Details from Stand for Marriage Maine's Campaign Finance Report

Stand for Marriage Maine, the group attempting to strip gay Mainers of the right to marry, has filed a report of their contributions and expenditures since September 30. --They have taken in an additional $1.4 million for a total of $2.5 million --Expenditures were $1.1 million for a total of $2.2 million. --The National Organization for Marriage has donated an additional $1.1 million bring their total donations to $1.6 million. --The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland provided SFMM with an additonal $196,000. --One individual, Rita Sukeworth of China, ME, donated $25,000. A Doug Sukeworth donated $5,000 to the Maine Grassroots Coalition which has received considerable support from the Christian Action League and has run some print ads in support of Question 1. --Focus on the "Family" kicked in another $18,000 --The Smith Living Trust, of Newport Beach, CA donated $10,000. Full Story from Tips-Q: http://www.tips-q.com/1518133-stand-marriage-maine-updates-campaign-finance-reports

Planning to marry your partner? Click here for gay marriage resources in Maine.

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Maine Gay Marriage Foes Lie - Again - About Effect on Education

Same-sex marriage opponents blasted Attorney General Janet Mills on Friday for issuing an opinion that gay marriage would not affect school curriculums if gay couples are allowed to marry in Maine. Marc Mutty of Yes on 1 released a 10-paragraph statement saying that, regardless of whether it's an official part of state-mandated curricula, gay marriage will be taught in Maine schools unless the state's gay-marriage law is repealed. "When they study the facts, Mainers will see right through Ms. Mills' opinion for what it is: a shameless political ploy by supporters of homosexual marriage," Mutty said in the statement. Full Story from the Kennebec Journal: http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/news/local/6987621.html

Planning to marry your partner? Click here for gay marriage resources in Maine.

To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.

Maine Gay Marriage Opponents Raised $1.1 Million

Stand for Marriage Maine says it raised $1.1 million and spent more than $941,000. The Legislature approved the bill and Gov. John Baldacci signed it into law in May. But the law has not gone into effect, pending the outcome of the election. The opposing political action committees released their figures Tuesday, the deadline for filing their latest quarterly reports with state campaign regulators. The campaigns are trying to persuade voters through TV ads and other media in advance of the Nov. 3 people's veto referendum. Full Story from the Morning Sentinel: http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.com/news/local/6975688.html

Planning to marry your partner? Click here for gay marriage resources in Maine.

To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.

New Yes on 1 Ad in Maine Tries to Stir Fears Using "Who's in a Family" Book

In the latest campaign spot by Stand for Marriage Maine, a school counselor at Nokomis High School in Newport suggests that if Maine's same-sex marriage law isn't overturned, young children in Maine could soon be introduced to a book called "Who's In a Family." The ad uses an excerpt from a telephone interview with the Book's author, Robert Skutch of California, that was conducted by a Boston-based public radio program called Here and Now in 2005. In that same interview, Skutch goes on to say that he can understand why people might be afraid of the reality of same-sex couples, but he says his book is about all different kinds of families: those headed by single parents, grandparents, immigrants and two men or two women. "The book was written basically because my niece and her partner decided they wanted to have a family," Skutch said. "I was involved with seeing them when they were very little, this little boy, and it occurred to me, you know it's a shame that he's going to go to school and that he's going to be made fun of because he's got two mothers. And I thought that isn't right and that's what inspired the book. And that's only one little part of the book." Full Story from MPBN: http://www.mpbn.net/Home/tabid/36/ctl/ViewItem/mid/3478/ItemId/9321/Default.aspx

Planning to marry your partner? Click here for gay marriage resources in Maine.

To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.

Stand for Marriage Maine Rebukes No on 1, Pro Gay Marriage Faith Leaders

Marc Mutty lacks impulse control. The head of Stand for Marriage Maine has issued a statement in a pathetically incoherent attempt to blunt the fact that a religious coalition for the freedom to marry has spoken out in opposition to Question 1 and in support of marriage equality. Mutty seems rather defensive. He constructs false equivalences between people of faith and the institution of the Catholic Church — Between people of faith acting as individuals and tax exempt organizations attempting to influence a political contest: "People of all faiths and no faith have the right to take a position on Question 1 and communicate that to the public and to their faithful. This right, I would note, extends as well to the Roman Catholic Church …" Mutty as demagogue and polemicist proceeds to frame supporters of marriage equality as those who "oppose traditional marriage." Mutty has yet to offer a cogent argument that same-sex marriage has any effect on so-called "traditional" marriage. Until he does so, he insults the collective intelligence of Maine citizens. The important thing is that some people of faith have the ability to reconcile scripture and a society that values equality and fairness. This is a direct contradiction to the right wing theme that suggests that believers are unanimous in opposition to marriage equality. Full Story from Tips-Q: http://www.tips-q.com/1424194-stand-marriage-maine-frets-over-religious-opposition-q-1

Planning to marry your partner? Click here for gay marriage resources in Maine.

To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com with "subscribe blog" as the subject. Or find us on Facebook - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.