I just wanted to mention that Maine legalized same-sex marriage today, New Hampshire earlier in the week. Gov. Baldacci is a Roman-Catholic who has previously supported only "opposite-marriage" [snicker], and before reversing his position and signing the bill the moment it hit his desk, he had listened to the statements of voters and legislators alike. He claims he explored his feelings on the matter (much to the dismay of his religious support base in Maine) and ultimately found it a matter of "fairness" and that he had to stand up for civil rights.
It will never cease to amaze me that people don't see it that way. How is it anything but fairness and a civil rights issue? Gay citizens are not 2/3 of a person or a vote, but they are denied basic rights of marriage. One [white] man in the state legislature points out that previously he would not have been allowed to marry his [black] wife of 25 years unless a law had been changed. I hope in 25 years we are not still fighting this battle and people look back with shame at the hate they have spread around.
I still have faith in the people of the world to do the right thing. The voters of Maine can veto this much like CA's voters did in November. I hope they stand up for each other and a growing minority in this country that needs all the help they can get to be considered 'equal'.
