by
Chuck Colbert PORTLAND, Maine — With the eyes of the nation watching, voters in Maine decide today on a referendum that holds potential as a political bellwether of same-sex marriage in America. Already, five states — California (for a time), Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont — have legalized same-sex marriage through state courts or legislatures. But nowhere at the polls have voters given gay couples the green light to wed. That could change if Mainers uphold the status quo. At issue is Question 1, which 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?"
Groups both opposed to and in support of gay marriage hope that a victory today will sustain the momentum of their cause nationally. For better or worse, religion has been part of the debate and dialogue. In Maine, same-sex marriage is a Catholic issue, with Portland's Bishop Richard J. Malone assuming a key leadership role in the repeal campaign. Fifteen percent of the population is Catholic. And yet Malone has faced increasing resistance from the laity, some who not only disagree with their bishop, but also who have given public voice to a Catholic case for same-sex civil marriage. Nearly two-dozen of them, gay marriage backers, members of a new group "Catholics for Marriage Equality" rallied their support at the cathedral church of the local diocese to this past Sunday during the 10:00 AM Mass. But inside the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception the presiding priest's homily hit upon the need for Catholics to defend marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Another bulletin insert - the seventh now - hammered away at the Church's message: "It is not gay pride to aspire to an institution that is uniquely and by definition a heterosexual institution," Bishop Malone writes in a two-page handout, adding, "Vote your faith." Beliveau was removed as a parish lector and Eucharistic Minister after her pastor, Msgr. Marc Caron a former, longtime co-chancellor of the Portland diocese, read an opinion piece she wrote for the local newspaper approving of same-sex marriage. "I am sad but not surprised by what happened" to me, she told the gathering on Sunday and local broadcast media yesterday. "The Catholic Church has every right to determine who can and cannot serves as ministers in the Church. I respect that." Nonetheless, Beliveau said. "We must keep our eyes focused on the issue and that is equality for our gay and lesbian citizens." Again Beliveau took issue with Bishop Malone's contention that same-sex couples are less capable than opposite sex parents. "Children need loving homes - gay, lesbian, or straight," she said. "They are blessed abundantly and emotionally healthy where they are loved. This has been repeatedly proven in social science studies." The church, and other socially conservative gay-rights detractors, also allege that homosexuality will be taught in Maine's public schools if same-sex marriage prevails. But the state's attorney general Janet Mills disagrees. "I have scoured Maine laws relating to the education of its children for any reference to marriage in the public school curricula," she wrote in a legal opinion. "I have found none." As Beliveau reminded the gathering, "Gay marriage will not be taught in school." Said George Burns, who attended Mass and afterwards joined the vigil across the street, "It's a civil matter." The bishop's zeal in defeating marriage equality, he added, is "profoundly" misdirected, "lousy shepherding." Burns is a local lawyer who spearheaded more than 140 doctors, lawyers, Pax Christi members, and social service provider professionals to place newspaper ads in the state's major daily newspapers, a statement of conscience voicing Catholic support for same-sex civil marriage. Down to the wire, Maine voters appear to be evenly divided on the marriage referendum. The most recent poll - released yesterday - showed "Yes" on 1 - advocates for rolling back marriage equality - with a 51 to 47 percent lead. Based in Raleigh, N. C., Public Policy Polling surveyed 1,133 likely voters from October 31st through November 1st. The survey's margin of error is plus or minus 2.9%. Coming after a poll released two weeks ago, which showed Question 1 in a straight-up tie at 48- 48, the latest findings suggest a shift "a slight movement toward its passage because independents support it (52-46) and because there are more Democrats (27%) in favor of it than there are
Republicans opposed to it (22%)," according to a press release with the survey results. The apparent even split among the electorate has motivated both sides to get their supporters to the polls. "Turn out," is key to "No" on 1, said Mark Sullivan, Protect Maine Equality (www.protectmaineequality.org) communications director. "We've got an impressive field organization," he explained, with "more than 300,000 phone calls made and tens of thousands of doors knocked on all across the state. In Portland alone there are 500 people doing field operations alone." He added, "We anticipated from day one that we would have to fight in a referendum." And Sullivan said, "We always assumed this would be a razor-thin margin." Protect Maine Equality also pins hopes on a message of "traditional Maine values," of "fairness" and "equality," he said. "You may not agree with what your neighbors do with their lives, but you defend their right to do as they see fit. " CHUCK COLBERT is a freelance journalist based in Cambridge, Mass. He can be reached at crciiiund@aol.com
Outside, the faithful heard a different message. "I am disturbed that Catholics have received false information at Mass and in church bulletins," said Pamella Starbird Beliveau, of Lewiston (pictured, right).
Burns thinks "the Church ought to take ten years off on the sex business," he said. "The institutional Church is extremely confused about sex." (Photo, left: Rose and Jack Dougherty of Eliot Maine show support for marriage eqaulity.)
|
Originally published on Tuesday November 3, 2009.