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ME, USA: Marriage Equality Supporters Ground Arguments in Faith

Tuesday, April 24th, 2012

Religious leaders who support same-sex marriage want to reverse a 2009 loss at the ballot box with convincing faith-based arguments.

The Religious Coalition Against Discrimination gathered in Saco on Tuesday for a conference with southern Maine pastors, rabbis and others. They think most of the voters who swung the election against gay marriage three years ago are “conflicted persons of faith” who may know someone who is gay or lesbian, but don’t think they should be allowed to marry.

“It’s important to have conversations with people of faith,” said the Rev. Marvin Ellison, coalition president. “Particularly those of us who support marriage equality, because of our faith and values, not in spite of it.”

Full Story from the Kennebec Journal

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Tags: faith, maine, marriage equality, religion

ME, USA: New Poll Shows 58% Support Marriage Equality

Friday, April 6th, 2012

A new poll shows that 58 percent of Maine voters now support marriage equality with only about 40 percent opposed, suggesting great promise for November’s referendum to legalize it.

Though still within the margin of error, this is greater approval than the measure had just last month at 54 percent. Maine’s ballot initiative represents the first time U.S. voters will ever have the opportunity to vote YES for the freedom to marry, and there are still seven months before the election to raise enthusiasm even higher.

Full Story from Think Progress
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Tags: Gay Marriage, maine, marriage equality, poll

ME, USA: Marriage Equality Campaign Officially Launches

Wednesday, March 28th, 2012

Saturday night I attended the EqualityMaine Annual Awards Dinner in Portland where they announced today’s launch of this year’s marriage campaign, Mainers United for Marriage (you can follow on Twitter and Facebook). The campaign will be managed by Matt McTighe, GLAD’s Director of Public Education for Maine, and the former Political Director for MassEquality.

On a call with bloggers on Monday night, McTighe pointed to the existing volunteer base across the state, over 50,000 one-on-one conversations (with more than 110,000 door knocks and more than 90,000 phone calls placed), and several recent polls putting the support for marriage equality at 54% in Maine as a strong starting point for the campaign. Additionally, supporters on the ground have already run six ads in several rural counties which listed the names of supporters in those towns.

The campaign seems to have a strong start in terms of public support, but there is a lot to be done in the coming months to build on the 54% support through personal conversations with supporters. While voter turnout will be higher (and younger) in a presidential election year, there is a lot of work to be done, and opponents have already started to organize.

Full Story from AmericaBlog

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Tags: campaign, maine, marriage equality

ME: New Anti Marriage Equality PAC Formed

Wednesday, March 21st, 2012

Two longtime opponents of gay rights and same-sex marriage initiatives are forming a political action committee to oppose Maine’s same-sex marriage referendum.

Michael Heath and Paul Madore say they have formed the No Special Rights PAC to oppose November’s ballot measure asking voters if same-sex marriage should be legalized.

Heath, a longtime executive director of the Christian Civic League until his resignation in 2009, was known for sharp rhetoric in his opposition to gay rights and gay marriage in past campaigns.

Full Story from WGME

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Tags: anti gay marriage, maine, marriage equality, PAC

ME: House Kills Marriage Equality Bill, Wants Voters to Decide

Wednesday, March 14th, 2012

A proposal to allow same-sex couples to marry in Maine is a step closer to a referendum.

Without debate, the House today voted to kill the citizen-initiated bill, a clear sign that representatives want the state’s voters to decide whether to authorize gay marriages. The matter now goes to the Senate.

In 2009, Maine voters repealed a legislatively passed gay marriage law 53 percent to 47 percent.

Full Story from MPBN

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Tags: bill, house, maine, marriage equality

ME: New Poll Shows Support for Marriage Equality

Wednesday, March 7th, 2012

What a difference a few years make! They turned down marriage equality in 2009, but a new poll from Public Policy Polling suggests that Maine voters have evolved on marriage equality. Details follow.

Maine already made history by becoming the first state where pro-LGBT groups successfully scheduled marriage equality to go up for a vote. But could it actually become the first state to go even further with a marriage equality referendum?

A new PPP poll reveals the possibility:

It looks like Maine voters will reverse their 2009 decision and legalize gay marriage in the state this fall. 54% think that gay marriage should be legal to only 41% who think it should be illegal. And when we asked about the issue using the exact language voters will see on the ballot this fall, they say they’re inclined to support the referendum by a 47-32 margin.

Full Story from Instinct Magazine

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Tags: maine, marriage equality, poll

MN: Catholics Ask Church Leaders to Follow Maine Bishop’s Lead in Marriage Equality Fight

Wednesday, March 7th, 2012

Catholics for Marriage Equality Minnesota is calling on Archbishop Nienstedt and all the bishops of Minnesota to follow the lead of Bishop Richard Malone of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, Maine by withdrawing all financial support from the hurtful anti-marriage amendment in Minnesota.

On Friday, March 2, Bishop Malone announced the Catholic hierarchy in Maine would be taking no active role in fundraising, staffing, advertising, or campaigning against marriage equality.

“We are encouraged by Bishop Malone’s decision to place at the center of the Church’s mission in Maine Jesus’ call to care for the poor and marginalized,” said Michael Bayly, Executive Director of Catholics for Marriage Equality MN. “We pray that the bishops here in Minnesota will not only follow the example of Maine but will also be open to the love and commitment embodied in the relationships of committed gay and lesbian couples.”

Full Story from Sensus Fidelum

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Tags: catholics, maine, marriage equality, minnesota

ME: Catholic Church Bowing Out of Marriage Equality Fight, But Not Backing Down

Tuesday, March 6th, 2012

The Roman Catholic church is taking no active roles in fundraising, staffing, advertising, or campaigning against marriage equality in Maine.

Bishop Richard Malone, the sect’s top-ranking official in Maine, said on Friday, March 2 that his goal now is only to re-train the wayward 25% of Maine’s 187,306 Catholics. He said that the church “doesn’t want to impose a law or belief on anyone,” especially non-Catholic citizens, who comprise 86% of Maine residents, and 77% of all Americans. Maine voters will decide by ballot in November whether to write same-gender marriage into state law.

Historically, Roman Catholic officials have opposed virtually every regulation, policy, and law proposed to protect LGBT people nationwide. Toward that end, the church spent $1.9 million to repeal Maine’s new marriage equality statute in 2009, after the legislature and governor had already enacted it.

Full Story from The Bilerico Project

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Tags: catholic church, maine, marriage equality

ME: Catholic Church Says It Won’t Campaign Publicly Against Marriage Equality Initiative

Friday, March 2nd, 2012

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Maine will take no active role in a political campaign against a same-sex marriage referendum that’s expected to be on the November ballot, Bishop Richard Malone announced today.

Instead, the diocese is expanding an existing educational program to better inform church members about the qualities and benefits of marriage between one man and one woman.

Malone issued a pastoral letter on marriage today that will be used extensively to teach 185,000 Roman Catholics in Maine about the gift of traditional marriage and the need to preserve it as it is.

Full Story from the Online Sentinel

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Tags: catholic church, initiative, maine, marriage equality

Supreme Court Turns Down NOM’s Appeal in Maine Campaign Finance Disclosure Case

Monday, February 27th, 2012

The U.S. Supreme Court announced on Monday it won’t hear a case brought by the anti-gay National Organization for Marriage challenging a Maine law requiring the organization to reveal its donors.

The high court posted a notice on its website indicating it wouldn’t hear the case, known as National Organization for Marriage v. McKee, without providing comment. The decision means NOM no longer has any avenue of appeal in the case.

NOM, among the most high-profile organizations opposing same-sex marriage, asked the Supreme Court to take the case after the U.S. First Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the constitutionality of the Maine disclosure laws.

Full Story From the Washington Blade

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Tags: finance disclosure, maine, marriage equality, nom, supreme court