The scourge of the gay and lesbian militant movement is slowly infecting all
of the New England states, exactly as they hoped would happen. It is still
hard for me to believe that within a matter of a few years, gay and lesbian
"marriages" could be legal throughout New England. When I was growing up as
a kid, no one would have ever thought of such a thing happening. How times
have changed! God help us all; and He may indeed with eventual serious
judgment! Remember Sodom and Gomorrah!


Gay Marriage Advances in Maine

By ABBY GOODNOUGH and KATIE ZEZIMA - NYT

May 5, 2009


AUGUSTA, Me. Ñ Gay-rights advocates moved remarkably close to their goal of
making same-sex marriage legal throughout New England on Tuesday, when the
Maine House of Representative voted to legalize such unions.

Supporters of same-sex marriage have won victory after victory this spring,
with the legislatures of Vermont, New Hampshire and now Maine embracing it.
The region is close to offering such marriages full support; Massachusetts
was the first state in the nation to let gay couples marry in 2004, and
Connecticut began allowing same-sex marriage last fall.

But in Maine and New Hampshire, the governors, both Democrats, will be
pivotal in determining whether same-sex marriage proponents succeed in
winning over an entire region of the country. Neither Gov. John Baldacci of
Maine nor Gov. John Lynch of New Hampshire has made his intentions public.
Both men opposed same-sex marriage in the past but have indicated they might
be reconsidering.

No governor has yet signed a same-sex marriage bill that was not the result
of court ruling. Gov. Jim Douglas, a Republican, vetoed a bill in Vermont
last month, and the Legislature then enacted it after an override. And Gov.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, also a Republican, vetoed a similar bill in
California in 2005.

Supporters of the measures probably do not have enough support to override a
veto in Maine or New Hampshire.

With the movement enjoying momentum from the string of recent victories Ñ
including the Iowa Supreme CourtÕs decision last month that same-sex
marriage should be legal there Ñ Mr. Baldacci and Mr. Lynch are facing
considerable pressure from advocates and from their own party, which
increasingly supports same-sex marriage.

Mr. Lynch will have five days to make a decision after the bill reaches his
desk; Mr. Baldacci will have 10.

In California, where the State Supreme Court may rule this week on whether a
voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage is constitutional, gay-rights
advocates are optimistic even though many expect the ruling to uphold the
ban.

The next state to debate same-sex marriage will probably be New York. Gov.
David A. Paterson, a Democrat, introduced a marriage bill last month and the
State Assembly, which strongly supports it, will probably take it up next
week. The billÕs fate in the Senate is less certain.

In Maine, the Democratically controlled House voted 89 to 57 for the bill;
the State Senate, also dominated by Democrats, approved the bill last week
in a 21-to-14 vote. Mr. BaldacciÕs spokesman, David Farmer, said he would
not make a final decision before the bill reached his desk. That could be as
soon as Wednesday, when the State Senate is expected to formally pass it.

ÒHe absolutely is listening to what people have to say,Ó Mr. Farmer said.
ÒBut at the end of the day, I think it will come down to what he believes is
the right thing to do.Ó

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland will be among the groups lobbying Mr.
Baldacci, a Catholic, to veto the bill, as will the Maine Family Policy
Council, an affiliate of the Family Research Council in Washington. ÒWeÕre
going to be on his case,Ó said Marc R. Mutty, director of public affairs for
the diocese.

The House chamber was thick with emotion on Tuesday as many legislators
openly wept and revealed personal details. One told her colleagues for the
first time that she has a lesbian daughter; another wept as he explained
that he, as a white man, would not have been able to marry his wife of 25
years, who is black, if a law had not been changed. Other legislators spoke
of sleepless nights debating how to vote.

Several political observers guessed that Mr. Baldacci, who is barred by term
limits from seeking re-election, would sign MaineÕs bill and that Mr. Lynch,
who might run again, would let New HampshireÕs become law without his
signature.

ÒI could see him letting it pass without his explicit approval,Ó Dante
Scala, an associate professor of political science at the University of New
Hampshire, said of Mr. Lynch. ÒOne of his hallmarks has been to put some
distance between himself and the legislature.Ó

After the SenateÕs vote last week, Mr. Lynch restated his belief that the
stateÕs two-year-old civil-union law provided sufficient rights and
protections to gay couples. But he did not repeat an earlier statement that
marriage should be only between a man and a woman.

While the Iowa decision gave supporters of same-sex marriage an important
first victory in the nationÕs heartland and a few other states are
considering legislation this year, New England remains the nucleus of the
movement. Gay-rights groups here have been raising money, training
volunteers and lobbying voters and lawmakers as part of a campaign called
Six by Twelve.

The regionÕs strong libertarian bent helps explain why the issue has found
support. And voters in some New England states cannot initiate
constitutional amendments, a strategy for blocking same-sex marriage
elsewhere.

Maine does have a ÒpeopleÕs vetoÓ process by which voters can put a question
on the ballot. Opponents of the same-sex marriage law will surely try to
collect enough signatures Ñ about 55,000 Ñ to suspend it until a public
referendum can be held.

A Rhode Island bill is unlikely to be acted on soon; proponents believe its
chances will improve in 2011, after Gov. Donald L. Carcieri, a Republican
who opposes same-sex marriage, leaves office.

ÒWe are closer than we thought we would be, although not closer than we
hoped we would be,Ó said Lee Swislow, executive director of Gay and Lesbian
Advocates and Defenders, the group leading the New England campaign.
Pointing out that May 17 is the fifth anniversary of same-sex marriage in
Massachusetts, Ms. Swislow added, ÒNew England is such a small region that
people have been able to see itÕs good for everyone.Ó

Washington Acts on Marriages

The Council of the District of Columbia on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a
bill that recognizes same-sex marriages performed in other states.

The measure now goes to Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, who has said he supports it.
The committees in the House and Senate that oversee the District of Columbia
would then have 30 session days to review the law. If Congress does not act
within 30 days, the law will automatically take effect.


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