Sides square off on Maine gay marriage legislation
Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2009 8:15 pm
Catholic diocese among opponents
Maine would join Massachusetts and Connecticut in allowing gay marriages if a bill before the Legislature in Augusta becomes law.
The operative word, however, is "if." People are lining up on both sides of the measure, new organizations are forming, clergy are taking active roles, and rhetoric is flying. It could be a drawn-out battle that continues through the summer and spills over into the fall.
At the center of attention is a bill sponsored by Sen. Dennis Damon, D-Trenton, that seeks to change the Maine statutes that govern civil marriage rights to allow marriage licenses to be issued to "any two persons ... regardless of the sex of such person."
Although announced in mid-January, the bill has just been printed and Damon is now gathering co-sponsors in advance of it being assigned to a Senate committee.
Among the co-sponsors is state Sen. Peter Bowman, whose district includes all of the towns in southern York County. Bowman said extending marriage rights to homosexuals "is the only fair thing to do." Saying homosexuality is "hard-wired" into people, "our society quite frankly needs to acknowledge that and then structure our institutions and traditions to be consistent and to be fair."
That concept of fairness is one that resonates with Betsy Smith of Equality Maine, a lead organization working to ensure passage of the bill.
"Marriage is a worldwide, recognized, honored institution. If you say, 'we're married,' there's a certain respect and dignity that comes with that. Gay people want the same social recognition for their unions that straight people do. The word means something. The word means a lot."
Precisely, said Mark Mutty, spokeman for the Catholic Diocese of Portland, which is among those groups opposing the bill.
http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/ ... -903150340
Maine would join Massachusetts and Connecticut in allowing gay marriages if a bill before the Legislature in Augusta becomes law.
The operative word, however, is "if." People are lining up on both sides of the measure, new organizations are forming, clergy are taking active roles, and rhetoric is flying. It could be a drawn-out battle that continues through the summer and spills over into the fall.
At the center of attention is a bill sponsored by Sen. Dennis Damon, D-Trenton, that seeks to change the Maine statutes that govern civil marriage rights to allow marriage licenses to be issued to "any two persons ... regardless of the sex of such person."
Although announced in mid-January, the bill has just been printed and Damon is now gathering co-sponsors in advance of it being assigned to a Senate committee.
Among the co-sponsors is state Sen. Peter Bowman, whose district includes all of the towns in southern York County. Bowman said extending marriage rights to homosexuals "is the only fair thing to do." Saying homosexuality is "hard-wired" into people, "our society quite frankly needs to acknowledge that and then structure our institutions and traditions to be consistent and to be fair."
That concept of fairness is one that resonates with Betsy Smith of Equality Maine, a lead organization working to ensure passage of the bill.
"Marriage is a worldwide, recognized, honored institution. If you say, 'we're married,' there's a certain respect and dignity that comes with that. Gay people want the same social recognition for their unions that straight people do. The word means something. The word means a lot."
Precisely, said Mark Mutty, spokeman for the Catholic Diocese of Portland, which is among those groups opposing the bill.
http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/ ... -903150340
