Shame on Maine

Well, as expected, the fear mongers and promoters of ignorance succeeded in clouding the issues and convinced Mainers to violate the civil liberties of a whole segment of our population. That's right, like it or not, homosexuals are a growing segment of our population and they don't have equal protection under the law.

In fact, marriage it is a civil matter requiring a government license, and recorded in a government courthouse. Marriages are civil actions with civil rights and regulations. There is nothing “church”, religious, scriptural, or sacred, about it. If this is confusing, try to get married without a marriage license issued by a government officer.

Everyone who wants to believe that a wedding is sacred is welcome so to do and they would be supported by scripture and most churches. However, some time in the distant past, marriages were confused with weddings which are preformed by clergy and sanctified by God. And this somehow transformed a civil act into a religious one.

It is possible for the government to recognize and protect civil rights to equal protection under the law without clouding the issue with religious interference. No one can perform a marriage without special government permission, even clergy. Judges, Justices of the Peace, Clerks of Courts, some wardens of prisons, and a variety of other civil officials can perform marriages. Even ship's captains can do it. WHY? Because these people, by virtue of their civil authority, have permission from the government. Some (albeit, most) clergy can marry people, too. But it has nothing to do with their religious affiliation, religious beliefs, or God. All clergy must present their credentials to a government authority to be reviewed and judged to be sufficient. Even when a couple is wedded by a member of the clergy, that clergy must sign the official government document for the marriage to be valid.

So what have the voters of Maine done to "protect" the institution of marriage? Nothing! Nothing but restrict a segment of Maine residents from being afforded the same civil rights as others. All of the scriptural, spiritual, religious, and moral arguments do nothing but obscure the fact that some of Maine's residents continue to be blocked from exercising their constitutionally guaranteed right to equal protection under the law.

"people should have to pay to go to church and theater should be free"