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By Natalie Cohen
For The Maine Campus
On Nov. 3, Maine voters will decide whether to keep or repeal L.D. 1020, the state’s same-sex marriage law.
Last May, Maine’s legislature passed the law legalizing same-sex marriage, but before the bill was put into effect, a campaign to overturn the law collected more than 100,000 signatures for a people’s veto to revisit L.D. 1020.
The law would have taken effect Sept. 12. Because of the provision in Maine’s Constitution that allows for a people’s veto, Question 1 will appear on November’s ballot.
Question 1 reads: “Do you want to reject the new law that lets same-sex couples marry and allows individuals and religious groups to refuse to perform these marriages?”
Scott Fish, communications director for the Stand for Marriage campaign, believes upholding L.D. 1020 would “radically redefine traditional marriage as ‘any two will do.’” The Yes on 1 campaign considers this bill important because they feel it affects all Mainers. Fish said many people worry homosexual marriage will be taught in Maine schools.
The office of Maine’s Attorney General said Oct. 15 that the law, if it is kept on the books, would have no impact on educational curricula in the state’s public schools.
Mark Sullivan, communications director for the Equality Maine campaign, said the bill is “all about Maine values, [and] whether or not we will show equality and justice to all Maine people [and permit] them to marry the people that they love.”
Fish said this bill would do away with “thousands of years of tradition, one man and one woman — something that has proven itself to be a benefit to society for many years.”
Sullivan said voting yes would “deny fairness and equal protection under law for thousands of Maine families.”
“We all have our rights in jeopardy,” Sullivan said. “There is no such thing as separate but equal.”
Representatives for both sides stressed the importance of student votes. Fish encouraged college students to vote and read the bill prior to voting.
Related Posts:- On Question 1, students could be key (October 9, 2009)
- University community debates implications, merits of Question 1 (October 29, 2009)
- No on 1 vows to continue fight for equality (November 5, 2009)
- Airwaves heat up over same-sex marriage (October 5, 2009)
- Maine to vote on gay marriage in Nov. (September 10, 2009)
