! That's against the law. They're too unstable for marriage. At four you've got Elgar, Formby, Rattenhauser and Ward. He cheated on her, she cheated on him, the other woman and the other man turned out to be husband and wife and now they wanna do the ol' 'I Do Switcheroo.'"
"Silly me, I forgot. Okay, let's get started. Send in the Satan worshippers. We've got some institution-of-marriage buildin' to do. Brick by brick!"
"You're so sexy when you talk morality, sir. Grrrrowl!"
CONTACT: Vaishalee Raja
PHONE: (916) 284-9187 EMAIL: vaishalee@eqca.org
Equality California Devastated by Passage of Maine's Question 1; Elated by victories in Kalamazoo and Washington State
San Francisco -- A slim majority of Maine residents voted to repeal a law legalizing the freedom to marry for the state's same-sex couples. Maine's legislature passed a bill legalizing marriage for same-sex couples last May, which Maine's Governor signed into law while voters in Kalamazoo and Washington State rejected measures that would have stripped LGBT people of non-discrimination protections and domestic partnership, respectively.
In response, Equality California Executive Director Geoff Kors released the following statement:
"Today's loss in Maine is a devastating blow to all who believe in equality, especially to same-sex couples and their families. The efforts of anti-gay extremists to strip same-sex couples and their families of fundamental freedoms are not only abhorrent, but they have real and damaging consequences. Their discriminatory agenda fueled by dishonest attacks and scare tactics is dangerous and embodies the archaic politics of division. Although this is a painful setback, we should also look at the progress that was made. Support for the freedom to marry has grown significantly over the past several years in Maine, in California and nationally, and the victories in Kalamazoo and Washington -- where anti-equality forces ran despicable campaigns and lost -- demonstrate how far we have come and give us strength and hope despite the setback in Maine.
"But while we are making progress, it is also clear that none of these measures should ever have been allowed to go to the voters. Enough is enough. A minority group should never have to defend its rights at the ballot box. We call on the Obama administration that was absent in a critical fight for the soul of our nation to speak up forcibly against these assaults on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans and to immediately join Equality California and others in asking the federal courts to rule that it is unconstitutional to allow a majority to take
away rights from a minority. Millions of lives are being damaged and hundreds of millions of dollars spent needlessly, and it is time for our President and Congressional leaders to demonstrate leadership.
"Equality California is grateful to the thousands of EQCA members who donated and volunteered with us in knocking on doors in Maine and in making more than 60,000 phone calls to Washington and Maine from our phone banks. The struggle for equality is just that -- a struggle, and we are in this for the long haul, until every lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender person achieves full and true equality."
Equality California (EQCA) is the largest statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender-rights advocacy organization in California. In the past decade, EQCA has strategically moved California from a state with extremely limited legal protections for LGBT individuals to a state with some of the most comprehensive civil-rights protections in the nation.
EQCA has passed over 60 pieces of legislation and continues to advance equality through legislative advocacy, public education and community empowerment. www.eqca.org
Following mixed night for LGBT equality, Lambda Legal renews call for hope and action
"Ballot measures driven by prejudice are poison; honesty and equality are the essential cure."
(Los Angeles, November 4, 2009) -
In response to last night's apparent wins in Washington State and Kalamazoo, Michigan, and loss in Maine, Lambda Legal Marriage Project Director Jennifer C. Pizer released the following statement:
"Just a few days after Halloween, we see how effective our opponents' trick-or-treat strategy truly was -- going state to state, shouting 'boo' at voters to scare them into voting away the rights of their gay neighbors. Forcing any minority to endure a barrage of lies and insults, ending with a vote that denies them full citizenship, is cruel - it's not the government our founders envisioned. Ballot measures driven by prejudice are poison; honesty and equality are the essential cure.
"So, as with last year's election, the LGBT community must confront a bittersweet moment -- another devastating yet razor-thin setback in Maine, together with galvanizing wins in Washington State and Kalamazoo - just as a year ago we woke up to find our rights stripped away in California by Proposition 8, but a hopeful new day in the White House. As heartbreaking as that narrow loss was, it spurred a massive new wave of engagement nationwide that is helping us win full equality step by step.
"We now have marriage equality in five states, 18,000 married lesbian and gay couples in California, and the first federal law protecting against antigay abuse. Based on the vote tally so far it's encouraging and important that Washington State voters preserved that state's comprehensive domestic partners legislation. They were able to pick their way through the muck of lies and misinformation spread by our opponents -- funded, as in the Prop 8 campaign, by a massive infusion of cash from out-of-state religious groups. And the good news from Kalamazoo, Michigan confirms that positive change continues in the Midwest, as well as on the coasts and in Congress. While we don't win every battle, there's no denying that time is on our side and equality is prevailing.
"We also congratulate Protect Maine Equality and Washington Families Standing Together for fighting valiantly against intolerance. Their campaign workers and volunteers fought the dishonesty and is information door to door and dollar to dollar. Their integrity and determination are inspiring as our battle for equality continues."
Lambda Legal is a national organization committed to achieving full recognition
of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and
those with HIV through impact litigation, education and public policy work.
Lisa Hardaway
Media Relations Director
Lambda Legal
120 Wall Street
New York, New York 10005
p:212-809-8585 X-266
lhardaway@lambdalegal.org
www.lambdalegal.org
In terms of looking at election day 2009 as a mixed bag, with the highs of Kalamazoo's anti-discrimination proposition and Washington State's affirmation of R71, the small but significant gains in local races by openly gal/open ally pols, and the awful empty feeling of watching mob rule win again, this time in Maine, it's always the first inclination to place the blame at someone's door. The fact is that Protect Maine Equality/No On 1 did everything right, had a voter base they thought could be swayed by making gay families visible, straight allies present, and putting boots on the ground.
And it didn't work. I think overall, Maine may just not have been winnable, because we understimate the power of cultural intransigence in accepting civil equality when it comes to LGBTs and marriage.
What we all have to do is take a look in the mirror to see what needs to happen to change this -- come out of the closet, live out of the closet, be who you are - a neighbor, co-worker and friend claiming your personal equality as their peer, and to be willing to be sacrifice the comfort of the closet rather than point fingers at gay orgs, the President, Congress, the voting homophobes. As long as our numbers remain artificially small because of that closet, we will fail.
And even then, our numbers will not be significant -- we need allies to be out, proud and our open advocates. We need allies to be out, proud and our open advocates. There were many there in Maine and Washington, but they are a committed slice of people; hundreds of thousands of voters who felt the same way, failed to "come out" as visible allies; they were content that their vote was enough. One lesson is that LGBTs and allies must be visible, particularly to their lawmakers, at every level. As I've asked many times on the Blend, why is it we can draw thousands to a Pride Day, but only muster 200 to lobby their lawmakers face-to-face. Our priorities are screwed.
A question for all the people in Maine (and in the 30 other elections) who rejected equality for LGBT people. What in flipping hell is wrong with you straight people? And what's wrong with you, all you straight people who won't speak up against the inhumanity of other straight people, you who let pass all the hate speech in day-to-day life?
...I hope your grandchildren read about this in school, come home and ask, with an attitude of disbelief, what you did about the injustice. You did something, didn't you grandma, grandpa? Your well-deserved destiny is the shame and disgust that comes from your loved ones.
These are harsh words for my taste, but I feel the same way, tempered by a need to frame it as a jumping off point for an actual solution. It's an honest question -- why are the these allies silent, how do they differ from those who have made the commitment to full civil equality? A discussion about why it's so hard to be more assertive as advocates to me is a worthwhile topic to work through.
Without all of our allies out of the closet -- those in elected positions, those with access, and those whose voices are forces to be reckoned with, we'll continue to see the unthinkable -- unconstitutional mob rule over the civil rights of a minority group.
Really, some allies may simply following the President's lead -- he was so uninterested in what was going on that he claimed not to watch the election returns. With civil rights on the ballot. What does that tell you about commitment, if you're a potential ally thinking "what can I do to help?" if the POTUS is so casual about the outcome.
But the fact is that we must not only gaze in the mirror and assess what we can each do personally to advance equality -- the gAyTM needs to close to stop the enabling. Unfortunately it seems to be one of the only ways to signal there's a problem with the lack of support from purported political allies and organizations. This isn't about prioritizing civil rights over health care, the environment, or any other issue that has been sitting on the back burner for eight years. The question that must be by allies is "are civil rights (when it comes to LGBTs) relegated to the bottom of the pile? If not, how far down?"
We're definitely not on the same page, that's for sure. Otherwise we wouldn't hear the variations on "just wait until ___ occurs (midterm elections, Obama's [presumed] re-election, pick some BS of the day), we'll come back for you." That's counter-productive action in the name of "strategy" that hurts civil equality progress rather than helps. You have to wonder whether the word "ally" (or "fierce advocate") need a redefinition.
Thank you to the allies who do speak up and work hard for equality -- your commitment means everything.
HRC's Joe Solmonese, whom I met and spoke with length last night, released the following statement today:
Dear Louise,
A deep and bitter disappointment from Maine yesterday: Maine voters have passed a devastating Proposition 8-style measure overturning the state's marriage equality law.
Our hearts are with everyone in Maine who fought so hard to win recognition for their families. The legislature passed marriage equality earlier this year, but a divisive anti-LGBT campaign to scare voters seems to have worked.
It is infuriating to see that the same fear-mongering ads that were used to pass Prop. 8 a year ago have triumphed again at the expense of so many. This is a terrible loss.
Although we lost our battle in Maine, we will not allow the lies and hate - the foundation on which our opponents built their campaign - to break our spirits. We are on the right side of history and we will continue this fight with even more vigor.
Our friends at No on 1/Protect Maine Equality waged a strong and smart campaign. Thousands of volunteers exposed hundreds of thousands of Mainers to the real lives of same-sex couples and their families - many for the first time.
I am angry. But more importantly, I am determined that with the anger I feel today from this outcome in Maine, we'll rise ever stronger to demand equal treatment under the law and equal respect for our relationships in Maine, California, New Jersey, and every state in the Union.
And in other state elections yesterday...
In Washington state, voters appear to have cast their ballots to approve Referendum 71, a measure that would expand domestic partnerships to have every state-level right and benefit afforded to married couples. I feel confident that when all of the votes are counted, it will be clear that the voters of Washington chose to provide equal rights and benefits to same-sex couples and their families.
In New Jersey, Governor Jon Corzine - endorsed by HRC - has lost his re-election bid. He has been a strong ally for LGBT people in New Jersey, and he had pledged repeatedly to sign a marriage equality bill that could still be passed by legislators later this year.
In Virginia, HRC endorsed Creigh Deeds for governor and placed 20 staffers at work in key delegate races. Deeds unfortunately lost his bid for governor, but there will be new pro-equality voices in the House of Delegates next year.
In Kalamazoo, Michigan, right-wing groups wanted to make sure it stayed legal to fire or refuse housing to someone just because they're LGBT. 65% of Kalamazoo voters disagreed and voted to approve Ordinance 1856, expanding the city's existing anti-discrimination law to include sexual orientation and gender identity.
Louise, I know that the results of today's elections are frustrating.
But having seen the passion and dedication of volunteers in this election, I know that tomorrow is a new day - and that our movement has the strength and power it needs to keep moving forward.
Country Is Making Progress Despite Setback in Maine
By Jeff Krehely
Maine voters rejected same-sex couple marriage rights yesterday, but other states are moving toward equality.
Maine voters rejected a state law Tuesday that would have allowed same-sex couples to marry. Their repeal comes just six months after the measure was passed by the Maine legislature and signed by the Democratic Governor, John Baldacci.
The vote in Maine to prohibit marriage for same-sex couples is disappointing. Marriage discrimination makes it more difficult for members of same-sex couples to care for each other and their loved ones, and it weakens the critical role families play in our society.
At the same time, it is important to see the bigger picture. In recent years, several states have adopted marriage equality laws, while many others have taken steps toward full equality by implementing civil unions and domestic partnerships. Most important, a clear majority of Americans-76 percent-support some form of relationship recognition for same-sex couples. It is only a matter of time before all couples are recognized and valued, and marriage discrimination becomes a legal and social artifact.
There was also some good election news yesterday for gay and transgender Americans. Voters in Kalamazoo, MI approved adding gay and transgender people to the city's existing nondiscrimination ordinance. This expanded law will make sure everyone in Kalamazoo is treated fairly in employment, public accommodations, and housing. Until a federal nondiscrimination law is passed, it is critically important for cities like Kalamazoo and states to establish their own protections for gay and transgender people.
Finally, initial returns out of Washington State showed voters there approving a domestic partnership law that gives nearly almost all the benefits of marriage at the state level but because of DOMA no federal benefits. This would make Washington the first state to support domestic partnerships by popular vote.
Despite the loss in Maine, the country is still making progress on expanding and defending gay and transgender equality.
Jeff Krehely is the Director of the LGBT Research and Communications Project at American Progress.
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The Center for American Progress is a nonpartisan research and educational institute dedicated to promoting a strong, just and free America that ensures opportunity for all. We believe that Americans are bound together by a common commitment to these values and we aspire to ensure that our national policies reflect these values. We work to find progressive and pragmatic solutions to significant domestic and international problems and develop policy proposals that foster a government that is "of the people, by the people, and for the people."
The Day After a Hard Night
Kate Kendell
Executive Director
National Center for Lesbian Rights
11.04.09
Déjà vu is welcome when it flashes us back to a welcome or happy memory. Today déjà vu is not so pleasant. The loss of marriage rights in Maine is a traumatic reminder of our Prop 8 fight in California. On election night one year ago, I spent a sleepless night tormented by every thought of what might have made a difference. My colleagues in Maine spent just such a night. Same-sex couples in Maine have been dealt a dehumanizing setback. And we are all diminished by this loss. But after 12 months to ruminate and recover from what happened in California, I have some insight for them.
One: Yesterday's loss, while a real setback and a crushing disappointment, is only a temporary setback. We all know the end to this civil rights story--we will win full equality. But it will be a path marked with pain and brutalizing defeats.
Two: It is a travesty of every principle that made this nation great that the rights of a minority group can be put up to a popular vote. There are many ignominious moments in the history of this country, moments of shame that were corrected by Courts or by legislative action. If those great strides, in Women's rights, in the rights of religious minorities or of African-Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans or American Indians had been put up to popular vote we all know how those votes would have turned out. The shame would have endured. And the taint on our Democracy would have continued.
Third: And there is no polite way to say this--one cannot claim to be fair-minded and still support measures which deny full equality. You either support full justice and civil rights and equality or you don't. Period. End of side-stepping and excuses.
For my friends and family who support civil unions or domestic partnerships but do not support the full equality of my 16-year relationship and the security of my two children which rests on that full equality--and yes, that means marriage, right now, in this country--you have to get off that fence. We are past the moment when you can claim support of me and other LGBT folks you know and love and yet still stand with those who deny us marriage. To not support marriage equality, right here and right now, means you believe that same-sex couples are less valid, less equal, and less deserving. Such a position is untenable with any claim that one is "fair-minded."
We are in a difficult moment. This is a hard day. But we can't lose hope or stop believing in the rightness of our cause. We have the privilege of living in the midst of our own civil rights movement. The cost of that privilege is the same cost it has been in every movement--our humanity and dignity is attacked and undermined and
we stand tall, never give up, and never lose faith. Today is a test, and we must be the measure of it.
Statement by GLAAD President Jarrett Barrios on 2009 Election Results in Maine, Washington and Kalamazoo, Mich.
New York, NY, November 4, 2009 - The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) today called on the nation's media to focus on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people and couples in covering the results and aftermath of yesterday's votes in Maine, Washington state and Kalamazoo, Mich.
In Maine, voters eliminated the state's marriage equality law, which was passed by the state legislature and signed by Gov. John Baldacci earlier this year.
"We are disappointed and disheartened by results in Maine, where we saw marriage equality eliminated for loving and committed couples," said Jarrett Barrios, President of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD).
"It's wrong to take basic rights and protections away from neighbors, friends and co-workers who just want the same opportunity to care for their loved ones and families. It's wrong, unfair and, frankly, un-American. Many Mainers voted that responsibility and commitment should continue to be respected and protected, but a slim majority wrested away the basic protections of marriage from couples and their families. Opponents campaigned on fear and misinformation leaving those loving and committed gay and lesbian couples- and our allies- back to square one: forced to lead lives without the needed protections that marriage affords. We must commit to sharing more stories on the truth about our lives and families to ensure the legal protections of marriage for all loving, committed couples."
In Kalamazoo, Mich., voters approved a nondiscrimination ordinance that covers sexual orientation and gender identity and prevents gay and transgender people from being fired from their jobs for being openly gay or transgender.
"In Kalamazoo, Mich., fairness prevailed. Voters sent a message that all hardworking people should be treated fairly and have the chance to earn a living and provide for themselves and their families without fear of being fired for reasons that have nothing to do with their job performance."
"The tireless commitment of state and local campaigns in support of LGBT equality led by Protect Maine Equality, One Kalamazoo and Washington Families Standing Together, along with hundreds of volunteers as well as representatives from national organizations, opened many more doors for our community as we continue to work toward full equality."
In Washington state, first-day election returns on Referendum 71 showed that a majority of voters are backing the state's expanded domestic partnership law. Full results are not yet known because ballots did not have to be received by Election Day, only postmarked by Election Day.
"We are encouraged by these early results that Washington voters support advancing important legal protections to all Washingtonians," continued Barrios.
GLAAD assisted local organizations on the ground in Washington, Kalamazoo, Michigan and Maine with media trainings to share stories of gay and transgender people - and their allies - with fellow community members and through local media outreach campaigns. GLAAD has been on the ground in Washington state to assist Washington Families Standing Together field reporter inquiries, help local LGBT couples and allies share their stories in the media, organize press conferences, promote letters to the editors, and spread the word about the importance of approving Referendum 71.
"We urge media reporting on these election results to highlight the stories of the hardworking individuals and loving and committed couples impacted by these decisions."
About GLAAD
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is dedicated to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of people and events in the media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. For more information, please visit www.glaad.org.
GLAD Deplores Rejection of Marriage Equality for Maine's Same-Sex Couples
Yesterday Mainers voted to overturn the marriage equality law that would have enable the state's same-sex couples to marry. Lee Swislow, Executive Director of Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, which worked on both the legislative and ballot campaign, released this statement:
Today, Maine's same-sex couples and all their supporters are experiencing a world of hurt and pain. Same-sex couples have been denied full equality and full citizenship in their state. They have been told to remain outside. They must explain this vote to their children. At some point soon, we will all have to pick ourselves up and fight again.
We can all be proud of the fight. This campaign was run smartly, strategically, with heart and with broad and generous support from across the country. I salute every person who has given him or herself, every campaign staffer, every volunteer, every donor, every Maine couple who told their story. We all grew stronger together, and one day, very soon, we will win.
Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders is New England's leading legal organization fighting discrimination based on sexual orientation, HIV status, and gender identity and expression.
Mainers came out in droves for fairness; volunteers from around the country flocked to the state to educate, inform and appeal for equality. There were long dedicated hours spent to preserve the civil right of gay and lesbian couples to marry.
But even in the great state of Maine, there are far too many people who cannot move past the word "marriage" because of its ties to religion and cultural norms. The result is that the filthy hog of homophobia continues to be fed with lies and deception. Witness the reaction of Matt "Bam Bam" Barber. Read it; I know you don't want to, but you need to see the level of hate that propelled discrimination to a victory - historians will pore over this filth decades from now, and wonder how could anyone find satiety in this level of bigotry:
Matt Barber, Director of Cultural Affairs with both Liberty Counsel and Liberty Alliance Action, issued the following statement on news that the voters of Maine have rejected counterfeit "same-sex marriage" by 53% - 47%:
"There's good news and bad news here," said Barber. "The good news is that even in one of the most liberal States in the Union, Maine, the people have once again rejected the ridiculous and oxymoronic notion of 'same sex marriage.' The momentum has again shifted - hopefully for good this time - in favor of protecting legitimate marriage. A counterfeit is a counterfeit. An orange is an orange no matter how much you want it to be a turnip. This isn't about 'marriage.' It's about hurting and broken people desperately seeking affirmation of an objectively deviant lifestyle. One that, even in their heart of hearts, they know to be a dead end. As for the militant 'No on 1' homosexual activists? I'm reminded of spoiled children dressing up and playing house, refusing to come in when mom calls for dinner.
"Here's the bad news. The margin of victory could have been greater. Many behind the 'Yes on 1' campaign, rather than simply telling the truth, chose the Neville Chamberlain approach. They merely circled the wagons around the word 'marriage,' even suggesting that 'domestic partnerships' ('gay marriages' by another name) are acceptable. This makes no sense. If that's a viable compromise, then why not simply allow 'gay' duos the word 'marriage'? It's an incongruity that demands an explanation. This is an historic battle for the minds and souls of our children - for our very culture. The mealy-mouthed approach must end. This is not just about 'marriage.' It has everything to do with forced affirmation of homosexuality - under penalty of law. Indeed everyone who fought hard to defend marriage in Maine is to be congratulated, but if it weren't for a brave group of truth tellers - Paul Madore, Peter LaBarbera and Brian Camenker - who came to Maine in the final hour to hold a press conference and address the pink elephant in the room - homosexual deviancy and the radical 'gay' agenda - counterfeit marriage might have prevailed."
The fact is that it was, yet again, not yet time to test equality when put to a popular vote. It is proof, yet again, that civil rights should never be decided by mob rule -- but the hateful people behind Yes on 1 capitalize on spreading fear -- suckling pigs at the teat of dying, mud-covered sow of homophobia.
The hog is going to die. Hate alone cannot sustain that beast.
We should find solace in the fact that the children and grandchildren of those who voted to rollback the rights of fellow Mainers will be embarrassed that their relatives were so short-sighted, duped by entities that exist solely to discriminate using the ballot box as a weapon -- and making money off of the hate with great gusto.
I want to thank barista Louise for her tireless citizen journalism during this journey; her reporting and enthusiasm exposed us to the wonderful teamwork of all of the No on 1 efforts, she captured the local faces and voices. She opened our eyes to the work that it takes to educate, motivate and GOTV. And a hat tip to barista Lurleen as well there's much to celebrate in Washington state (still so close!), she illuminated the hard work it took to battle the right-wing haters on the ground there on Referendum 71 in her reporting. It's a coup that the Blend had the perspective of local contributors to show readers the inner workings of activism.
All of those people fighting to kill Yes on 1 are to be heralded for making us see what outreach and organization can do to pull voters to our side -- and the limits of effecting change in firmly held beliefs despite using every tool in the tool box.
It's simply not time, not in this place. What this loss in Maine (and the victory in Washington State) says to me is that I am so grateful that my civil rights, as a person of color, were not put up to a popular vote. As we've seen over and over in the last year, the emergence of naked racism lives despite laws on the books banning discrimination based on race. Reality-based arguments to people who are raised with bias have little motivation to change their thinking outside of keeping their bigotry out of the realm of law-breaking (and even then -- it still occurs!). The feelings simply go underground.
That public expressions of racism have re-emerged and been cultivated by a major political party shows the work the LGBT community has to do as it waits for equality at the federal level. Changing hearts and minds every day is necessary -- not just when there's a pending bigoted mob rule ballot measure.
LGBTs -- and more importantly, allies -- need to come out of the closet advocating for equality in ways large and small. It's the only way to move many voters, particularly the ones who think they don't know someone who is gay. Too many politicians who support us privately still don't have the spine to step up their game when our rights are under attack. That has to change.
I'm sure I'll have more to say later, but I just wanted to thank everyone for putting so much energy into fighting what is an unfair, unconstitutional battle.
And that reminds me:
Sure didn't take long for 
I'm sure that the 
Matt Barber, Director of Cultural Affairs with both Liberty Counsel and Liberty Alliance Action, issued the following statement on news that the voters of Maine have rejected counterfeit "same-sex marriage" by 53% - 47%:
The fact is that it was, yet again, not yet time to test equality when put to a popular vote. It is proof, yet again, that civil rights should never be decided by mob rule -- but the hateful people behind Yes on 1 capitalize on spreading fear -- suckling pigs at the teat of dying, mud-covered sow of homophobia.
I want to thank barista Louise for her tireless citizen journalism during this journey; her reporting and enthusiasm exposed us to the wonderful teamwork of all of the No on 1 efforts, she captured the local faces and voices. She opened our eyes to the work that it takes to educate, motivate and GOTV. And a hat tip to barista Lurleen as well there's much to celebrate in Washington state (still so close!), she illuminated the hard work it took to battle the right-wing haters on the ground there on Referendum 71 in her reporting. It's a coup that the Blend had the perspective of local contributors to show readers the inner workings of activism.
