From the third-generation Down East fisherman preserving his unique profession to the Penobscot Indian working to preserve heritage and culture, all Mainers place great value on the customs and stories of their people that are rooted in our state’s unique history. We are all proud of our heritage.
My husband, Ross, and I have spent our careers in public service, advocating for respect of the hardworking Francophones who helped build our state as proud Americans while preserving their faith, language and culture, an effort that barely garnered a mention in our history books. That’s why we lobbied the Legislature 10 years ago to designate one day a year to honor Franco-Americans in Maine.
In his June Republican primary victory, Waterville Mayor Paul LePage showed that one’s heritage plays no role in one’s electoral success. We are proud of the heritage we share with LePage, but we are not proud of some of his views.
Mayor LePage has embraced the extremist Maine Republican Party platform that establishes global warming as a myth, calls for the elimination of the Department of Education and rejects the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child — a document ensuring basic human rights for our youngest and most vulnerable citizens.
I was appalled last weekend to read that during a whistle-stop train campaign tour of midcoast Maine, Mayor LePage accused Maine Democratic Party Coordinated Campaign Director Arden Manning of writing online that LePage could not be governor because of his French-Canadian Catholic heritage. When pressed, LePage refused to provide any evidence to back up his inflammatory claims.
The pronouncement uses an archaic expression that doesn’t reflect the fact that French people have been here since 1604, originating from different countries, not just beautiful Canada. Forgive my disbelief as Manning has made all of his public electronic communications available to the press, and no such comments can be found. Manning and the Maine Democratic Party have a strong history of supporting candidates of all religions and backgrounds including our congressman, the first admitted Franco-American elected to Congress, Mike Michaud.
Mayor LePage’s public positions ought to be debated because that is the point of a public campaign. For example, he wants to close the Department of Energy, put nuclear power plants in Brunswick and Limestone and drill for oil in the Gulf of Maine. LePage has also challenged the Maine Human Rights Act, legislation that prohibits discrimination based on religion, race, color, sex or sexual orientation. A LePage administration would willingly allow the very type of discrimination that the mayor is condemning.
Mr. LePage also suffers from geographical myopia, as earlier this month he stated that Aroostook County should not be entitled to the University of Maine at Fort Kent, the University of Maine at Presque Isle and Northern Maine Community College. As governor, LePage wants to close one or more northern Maine institutions of higher learning. He would endanger not only higher education in northern Maine, but the very identity, economy and culture of the St. John Valley itself. Here we go again!
Democratic nominee Libby Mitchell, who for years has been coming to northern Maine, understands the value of the University of Maine at Fort Kent in the St. John Valley. It has lifted several generations of poor children out of poverty, preparing them to meet the needs of our changing global economy. As governor, Libby will continue her strong record of advocacy for higher education for all Mainers.
The kind of views, proposals, rhetoric and thinking possessed by Paul LePage just don’t belong in Maine. This November, Maine has a choice between Libby Mitchell, a candidate with a proven record of bringing people together to get things done, or Paul LePage, who tries to divide us along the lines of religion and heritage.
Mainers can only move forward if we are united as an entire state; Libby Mitchell can bring us together.
Judy Ayotte Paradis of Frenchville, a former educator, served in the Maine House of Representatives and Senate for 14 years. She chaired the Health and Human Services Committee and served on the Appropriations and Financial Affairs, Education, Agriculture and Forestry and Transportation committees.