Maine Gay Marriage Foes to Use Calif. Prop 8 Firm

Source: Associated Press

Maine gay marriage foes to use Calif. Prop 8 firm

3 hours ago
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Gay marriage opponents in Maine have hired the California public relations firm that led the successful Prop 8 proposal to overturn same-sex marriage.

Schubert Flint Public Affairs will manage the campaign to repeal Maine's gay marriage law, just as it did in California. Organizers of the veto effort are trying to collect the signatures of more than 55,000 registered Maine voters to put the question on the November ballot.

Meanwhile, supporters of Maine's gay marriage law have formed a new political action committee.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iGQ6LMSOvL9rjDHrAmyO9mHoVieAD98T54F00

This headline is a trumpet to action. We need to flood the marriage equality campaign in Maine with all the money, support and encouragement we have.

We CANNOT let these vile vermin do to Maine what they did to CA.

http://equalitymaine.org/

also Maine Freedom to Marry Coalition

http://www.mainelymarriage.org/



edited to add link

I just saw volunteers from EqualityMaine collecting signatures last week at our local elections.

Maine Freedom to Marry Coalition is the lead group. EqualityMaine is one part of that group, as are others.

may be questionable?

i'm thinking of going a different route on this one.

In my experience, a majority of Mainers do not like "people from away" meddling in our business, no matter what the issue. I've seen it with land use issues and the beverage tax proposal. Effective campaigns have been waged by branding the opposition with an outsider label. I hope for and even kind of expect some backlash, especially if we work to drive home the point that outside people (a California company - gasp!)are trying to change the laws in our state. Of course, it won't change the way most people think about the issue if they already have an opinion, but it has a funny way of mobilizing those who previously felt they didn't have a horse in the race. I'm going to suggest considering that approach to Equality Maine.

Fried suggested that hiring Schubert Flint might backfire, however.

"People in Maine do not like what they might see as outside interference," Fried said. "We have our own political culture, we have a high degree of civility, a high degree of civic engagement."

Same-sex marriage supporters aren't surprised that their opponents have brought on Schubert Flint, said Betsy Smith, executive director of Equality Maine, the state's largest gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered advocacy group.

"We have been preparing from the very beginning for this to be a campaign that has national implications," said Smith.

Smith is one of the directors of the lead PAC organized to fight the veto attempt, Maine Freedom to Marry.

Smith said fundraising was going to be critical to the campaign.

"Have we raised millions of dollars so far? No," said Smith. "Do we need to? Yes. The opposition is bringing that kind of money to Maine."

Smith said that a number of supporters helped get the same-sex marriage bill passed through Augusta, and those people feel an ownership of the law and want to work to defend it.

Maine Freedom to Marry also announced Wednesday that it has hired political strategist Jesse Connolly to run the campaign to fight a people's veto.

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=262924&ac=PHnws&pg=2

It will also help if Mainers can see that Prop. 8 was intentional duping of the voters through P.R. distortions.

:thumbsup:

When do they lose their tax exempt status?

can tell the flock to vote pro-life and anti-same gender marriage.

Since that almost always means "Vote against the Democrat," our tax regulations need revision.

Will this Congress and President do it? IMO, don't hold your breath.

My message to them is this.

You CANNOT have the world the way you want it.

You WILL Relent.

You WILL Stop this foolishness.

You WILL be defeated.

You ARE going to sit down, shut the fuck UP, and let the rest of the world live.

And if necessary, you will be given NO CHOICE in the matter.

You. Will. NOT. Take. Others. Rights. AWAY.

And you will reap the consequences of your misplaced hatred and bigotry if you continue to try.

You DON'T want a WAR.

Because you don't know how to FIGHT.

Only COWARDICE is your "gift".

If you continue this nonsense, REGRET is the only thing you will EVER know.

We. Have. Had. ENOUGH. OF. YOU.

Actually it more than annoys me.

Is this legal?

Edited for typo.

If I come into contact with any one of those assholes I'm going to tell them what they are - bigoted, fearful, anti-human being, anti-love and tolerance douchebags.