Maine, with three other states, set the course for the nation to follow Tuesday, approving same-sex marriage in a historic decision. Acceptance, we hope, is spreading. Today we celebrate the votes in favor of positive social change, rooted in a belief of dignity and religious freedom.
Gay couples can adopt in Maine. They can serve in the military and die at war. It is illegal to discriminate against them when it comes to housing, employment or education. Now, thankfully and finally, Maine recognizes their right to affirm their commitment to one another in marriage.
This is a right, we have argued, outlined in the U.S. Constitution, that no state may “enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States … nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”
In addition to a legal right, gay marriage is a matter of fairness and care for each other. That fairness extends to those who understandably oppose gay marriage for religious reasons — as no clergy members are required to officiate at same-sex wedding ceremonies. This law is a government matter and simply extends the ability of the state to issue marriage licenses.
One day, marriage may seem like an unquestionable right for gay couples. But getting to this point took patience, hard work and time. It required door-to-door efforts and personal conversations. Tuesday’s ballot initiative passed because voters across Maine changed their minds. May their belief in equality hold.
After the results were announced, Suzanne Carver, of Hampden, found herself stunned. “I feel an overwhelming amount of love and support from the people of the state of Maine,” she said. “The world is becoming more willing to accept our differences.” As she celebrated with her partner of 12 years and their two daughters, she said she is comforted knowing her children will be raised in a society that acknowledges the legitimacy of their family.
We applaud the efforts resulting in that recognition of equality and hope more states follow the examples set Tuesday by Maine, Maryland, Minnesota and Washington. We are encouraged by the words of President Barack Obama’s victory speech in which he stressed the need for opportunity for all.
He said, “I believe we can keep the promise of our founders, the idea that if you’re willing to work hard, it doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from or what you look like or where you love. It doesn’t matter whether you’re black or white or Hispanic or Asian or Native American or young or old or rich or poor, able, disabled, gay or straight, you can make it here in America if you’re willing to try.”
Mainers were willing to try, and views shifted. For this alone, we are proud. Vote or no vote, the growing acceptance makes this state a more welcoming place — where people come together to live and let live, love and let love.
I’m so happy to see this finally pass. Now I’m looking forward to it becoming just another part of everyday life and no longer a divisive issue.
I hope you are right about it no longer being a divisive issue, but I fear it will always be. As long as there is hate, as long as there people who are indoctrinating their children with Bronze Age dogma that teaches their way is the only “right” way, and as long as there are just plain idiots out there, it will always be divisive. 2000 years later, there is still a divide between the Muslims and Christians. Some fights just never end, which means some wounds never heal.
After the Civil War, it took over 100 years for the South to PARTIALLY accept defeat, and even today there are people, five generation away from that war who hate and despise Yankees.
I think the difference is, prejudice against gays is atypical of most prejudices. While feelings are certainly hard now, with time and exposure to gays, these feeling fade in all but the most ignorant of our species. While certainly not extinct, such feelings towards woman and blacks continues to improve with time.
What occurs between Christians and Muslims is not prejudice; it is a contest to who has the best delusion. Unlike gays who are real and we can interact with to see they are simply yet another variant of the human conditions thus forcing reason into the argument, Gods offer no such luxury to it’s more fanatic practitioners allowing delusion alone to guide them.
-J
and there is no prejudice against Christians from gays. You talk about variants, delusions can also be from those who do not believe their is God.
You mean : “…those who do not believe there is a God.”
And plenty of Christians support gay people being treated as equals. The ones who are reasonably intelligent and literate, anyway.
True, I do not hate, but you know what the Bible says about it. Because I do not believe as you do does not make me inintelligent nor illiterate in anyway. People get those things mixed up, because my belief is different. It is unfortunatthat you feel Christians that do not believe as you do. I do not think because gays want to be treated as equals they are not intelligent and good people, nor would I suggest Christians are.
No, but thinking same sex couples shouldn’t be treated as equals does make you a bigot.
Thing is, I could care less if you build a church and pray to your Invisible Sky Wizard. I would not prevent you from exercising your religious freedom. Just because I don’t agree with it, I won’t prevent you from doing it. That is the huge difference. Christians (in this particular case) were trying to prevent something they did not believe in, but others did, from being allowed. Lets be really honest here, Christianity does not have a reputation for open mindedness or tolerance.
Seeing some of the nastiness and hatefulness from the pro side, I would say tolerance is lacking in itself. If it is contrary to Christian belief, it has more to do with not accepting something, and in the same instance is not hating the person or persons as some on the pro side have portayed. You talk of acceptance, and yet they can call someone hateful, mean. Talking honestly as you say, Christians can love as Christ. But, as Christ do not agree with what we believe to be sin. I am not saying, nor have I said I am perfect. You and others expect Christians to go against their belief’s which would then you would be a hippocrite. Maine has vote for something that I do not believe in, but I will not be ridiculed for my belief’s.
Your beliefs are yours, and as has been said a million and 26 times, if you don’t like gay marriage don’t have one. Where you cross the line to ignorance and intolerance is when you tell others that your belief is right, and theirs is wrong by actively preventing someone who does not believe as you do from doing what they want. I would make the same argument for your side if there were a referendum to outlaw Christianity. I would be right beside you fighting against it saying if you don’t like Christianity don’t go to church. Your life has not changed now that SSM is legal. Your values are the same, your life remains the same, and no harm has or will come to you. Just as you do no harm to me because you attend a church, and I have the logic to know its based on an ancient society trying to understand how their world worked, and not having the knowledge to make educated guesses, so they just went, “Ok so there is this guy, he has all kinds of power and he is a blend of all the other gods that we have heard about…”
Yes, there is prejudice against christians from gays. And that’s unfair, because many christians are very supportive of equality for gays. And certainly, many gays consider themselves to be christian.
But it needs to be remembered…where prejudice against christians exists, they brought it on themselves. Any group can take just so much of the lies and accusations such as what gays have had to endure from the religious right. We’re simply calling them (conservatives) out for what they are.
You also have to remember, His word does not change. It can not be expected for Christians Conservatives to go against their beliefs. Because a Christian is Conservative, does not mean they hate gays. In what you write, I am sure you know why. Christian beliefs have and always will be there, but to call it hate is untrue. I am not saying some do not hate, same as that so called Church that protest are war veterans, which is wrong. The right words are difficult to find, but trying to force Christians to change their belief’s in God and His word, is not going to happen. It is unfortunate a lot do not understand that most Christians do not hate gays.
“His” (in reality, it’s “Its”) word is meaningless.
He is reality, and time will tell. Though time may be short.
Nope… nothing anywhere is evidence to that idea.
It’s no different than allah, odin, thor, vishnu, or any other false god.
FSM is the only reality… I urge you to find His Noodly Appendage today.
I don’t know, Thor’s pretty good too. I mean, he promised to get rid of all the ice giants. I don’t see any ice giants, do you? Besides, if Thor actually looked like Chris Hemsworth from the movies, I would totally follow that god, if you know what I mean.
Precisely!
May His Starch be Upon Thee!
RAmen!
Easy now, remember Thor’s hammer is really really big, and just think about what he did to that little Jewish carpenter that made him mad…
Aye! Do not make the man with the hammer angry.
http://static.fjcdn.com/pictures/MY_6c5d80_152818.jpg
Thor is HOT!!!!
As to your last comment if I was “SORRY”, not need to yell I hear good. it was in reference to his post If you vote to deny me my rights, then you hate me. You do not see me as a human being and think I am something lesser. But go ahead, lie to yourself so you don’t have to face the reality that you are a hateful bigot.”
Which I felt was narrow minded, and sorry he feels that way.
Not narrow minded, just reality. Just because you refuse to accept that you are a bigot, doesn’t mean that you aren’t a bigot. But, I’m sorry that you are a bigot who seems to be incapable of seeing all the damage they are causing on their misguided hate campaign against LGBT people.
I guess you’d have to have that conversation with a christian who supports equality for gays. As an atheist, I see religious beliefs as mindsets that range from the ridiculous to the dangerous. They render the true believer immovable in his or her thoughts on topics that are defined in their book of worship. That’s rather sad.
You will always have people that will hate here are a couple of groups KKK an the skin heads
Even though I support gay marriage and voted for it , I feel that there will be another referendum on the ballot to get rid of it. I do feel that opponents of gay marriage do have that right, considering how many times it was put to referendum for support of gay marriage. Hopefully if it does go to the polls again, maine will reaffirm its position
A person needs only to look at the trending, both nationally and on the state level, to see that bringing this to the voters again might very well be a waste of time. That being said, the anti-gay side could pull it off in a non-presidential election if enough equality supporters sat it out.
Let’s hope that doesn’t come to pass.
They couldn’t get enough support in New Hampshire to change their law…
Can’t happen under Maine law.
Today is a great day and “pride” is right… full of pride that I live in the fine state of Maine!!!
Excellent editorial.
Thank you Maine voters, you were amazing last night!
So now the only folks who do not have “…the equal protection of the laws” are single.
Don’t kid yourselves into believing this was a “civil rights issue” it was a grab for financial benefits pure and simple.
So…did you enjoy last night? Did you have fun? I did.
I enjoyed myself. I spent the night with my grandson. The joy of which gays and lesbians will never know, regardless of whether gay marriage is legal. God always has the last laugh, always.
Actually, that is false. My partner has five grandchildren and he knows the joy that you speak of.
Why would you think that gay people can’t and don’t have children and grandchildren?
Any reply to this, Voice?
Shhh, stop using “facts” and “reality”.
Equal access to financial benefits for gay couples? Sure, why not?
This was all about making marriage equal. Don’t kid yourself into thinking it was anything less.
The way mariage gets “equal” is to take the State out of the equation. anything less makes it a financial issue.
Go enjoy your extra money. remember I’m paying for it.
Ok, fine. I’m registered at Bed, Bath and Beyond. See you at the wedding!
By the way, don’t act like you’re carrying some unfair burden…we all pay for things we don’t especially like. It’s part of being a taxpaying American citizen.
Well, aren’t you a dear!
I guess it’s equal now because, following your logic, I’ve been paying for your extra marriage money all this time!
Sour grapes much?
Would you care to explain how the rights ensured by a two-person contract can be granted to one person?
Does that mean that if I’m in the hospital I am allowed to come visit myself?
No, but you could try to convince some other visitor to marry you!
Actually, single people have the right to marry, so the law does apply equally to them.
If you choose to keep your eyes closed, that doesn’t mean you’re blind.
Congratulations! I hope you get everything you want and deserve – in spades!
Well said! Here, here.
I most vicious breakups I have ever seen were between formally “loving” gay or lesbian couples. Just wait until they have divorce lawyers involved as well!
Thanks!
There is no pride in redefining marriage.
Likewise, there is no pride in the sorry state of all too many “traditional” marriages which are also the product of “redefinitions”.
Marriage has been redefined many time .
Good news!
No one redefined your marriage. No one is trying to stop straight heterosexual couples from getting married!
And you don’t even have to divorce and gay marry anyone, or even attend a gay wedding!
Isn’t liberty and freedom fantastic?
The public herd the arguments, endured the flood of defamation and lies from the opposition, and made the correct choice, the only fair choice.
Now lets see that list of donors they opposition has been hiding illegally from the public.
I want to know who the cowards are that concealed their donations to a campaign to deprive people of their civil rights, and to intentionally break state disclosure laws.
If anything, we should be demanding MUCH stiffer fines and restrictions on campaigns that are conducted in such an unfair, unscrupulous, and cowardly manner.
Stop patting yourself on the back.
You Sodomites will bring the wrath of God down on America.
HA HA HA!!!
More, please!
No people like you will bring the wrath of God. What do you thing that God will do to you people that lied about SSM ?
(sarcasm)remember gay people, because you happen to love someone who happens to have the same genitalia as you, god hates you and is going to punish the whole country. for the good of the country, stop loving each other!(end sarcasm)
now doesn’t it just sound silly when you put it that way sonofbangor? if there is a god, god has more important things to worry about than the love of two people. all that’s going on in the world and you’re worried about people’s love for each other. try to get some perspective on this.
My God loves each and every one of us because we are made in his/her image. My God doesn’t hurt innocent children in a country to show that he is mad at someone.
Boston and Massachusetts are still not smoking ruins. Neither is New York State, Iowa, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Vermont nor California, where gays and lesbians who got hitched before Prop 8 are still married. The wrath of God has not smote a single country where same sex marriage was legalized (Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, South Africa, and Sweden and parts of Mexico).
Really?
We shouldn’t be afraid of God’s impending judgment?
Then tell me why the front page of today’s New York Post says “God Hates Us!”
“We shouldn’t be afraid of God’s impending judgment?” – Well, that’s if god exists, and the jury’s still out on that one.
People believe many irrational things. I try not to. I am not afraid of the wrath of a being I doubt the existence of. I put little stock in a collection of old tales that have many different translations and interpretations. The Bible is obviously wrong about a great many things (whales are not fish, bats are not birds, the sun does not go around the earth, nor could the earth ever have stood still). No one really believes every word of it, nor could they.
But just look at the story of Sodom again, this time critically. Tell me it’s not a warning against being inhospitable to travelers or the evil of men trying to rape other men, of punishing forcible sex in a time when treating travelers with respect was considered a sacred duty. The tale says almost nothing of actual love at all. It does feature Lot, the supposedly one good man of Sodom. Lot who offered his daughters for the crowd to rape instead of the visitors, and later Lot sexually abused his daughters – I don’t think Lot should be anyone’s role model. Ezekiel also says that pride and greed were the sins of Sodom, not homosexuality. I don’t see how people believe the Sodom story applies to same sex marriage.
If you want to know what will destory america it will be the ice age or a volcano in yellow stone national park
No… nothing’s gonna happen little man.
Or is it your god’s praise of Islam that gives the middle east so much oil wealth?
Come on… tell me!
Because the people who work at the New York Post published that headline…
do you understand how publishing works, or do you think those newspapers are magic portals that display the thoughts of your deity?
Nope, God cheers when more of his children are allowed to protect the lives they build together with love and commitment.
The public was deceived by the words “love” and “commitment.”
It is sodomy, formerly a criminal offense.
I think your obsession with the physical act says all we need to know about you!
I bet what it is that his wife won’t do so if she will do it no one can .
so was interacial marriage
Women love sodomy to
For some of us our marriage is about more than sex. Please give your wife my apologies.
You assume Sonny found someone to marry his sorry behind.
Yes, homosexual acts once earned the death penalty, a monstrous barbarism done in the name of God, from the time of Emperor Justinian I of Byzantium into the nineteenth century.
4,000 years ago there was gay marriage
Nope, it’s love and commitment.
And there’s nothing wrong about sodomy, you should try it sometime :)
“”Sodom and Gomorrah, and likewise the cities around them, going after strange flesh are SET FORTH AS AN EXAMPLE suffering the punishment of eternal fire. ” (Jude 1:7)
Stop exalting this sin as marriage, or sodomy will call down the wrath of God.
Ooooooooo…. Spooky!
you want a theocracy? move –islam has it’s fanatics, so does christianity
Fairy tales and religion have no place defining the laws of a secular nation.
The point of that ancient story was about inhospitality and attempted rape being evil. It has nothing at all to do with same sex love and commitment between equals.
Those stories condemn rape, not gays and lesbians. Certainly God does not condemn the love of a married couple!
You have shamed our once great state in the eyes of the nation and the world.
Anyone who you show judgement to must be doing something right in this world!
Defiling the institution of marriage by suggesting that two sodomites or lesbians are the equivalent of a husband and wife would be laughable… except for the fact that future generations of impressionable children will be coerced by government to acknowledge perversion as the norm. This has only begun, and it is about to get worse.
perversion is being obsessed with someone else’s marriage or sex life
That gets you an “amen” from this agnostic!
Defiling ?? its defining
November 6, 2012: The date these lies stopped working.
I got engaged on Tuesday night and we went and looked at rings yesterday….thank you Maine people for helping make my dreams of marrying my partner of 13 years come true. I will never forget this election day!
Thanks,
Seth
Congrats Seth!
We’re doing the same thing right now!
Good luck! Have a wonderful pair of lives.
Thank you— it has been a humbling, amazing week!
Congrats :)
Enjoy your lives together!
You are very welcome i voted YES !!
I proposed to Tedlick on the BDN forum thread because I was awake at 1am when it became clear we won, and he had gone to bed already, certain that too many Mainers would still be against this.
Wednesday morning was a wondrous start for the day for us both! Tedlick has never been happier to be proven wrong. ♥
Time for a new sign down in Kittery. “Welcome to Maine, we embrace sodomites”. I used to take great pride in saying I am a native son of Maine. Now, it is just plain embarrassing.
Time for a new sign down in Kittery. “Welcome to Maine, we rejected ignorance and bigotry”
Much better. I would smile at that.
Really? I found it embarrassing that we were the only state in the northeast without this.
And PS, your ignorance is showing when you pretend like only gay people engage in sodomy.
When did CT., RI., and NH. start embracing sodomites? I was always led to believe they are part of New England too.
You will see that women like sodomy to .
You mean “too.”
As far as “sodomites” go, you’ll have to be more specific, as both heterosexuals and homosexuals engage in sodomy. But if you were referring to marriage equality, CT has had it since 2008 and New Hampshire has had it since 2010. As far as Rhode Island is concerned, they only recognize same sex marriages performed out of state. They, unfortunately, do not have marriage equality in state.
As I sit here with my 3 year old grandson having breakfast, I thank God my kids did not choose that lifestyle. I feel bad for the parents of gays and lesbians. They will never get to know the joy that I am experiencing right now. LGBT people are the most selfish on the planet, starting with how it affects their families. They simply do not care about anyone but themselves, period. Their whole world revolves around a lifestyle choice and nothing else.
I sincerely hope your grandson is gay, just so you can see what a terrible bigot you are.
Please do not wish things on others. The child is not the fault of the parent and does not deserve blame.
Why not? There’s nothing wrong with being gay.
It might be rough on a grandkid to have a grumpy old guy for a grandfather. One who thinks a book of old words is more important than people.
Yeah, but then the parents could just keep the grandfather away from the grandkid until the grandfather learned some common decency.
No there isnt but it isnt easy either.
Oh, I know that, but it is definately getting easier.
I come from very large families on both sides. I have over 50 first cousins, none of which are gay or lesbians. Neither are any of my aunts and uncles. Neither are any of my cousin’s children. I am sure my grandson will follow in the family tradition of being a “bigoted” and “ignorant” heterosexual and have a loving family of his own someday. Your attempt to put a gay hex on my family is lame and hateful. No surprise.
Nope, gay hexes are full proof. Your grandson is now gay, because it totally works like that.
I doubt it. If I was gay and a part of your family, I probably wouldn’t bother coming out to you either.
That’s what I was thinking. You gotta know your audience.
A “gay hex”. That is a riot! Why don’t you try to educate yourself instead of showing your ignorance. Go speak with a doctor. Being gay isn’t a lifestyle choice! And um as far as anyone in your family being gay, I seriously doubt anyone would share that with someone like you if they were. And as long as you brought up the subject, why don’t you ask the men in your family how many have asked their wives to allow them to sodomize them? Be interesting to know don’t you think? In my humble opinion I think men who become obsessed with the idea of being sodomized or sodomizing someone else have had a few fantasies of their own in that direction. “Me think you doth protest too much”
Every human is your cousin by some degree, however infinitesimal the relationship is. If you have cousins or ancestors that are Cooks, Keirsteads, Austins, Dudleys or Galbraiths, then you are not that unrelated to me. If you have family that are Pineaus, Dudleys, Whites or Wagners, you may be somewhat related to my husband.
You should add “—that I know of” to the end of those sentences.
Excuse me, being gay is not a lifestyle choice. I hope your grandchildren never have to experience what it is like to be ostercized for who they are, including the possibility they may be gay. I can’t imagine a worse hell then having to hide who you are because of the lack of understanding that not all humans are the same. May you find tolerance and understanding before you make a decision on abandoning someone you love for lack of education and understanding.
More!!! Please show us your angst!
Let it all out… I’ll enjoy every last bit!
I am enjoying all of the sore losers trying to find a way to continue justifying their bigotry. Their impotent rage is really the icing on the big gay cake.
After so many years here of hearing such nonsense as “most serial killers are gay!” and “AIDS is caused by gay sex” I’m relishing their angst.
I know it’s not becoming of me to do so… but I told them all how powerful allies they were to something they disagree with.
Maybe this will teach them something.
You’re hateful. Plain and simple.
What a sad comment on the sexual orientation of people that is not their own choice, whether they are sexually active or not. I also hope that your grandson is gay but doesn’t have to experience your hatred of others. In truth, of course, your own world “revolves around a lifestyle choice and nothing else” that thankfully is changing as younger folks reject your nonsense.
Man, you don’t get out, do you? You don’t ever see the stories of straight people who have children just because they want to have someone to love? Straight people who have children so that they can get state benefits? Straight people who marry for money? Straight people who marry on television for fame? Straight people who marry multiple times in a decade? Straight people whose world revolves around their lifestyle choice are in the news all the time
And you accuse US of being selfish??
Anyone who has children for such selfish reasons, straight or whatever, is a sick individual. You will not find me defending them.
a lifestyle choice….you mean like choosing to be religious and quote the bible? Believe me, and I know this first hand, being gay is not a lifestyle choice. Being religious is.
Funny when my daughter was in collage her best friends were gays an lisbions people an ive met a lot of there an there were the best people i ev er met we all had a great time talking . They ask me if i was gay an i said no an you know what that never bothered them at all an my daughter is not a lisbion either an all her friends know l
Your ignorance is appalling.
Ignorant? Thank you. Nothing raises the intellectual white flag like name calling. Ignorant is fairly mild though. If you scroll down through some of my replies, you will find much more coarse ones for future reference.
Calling you ignorant, in this case, is merely making an observation based on the comments you’ve made. You have made comments that show that you don’t know what you’re talking about. Most recently, you are saying that gay people can’t know the joy of spending time with their grandchildren. That is an ignorant comment, bro. If you don’t like being called ignorant, then read what you type out and ask yourself if this is yet another inflammatory statement filled with lies. If it is, then rewrite it so that it isn’t and you probably won’t be called ignorant again.
He also didn’t know about all the other New England States that allow same sex marriage, with Rhode Island the only one remaining that has civil unions. That’s even though this issue seems to be an obsession with him. Odd, that.
Keep holding to your beliefs and moral compass. Just look at all the hate, intolerance, and bigotry from the side that claims it believes in peace and tolerance and acceptance.
So, to summarize, “blah blah blah these guys won’t tolerate my bigotry blah blah blah”.
I would actually like to sit down with Tedlick and just talk. I think he would be a very interesting person to know. Not quite as enthused with his partner, but I’m guessing if Ted loves him that he is pretty good too.
You however, just a nasty, angry individual. Not worth wasting my time.
While I admit that there is some anger and bitterness on our side of this issue, I find it odd that I have not seen anyone on the anti-SSM side acknowledge the terrible and hateful things said on their side. Comments about “suicidal drag queens,” sending us to the “showers,” telling us to leave the state, or even die, have been made in these fora and no one said anything about it on your side. The constant complaining about how you’re being bullied by the gays, portraying your side as innocent victims upholding truth and righteousness, is ridiculous.
It wasn’t that long ago that people who publicly supported gay rights would have been the focus of such anger and hate from people on your side. And it’s still like that in much of the country. Do not forget that.
I personally have not seen those comments. Perhaps they have been removed before I got to read them. I do not deny that some people have said such things just because I have not seen them. There are haters and bigots on both sides. With one exception, (and I do not remember who it was, maybe even you), people on your side have not condemned the more extreme elements on your side of the issue either. In fact, usually there has been a feeding frenzy of calling anyone who disagrees a hater and a bigot.
Just read crs5012723 today.
My own objections to SSM have nothing to do with religion. I think the religious arguments are immaterial to the issue of state sanctioned marriage.
Your side won and I accept that. I still think that is is bad for society long term. The real proof of who is right will not be apparent for many years. Not 2 or 3 or 5 or even 10. I expect the real implications for society and who is correct will only be answered 50 or 100 or more years from now.
Believe it or not I can actually see a path where I would support SSM. But I have not seen one indication that either side of the issue is addressing the real problems and social implications of marriage as it exists today in this country. Marriage has for too many become nothing but a convenience. A real discussion of marriage and all the issues surrounding it would take hours….
If you’re going to talk about me, then I’m going to respond. Do you know why I seem angry at you and all the other people opposed to my rights? The things you people say are the same things peope told me when I was in school. People like you are the reason I attempted suicide. You people say things about homosexuality and don’t have to face the consequences of your actions. What you do contriubtes real harm LGBT teenagers throughout the country. You help create a society where it’s ok to bully a kid because he seems gay. You help create a society where schools will ignore bullying of a gay student because, well, he should just stop acting so gay. That is why I will never “tolerate” your ignorance about sexual orientation and gender identity.
Boo Hoo.
Keep thinking of yourself as a victim in life and you will keep being a bitter, nasty person.
You think you are the only person who has ever been bullied? Or that gays are the only ones who are bullied? Or that you are the only one who tried to commit suicide? What a short sighted, self absorbed, ignorant way of thinking.
Guess what, I’ve been there and I refused to let it define me. Tried to commit suicide…. Been there. Bullied, Yep, I was small, timid, socially inept, and a geek. I got beat up several times. Laughed at by the whole class when giving a speech. (Funny thing about that because now the opinion I gave in that speech is mainstream thought.) And I’m not even going to get into my “family” life.
Grow up and take responsibility for yourself and quit looking for excuses and blaming the world for your own failings.
According to studies and the US Census 20-25% of Maine’s same sex couples are raising kids now. So most of those parents will know the joy of grandchildren, because most of their children won’t turn out to be gay. It’s not contagious.
And then there are siblings. My husband and I have brothers and sisters with children, and our parents know (or knew) the joy of those grandchildren. We know the joy of our nieces and nephews. The world is complex and full of love.
What would you do if one of your children or grandchildren came to you and said “I’m gay”?
Would you stop loving them?
Feel that they are being “shelfish”?
Would you turn your back and walkaway?
What would you do voice?
If I had to guess, voice would probably disown them.
They all have gay marriage. So does Canada, Spain, Scotland etc etc etc.
South Africa, too…
Scotland? That explains the kilt then!! Sarcasm intended.
And for the record I am a LOUD and PROUD Scot!
Marriage equality came to Connecticut in 2008 via the legislature and governor signing a law. New Hampshire similarly enacted legal same sex marriage in 2010. Rhode Island has recognized same sex marriages performed in other states since 2007 and has legal civil unions for gay and lesbian couples since 2011.
I am a lesbian and do not commit any sodomy but, when I was trying to be heterosexual because I thought my feelings were wrong, my husband begged for me to commit sodomy. He is heterosexual. My sister says her husband also loves to do that. He is also heterosexual. Pornography depicting women uses sodomy with toys yet pornography depicitng men with other men does not. The former is for men to see. Straight men are much more into sodomy than gay men. This has been scientifically proven. God Bless and know someone prayed for you today.
No, it’s not embarassing now…it got embarrassing when Mr. LePage came into office. Remember, Maine’s population is a rounding error down in NYC. We Mainers are not the country. We are older, whiter, pooer, less educated and struggling to modernize. If Maine’s voting patterns modeled the second district’s more conservative views, our state would resemble Mississippi–not something that this Mainer whose family has been here since 1730 (damned disaffected Cape Codders!) would enjoy.
Dear, you don’t have to embrace us. In fact, we might prefer that you don’t, so you’ll be just fine.
better make sure the sign is made in Maine! Have a great day!
Keep up the hate speech. We are not proud of you.
Yeah. Sodomy was always legal here, and in every other state, anyway.
Maine truly is The Way Life Should Be: live and let live, and equal rights for ALL Maine families!
I will leave you to your gloomy, dismal outlook on the world, for most Mainers do not see the demons around every corner as you seem to.
Have a nice life.
The seven counties in southern Maine were the only counties to support this referendum. A very interesting map.
http://bangor-launch.newspackstaging.com/2012/11/07/politics/elections/maines-question-1-approval-seen-as-national-tipping-point-for-same-sex-marriage/?ref=relatedSidebar
They weren’t the only ones — that’s a lie. Those are simply the counties that had a majority vote for it. There are thousands of people in every single county that support this.
I agree it makes little difference because counties don’t really have an effect on the total popular vote of the referendum. So it did pass with help from every county, but it’s not really a lie to say that the coastal counties were the most important ones.
People from all across Maine saw through the lies and judgmental divisive rhetoric, and voted to extend marriage equality to same-sex couples this week.
And for that, I am truly thankful and humbled!
I will leave you to stew in your fear and outrage, I hope you can open your eyes and your heart one day and see that our happiness makes the world a better place.
Canto XV – The Abusers of God, the Sodomites
“The ‘Unfinished Canto,’ Canto XV’s theme is
remarkable for its brevity and strict reliance on dialogue, as with the
garrulous Heretics in Canto IX. It is also frequently contrasted with Canto VI (formerly
considered the shortest Canto in the Cantilèna di Diavolo) when buttressed as
an explosive argument against the vice of sodomy.
Pride is justified by reason of
natural proclivity and personal preference. In the case of sodomy, the defense
— from the sodomite’s perspective — relies entirely upon intellectual
rationalization and vigorously-mouthed rhetoric in defense of ‘the loving act’.
The apostle Paul refutes the flawed line of reasoning with an acerbic
recitation that — at first glance — would appear remiss of grace and wholly
denunciatory: “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed
the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man ,
and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also
gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour
their own bodies between themselves: Who change the Truth of God into a lie,
and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed
forever, Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even
their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: and
likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their
lust one towards another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and
receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which is meet. And even
as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a
reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.”[i] And if
that were not enough, adding insult to injury, Paul says that none of these
were without foreknowledge: “who knowing the judgment of God, that they which
commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure
in them that do them.”[ii]
The passage of a couple of decades
hardly altered the venerable apostle’s opinion. Offering an entrée of lusty
disparagements, Blessed Aquinas posited that the sin of sodomy is moreover
violently opposed to the order of nature: Just as the ordering of right reason
proceeds from man, so the order of nature is from God Himself. That is why, in
sins contrary to nature, whereby the very order of nature is violated; an
injury is done to God, the author of nature. Hence Augustine says, “those foul
offences that are against nature should be everywhere and at all times detested
and punished, such as were those of the people of Sodom, which should all
nations commit, they would all stand guilty of the same crime, by the law of
God, which hath not so made men that they should so abuse one another. For even
that very intercourse which should be between God and us is violated, when that
same nature, of which He is the Author, is polluted by the perversity of lust
(confessions 3.8).”
Vices against nature are also
against God… and are so much more grievous than the depravity of sacrilege, as
the order impressed on human nature is prior to and firmer than any
subsequently established order.[iii]
In Truth, … if any man shall add
unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this
book: and if any man shall take away from the words… of this prophecy, God
shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and
from the things which are written… [herein].[iv]”
Excerpted from T. Thernardier’s epic treatise
This is a book someone wrote. it includes their own bias. Please do as Jesus said and Love Thy Neighbor. More heterosexuals commit sodomy than gays. Being gay is not about lust. It is about love. God Bless you and please only quote those books which are proven as fact through research. As far as the Bible. When you follow it word for word i will also.
More heterosexuals commit sodomy than gays you are right on that if people would do searches they would fined this out. But they are to lazy to do so .
Ah yes! So sweet!!! Keep it up please!
It’s so nice!
I hope you got the author’s permission, or this might be a copyright violation.
I’m sorry are we all in church today and I missed that memo? I have a Nancy Drew book I can quote from…..and as near as I can see the only ‘plagues’ are religious nuts like you and SOB who like to spew the usual cr*p that you spew…..time to find a new drum chum.
I am so thankful that most Mainers saw your judgmental distain and hypocrisy for what it is.
I’ll leave you to stew in your gloomy, doomy miserable outlook on the world.
For I have a wedding to plan!
No, you probably just hung around stuck up prudes.
Pride?
You are proud of this, Maine?
“Sodom and Gomorrah waxed proud, through fullness of bread.”
Fifteen hundred years ago the learned rabbis wrote that God sent the Great Flood after men wrote marriage contracts with men and with animals.
TURN BACK, AMERICA!
“Gay Marriage” is a measure of the depths of your wickedness!
I am absoultely proud. And no amount of your stupidity can make me angry. Bigots went 0/4 this election.
Hey sweetheart!
Tired of that closet yet? We’ll help you find somebody! Come on out!
Well SOB…..Too bad so sad…..deal with it….you prefer to live in the past fine..the rest of us are moving forward and support our fellow citizens in marriage…..now go read your bible.
Where so you get this from? Why arent other countries who have had SSM for years had any issues? God sent a flood…come on The Epic of Gilgamesh was before the story of the flood was ever written. God is Love. Your God is false. The bible is false. God is Love. God Bless
Romans Chapter 1.
Is meaningless dribble…
If your sky-monster gave a fart he’d be over in the middle east taking on those that murder christians, not hanging out around here because gay people are going to get married.
You’re such a sick, sad, pathetic little person.
You’re so wrong.
This sad little world view you have leaves no room for hope, empathy, or love.
I will leave you to it, for most Mainers agree that civil marriage for same-sex couples is the fair and moral thing to do, to treat each other equally.
It will continue to be a divisive issue all the way to the Supreme Court, as the homosexual agenda is to make this the law of the land. Shameful that Mainers are the ones to put this anti-traditional family plot on the map.
Including legal recognition of other types of families means that it is anti-traditional family?
Fortunately, a majority of Mainers know that that is wrong. You can support traditional families AND non-traditional families.
Theres non such thing as a traditional family .
And that comes this month, with the SCOTUS decision in June… along with Prop 8, it’s going to be a wonderful time!!! So far, those against marriage equality have come up with zero (that’s 0) arguments that will stand in court. It’s not looking good for them.
Stay tuned!!!
There no such thing as a traditional family
I love your moniker…..4lifeandfreedom……just not life and freedom if your gay apparently…..try again…
Our Constitution’s agenda is to treat all Americans equally under our laws, and that includes the 1,400+ benefits and privileges our government extends based on civil marriage.
It’s actually quite wonderful that Mainers showed our nation that a state can vote for equal rights without the courts having to step in!
We did it with interracial marriage, we did it with women’s suffrage, and now we’ve done it with same-sex civil marriage!
To TrickleUp:
“Boo Hoo.Keep thinking of yourself as a victim in life and you will keep being a bitter, nasty person. You think you are the only person who has ever been bullied? Or that gays are the only ones who are bullied? Or that you are the only one who tried to commit suicide? What a short sighted, self absorbed, ignorant way of thinking. Guess what, I’ve been there and I refused to let it define me. Tried to commit suicide…. Been there. Bullied, Yep, I was small, timid, socially inept, and a geek. I got beat up several times. Laughed at by the whole class when giving a speech. (Funny thing about that because now the opinion I gave in that speech is mainstream thought.) And I’m not even going to get into my “family” life. Grow up and take responsibility for yourself and quit looking for excuses and blaming the world for your own failings.”
That’s funny, coming from the person complaining that I’m being too mean. If you don’t like being called a bigot, then stop doing everything in your power to earn that title. Oh, by the way, I have grown up and taken responsibility. I’m doing my part to make sure bigoted a**holes like you can’t drive anymore kids to suicide, because I’m sure that every dead LGBT teen is a victory for people like you. Thankfully, your kind is dying out. Although, I do hope bigots like you live long enough to see same sex marriage become legal nationwide.
I’ve tried reasoning with people like you, but you are incapable of seeing reason. I’ve tried shaming people like you, but you are incapable of feeling shame. I guess the next best thing is to make other people see how terrible you really are and shun bigots like you accordingly.
The Great Flood was the first destruction of the world.
God is merciful and is delaying His wrath.
Please, do send us your contact information, we think it’d be a hoot for you to do your stand-up routine at our wedding reception.
I’d like to share this sentiment, because it sums up my feelings about Maine this week too (emphasis mine):
“Gays and lesbians are a tiny percentage of the population. We couldn’t do this on our own. A majority of the legislators who voted for same-sex marriage? Straight. The governor who signed the law making same-sex marriage legal in Washington state? Straight. The majority of the folks manning the phone banks for R-74? Straight. The overwhelming majority of people who voted to approve R-74? Straight. The president who took a huge political risk and came out for marriage equality before his reelection campaign? Straight. It has gotten better for us—better, not perfect—but it hasn’t gotten better for us in a vacuum. It’s gotten better for us because straight people have gotten better about us.”
-Dan Savage
Really?
We shouldn’t be afraid of God’s impending judgment?
Then tell me why the front page of yesterday’s New York Post said “God Hates Us!”
Because the people who wrote that don’t understand weather patterns or science?