Reply #15: Peoples' Veto is the problem - but I contributed too [View All]

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I have long had problems with Maine's Peoples' Veto. We elect representatives to make the laws - we may or may not agree with them. We never had the option of a Peoples' Veto for the Iraq War. When it comes to civil rights issues, "colored" folk (and I don't mean to offend anyone with that designation - I am using it as the phrase that could still be in common use if desegregation had been subject to a Peoples' Veto) would still be using separate water fountains if desegregation had been subject to a Peoples' Veto.

I woke deeply saddened this morning. I had faith in our state's basic fairness, and the importance to Mainers of the notion of "live and let live", even if they didn't agree with how others felt. And I'm ashamed of myself - I proudly wore my "No on 1" button, I tried to win over anyone who engaged me about it, but I should have done more. I should have gone door to door, made the phone calls. I apologize to all those who fought this battle harder than I, and I apologize to the thousands of Maine's gay citizens that I let down, and to the millions of gay US citizens who would have benefited from this particular domino falling.

I assumed too much. When it comes to peoples' fears, nothing can be assumed. For whatever reasons, many people have a visceral fear of anyone that's different than they are, and this fear was exploited shamelessly by the "Yes on 1" side. Ads that all but said our children would be taught about the details of gay sex in the classroom, turning a basic civil rights argument into something that preyed on peoples' fears about sexuality in general and gay sexuality in particular.

Yes, more young people should have come out to the polls yesterday - when I voted, I think I, at 55, was the youngest person in the room. Yes, the "No on 1" side should have stayed on message instead of letting the other side set the PR agenda. But I should have done more, and I hope I manage to find the time and energy to more actively join the struggle as it moves forward in Maine despite this setback.