PORTLAND, Maine — Maine voters repealed a state law Tuesday that would have allowed same-sex couples to wed, dealing the gay rights movement a heartbreaking defeat in New England, the corner of the country most supportive of gay marriage.
Gay marriage has now lost in every single state — 31 in all — in which it has been put to a popular vote. Gay-rights activists had hoped to buck that trend in Maine — known for its moderate, independent-minded electorate — and mounted an energetic, well-financed campaign.
With 87 percent of the precincts reporting, gay-marriage foes had 53 percent of the votes.
"The institution of marriage has been preserved in Maine and across the nation," declared Frank Schubert, chief organizer for the winning side.
Gay-marriage supporters held out hope that the tide would shift before conceding defeat at 2:40 a.m. in a statement that insisted they weren't going away.
"We're in this for the long haul. For next week, and next month, and next year — until all Maine families are treated equally. Because in the end, this has always been about love and family and that will always be something worth fighting for," said Jesse Connolly, manager of the pro-gay marriage campaign.
At issue was a law passed by the Maine Legislature last spring that would have legalized same-sex marriage. The law was put on hold after conservatives launched a petition drive to repeal it in a referendum.
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16 comments:
Do you get it yet ?
Lets put divorce up for a vote since we want to preserve the institution of marriage
Victory!
Civil rights should not be subject to the will of the majority. Denying anyone the right to enter into a legal contract with another consenting adult abridges the right of free association. It's only a matter of time before people wake up and realize it.
Overcoming ignorance, superstition, hate, bias, and religious bigotry takes time.
7:17 Yes we get it, alot of people need someone to look down on to make themselves feel superior.
Another step backwards.
No special treatment for a perversion !
7:54 No one is stopping you from entering into a civil union .
So it two women get married, than the institution of marriage is doomed.
However, someone like Brittany Spears can get married and divorced multiple times in one year, and everything is fine.
Explain to me again how two same-sex people getting married affects my marriage? Or yours?
7:54
I agree. Not to get too bogged down in hyperbole, but what would have happened had the idea of slavery been put up to a vote by the people?
Because marriage is between a man and a woman, not a man or man or woman woman. Even looking at the nature of creating life, men and men or women and women were not made to be lovers of the same sex. If this becomes legal, then sex offenders will try and make it legal to have sex with a minor. Use your brain idiots.
6:02
Thank you for explaining to everyone what a logical fallacy is. Sex Offenders will want to make it legal to have sex with minors? You make that statement and call everyone else an idiot?
I think the more pressing concern will be necrophiliacs. Who is going to monitor all of the graveyards in America to ensure that none of these pervs can legally get it on with a corpse. Hey, you think granddad got screwed when he was alive? Well, watch out!!
Heterosexual's came up with marriage for a man and women to make a covenant with God and each other . Why don't you come up with your own term and make it your own !
Minors are not consenting adults...
Neither are animals
cars
computers
melons
or anything else someone says people will want to marry if same sex marriage is accepted.
Marriage (or civil unions) is between
TWO CONSENTING ADULTS
Gays, we love you as our friend and neighbors and as children of God, but please stop trying to transform the universe to fit your perspective. You are acting like three-year-old children who believe the world revolves around them.
7:39 has the answer. Create your own term that defines a civil union between two homosexuals. How difficult could this be?
Wow. 8:46. How ignorant are you? To assume that wanting to be treated fairly means that homosexuals want the universe to revolve around them. I bet that wouldn't have been your response in 1920 when women were granted the right to vote. Or when segregation was abolished. Who are we to tell people who they can and can not love. Statistics show that in states where gay-marriage is legal, or even where its not, gay couples stay together longer with much lower rates of domestic violence. If gays and lesbians want a d*mn piece of paper to seal their love, let them have it. Heterosexuals take it for granted everyday and throw it away with divorce while people who would stay together forever and are fighting for that right, aren't even able to have the chance. It's a piece of paper. No-one is threatening your marriage except maybe a secretary. Get over yourself.
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