The Fierce Urgency of Maine

This year will be remembered as the year of same-sex marriage, with four states enacting marriage equality already in 2009.  But if conservative activists succeed in repealing Maine's same-sex marriage law this November, 2009 could be remembered as the year that the momentum for marriage equality stalled.  And we can't let that happen.

Here at Netroots Nation, there have been several panels, caucuses and gatherings focused on LGBT rights, and almost universally all of them have talked about the importance of Maine.  Monique Hoeflinger of the LGBT Mentoring Project spoke passionately about what Maine's ballot initiative over same-sex marriage could mean for the rest of the country: "Maine will be the turning point among the public at large over the issue of marriage equality."

What does that mean?  It means that if we win in Maine, to quote that 1980s Starship song, 'Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now.'  If we win in Maine, it will have become the first time we have ever defended marriage equality at the ballot box.  And the ripple effect of that in places like California could be huge.

But if we lose in Maine, it becomes the second year in a row where right-wing pundits succeed in scaling back the rights of gays and lesbians.  And if we thought California was a bitter pill to swallow in the wake of Proposition 8 passing last year, just imagine what losing in Maine could feel like.

We can't let that occur.  Here's the picture of the opposing side that organizers with Maine Freedom to Marry painted for us.  Anti-LGBT activists will raise lots of money.  Anti-LGBT activists will use as much outside help as they can get.  Anti-LGBT activists won't be afraid to misrepresent the issues in order to gain the upper hand.

And we have to be prepared.  Already, groups wanting to take back marriage equality have raised substantial amounts of money - although most of it comes from a small group of donors/organizations who don't even live in Maine.  The Catholic Church has promised that they will give up to $2 million to take back the rights of gays and lesbians to marry.  And the public relations group that ran California's Proposition 8 campaign have been hired by anti-LGBT organizers in Maine to lead the charge against marriage equality there.

For our side, there are important steps we need to take now to win this campaign.  First, early money matters.  If you can give $5.00, $10.00, $20.00, $50.00, or whatever to help preserve marriage equality, please consider doing so now (via Act Blue).  Second, talk to your friends (or friends of friends) who live in Maine.  Third, consider traveling up to Maine for what marriage equality organizers are calling "volunteer vacations."  Maine is one of the most beautiful states in the country during the Fall season.  Why not spend some time up there vacationing and working for the rights of gays and lesbians?

Early voting in Maine starts in October, which means that we have less than two months to prepare for a Get-Out-The-Vote campaign that rocks the house.  Sure, we didn't ask for marriage equality to be put on the ballot in Maine.  But now that it's there, we have to work like hell to preserve marriage equality.  Both for gays and lesbians in Maine, but for those pushing for marriage equality throughout the country.