# Maine and gay marriage - who cares? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 1, 2009, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-and-gay-marriage-who-cares/515907 "2009-11-01T02:14:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2009, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-and-gay-marriage-who-cares/515907/21 "2009-11-03T14:54:53Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > I called my daughter in Maine tonight. She said the ads have been stupid. If we allow gay marriage it will be taught in schools??? It’s actually a little worse than that. (the players: Yes on #1 = repeal SSM; No on #1 = keep SSM) Yes on #1: If we don’t repeal this, 3rd graders will be taught about homosexual sex! No on #1: This has nothing to do with schools. Get a grip. Yes on #1: See! It’ll be all over the schools! No on #1: Listen, this has to do with adults being able to get married to each other. We really don’t know where you’re getting the schools thing from. Yes on #1: 8-year-olds, Dude. 8-year-olds. It’s been a little comical. Unfortunately, there are still a lot of rednecks in this state, so I have no idea which way this will go. I can say, unequivocally, through personal knowledge, that the vote count at this very moment is at the very least 1 to 0 in favor of keeping the legislation on the books. I can’t speak for the rest of the Maine voters. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2009, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-and-gay-marriage-who-cares/515907/22 "2009-11-03T20:12:26Z")
By the by … I haven’t been able to track down any exit-polling results / projections or anything, however, it has been reported that voter turn out is higher than expected. I hope that’s good news. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2009, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-and-gay-marriage-who-cares/515907/23 "2009-11-03T20:25:55Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > I called my daughter in Maine tonight. She said the ads have been stupid. If we allow gay marriage it will be taught in schools??? What the hell. Don’t forget. A storm is coming. That will take away your liberties and mine. We will be forced to gay marry. I’ll be forced to choose between my conscience and my job. And you’ll have to punt a kitten. Dammit ! It’s so hard to keep a straight face with that crap. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-and-gay-marriage-who-cares/515907/24 "2009-11-04T11:30:14Z")
SIGH!! I woke up to the news that Maine voted down gay marriage. It’s sad. I had hoped we were a little more mature, more open, more concerned about the rights of others. Dam it. Now I have to go to the Bangor daily news website and vent. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-and-gay-marriage-who-cares/515907/25 "2009-11-04T13:29:11Z")
_ **Maine: We’re 53% Dumbass!** _ ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-and-gay-marriage-who-cares/515907/26 "2009-11-04T13:56:12Z")
And I think that’s being generous. This sucks. The right-wing religious fucktards around these part are going to be insufferable. ---
**Author:** ![kenner116](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecb155/32.png) [@kenner116](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenner116)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-and-gay-marriage-who-cares/515907/27 "2009-11-04T14:20:54Z")
The Maine Senate passed the marriage equality bill 20-15, and the House passed the bill 89-58. They may have enough votes to pass the same bill again in a couple of months. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-and-gay-marriage-who-cares/515907/28 "2009-11-04T14:27:31Z")
Eh, 53% dumbass ain’t bad. It was close. Give it a few years. ---
**Author:** ![Laudenum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Laudenum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laudenum)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-and-gay-marriage-who-cares/515907/29 "2009-11-04T14:57:02Z")
Link to a news article? ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-and-gay-marriage-who-cares/515907/30 "2009-11-04T15:03:39Z")
> [@kenner116](#): > > The Maine Senate passed the marriage equality bill 20-15, and the House passed the bill 89-58. They may have enough votes to pass the same bill again in a couple of months. They may but they won’t. Few politicians would put their seat at risk by pushing the same bill so soon after voter repudiation. This will go on to the backburner for at least a couple of years. ---
**Author:** ![kenner116](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecb155/32.png) [@kenner116](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenner116)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-and-gay-marriage-who-cares/515907/31 "2009-11-04T17:26:31Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > They may but they won’t. Few politicians would put their seat at risk by pushing the same bill so soon after voter repudiation. This will go on to the backburner for at least a couple of years. It only lost by 4 points. I don’t see much of a political consequence if they pass the same bill every year till it sticks. ---
**Author:** ![Laudenum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Laudenum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laudenum)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-and-gay-marriage-who-cares/515907/32 "2009-11-04T21:39:23Z")
> [@kenner116](#): > > It only lost by 4 points. I don’t see much of a political consequence if they pass the same bill every year till it sticks. It’s the principle of the thing. In Ireland, people got very stroppy about being asked to vote again on Nice and on Lisbon, even though there were valid reasons for doing so. A group of politicians can’t keep saying to the people “you made the wrong choice, vote again” over and over until they get the result they want. It is insulting to the people, and they will resent it, even if they support gay marriage. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-and-gay-marriage-who-cares/515907/33 "2009-11-04T21:42:04Z")
> [@Laudenum](#): > > It’s the principle of the thing. > > In Ireland, people got very stroppy about being asked to vote again on Nice and on Lisbon, even though there were valid reasons for doing so… The Irish electorate eventually approved both treaties didn’t they? ---
**Author:** ![Laudenum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Laudenum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laudenum)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-and-gay-marriage-who-cares/515907/34 "2009-11-04T22:11:30Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > The Irish electorate eventually approved both treaties didn’t they? That has to do with the specific circumstances of both treaties, and the subsequent guarantees that were obtained. In both treaties, after the initial rejection, guarantees were obtained on the most important issues (I’m not typing ten pages on the two referendums), and the Yes campaigns were better prepared both times. In Maine, the No campaign was fully prepared, people were asked about a simple issue and said No. If you introduce a clause saying that gay marriage won’t b taught in schools then that might produce a similar shift, but otherwise the situations are different. I was merely trying to draw a parallel between the resentment that people felt when asked to vote again on the two treaties (even though there was good reason) and the resentment they would feel if immediately asked to vote again. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-and-gay-marriage-who-cares/515907/35 "2009-11-04T23:06:06Z")
How _do_ you teach gay marriage in schools? I presume it’s different from teaching _about_ gay marriage, the same way that teaching art is different from teaching _about_ art. ---
**Author:** ![hobscrk777](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a6a055/32.png) [@hobscrk777](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hobscrk777)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-and-gay-marriage-who-cares/515907/36 "2009-11-04T23:30:47Z")
I can understand how a group of people might be denied a right entitled to others if it’s a based on a status quo being resistant to change (e.g. women’s suffrage). What I can’t fathom, however, is how it’s Constitutional (let alone ethical) to vote to take _away_ a right from a group that is freely entitled to all other citizens. Is this not the definition of the tyranny of the masses? ---
**Author:** ![Cort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/77aa72/32.png) [@Cort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cort)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-and-gay-marriage-who-cares/515907/37 "2009-11-04T23:45:06Z")
> [@jtgain](#): > > Low turnout will hurt the cause. With low voter turnout, you have a larger percentage of senior citizens voting: a block that is heavily anti-SSM. > [@E-Sabbath](#): > > Eh, 53% dumbass ain’t bad. It was close. Give it a few years. Both these things are true. It all basically boils down to old fucks vote. They’ve got fuck all to do except sit around, judge you, and vote. Pretty soon the baby boomers are going to start to die off in droves, and that’s a good thing. I know a lot of them are our parents but we’ve got new shit to do that they won’t accept. Sorry mom, you’ve gotta go. We’re all tired of wrestling with you over shit like gay marriage and the war on drugs and a whole bunch of other shit that shouldn’t even be an issue. This result is only temporary. Pretty soon, all the bigots will have died off and gay marriage will be a completely accepted activity and the people who still remember what a fucking chore it was getting it legalised will scratch their heads and wonder what all the fuss was about and why it was so difficult. ---
**Author:** ![Laudenum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Laudenum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laudenum)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-and-gay-marriage-who-cares/515907/38 "2009-11-04T23:55:39Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > How _do_ you teach gay marriage in schools? I presume it’s different from teaching _about_ gay marriage, the same way that teaching art is different from teaching _about_ art. You give them color storybooks about happy gay couples, and teach them that gay marriage is a good thing. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-and-gay-marriage-who-cares/515907/39 "2009-11-05T00:24:51Z")
> [@](#): > > A group of politicians can’t keep saying to the people “you made the wrong choice, vote again” over and over until they get the result they want. Except that’s exactly what happened in Maine: The people, through their elected representatives, voted to recognize gay marriages, and then a group of politicians said that no, they made the wrong choice, and made them vote again until they got the result they wanted. ---
**Author:** ![Laudenum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Laudenum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laudenum)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-and-gay-marriage-who-cares/515907/40 "2009-11-05T00:27:21Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Except that’s exactly what happened in Maine: The people, through their elected representatives, voted to recognize gay marriages, and then a group of politicians said that no, they made the wrong choice, and made them vote again until they got the result they wanted. Referendum \> vote in a parliament. Obviously their elected officials voted incorrectly if their electorate had to correct them later. (Assuming you believe that they should represent their electorate). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-and-gay-marriage-who-cares/515907.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-and-gay-marriage-who-cares/515907.md?page=3)