April 30th

Senator Lawrence Bliss (Democrat - Cumberland County)

When last we were here the good Senator from Oxford, Senator Hastings, said some unwarranted things about my abilities and I want to take a moment to disabuse you all of those things.  My job, at both the public hearing and work session, on this particular bill was to sit there and hold the gavel and pretend that I knew what I was doing…I will be voting no on this amendment [to send the gay marriage bill out to referendum.]  I will be voting no because, from the depths of my being, I believe that it is wrong for the majority to ever vote on the rights of the minority.  That's exactly what this amendment will cause us to do.  Last night, very late last night, I received an e-mail from a good friend of mine who teaches art at the University of Southern Maine.  For those of you who would like a religious reason to vote no, I will read you his e-mail to me.  'Larry, remember Mark 15, when Pilate had the fate of Christ in his hands and he knew what the right thing to do was.  What did he do?  He washed his hands and he asked for a referendum.' 

[Earlier, Bliss attempted to explain away what Leviticus has to say about homosexuality.]

Some oppose homosexuality based on religion.  'For a man to lie with another man as he would a woman is toevah', Leviticus 20:13.  Where toevah is commonly translated as abomination or sin, in that same passage it's also declared toevah as meaning to eat shrimp or more to the point, here in Maine, lobster.  It literally translates as against ritual.  At the time the Bible was written people needed to reproduce to strengthen their community.  We're also told that to touch pigskin makes one unclean.  That a father may sell his daughter into slavery.  That a person should be put to death for working on the Sabbath.  Sabbath is literally translated as Saturday.  Next time you are watching football on a Sunday ask yourself if, on moral grounds, you should be supporting people who touch pigskin; Leviticus 11:08.  If you happen to be someone's daughter, the next time you think to oppose your father's wishes ask yourself, 'What would a fair price for me be?'; Exodus 21:07.  If you answer a work related e-mail on your Blackberry on the Sabbath, ask yourself if law enforcement officials should be legally obligated to stone you to death; Leviticus 20:33.

Senate President Elizabeth (Libby) Mitchell (Democrat - Kennebec County) 

 …I also grew up in a time where one didn't talk about openly anybody's sexuality: heterosexuals, straights, or gays.  Where I grew up you didn't talk about that ever, ever in public.  I went to a school where you weren't even allowed to dance because that made you have evil thoughts.  Believe me, it was a very strict Southern Baptist upbringing.  When I go home to visit my relatives I won't be able to tell them very much about what happened here in Maine today because they still don't understand…The church and State issue is a very puzzling one to me.  I got an e-mail from the Deacon of my church telling me to support this.  I think this is an important thing to consider.  People have different beliefs.  We need to respect those…Yesterday the Senator from Cumberland, Senator Davis, read my favorite passage, since we're prone to become religious today, and he said to do justice, love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God.  That's all we can do today, whoever that is or whoever she is. 

May 6th

On May 6th, 2009, the Maine Senate voted on the bill. There were many brief statements by various Senators, but only two moderately lengthy remarks.  Both these short speeches begin and end on the subject of religion. As the Senate prepared to vote, Senator Larry Bliss, a homosexual rights activist from California, was made temporary President of the Maine Senate to preside over the vote. Bliss called the Senate to order, and Senator Plowman rose to answer Bliss, who had earlier compared sending the gay marriage vote to referendum to the angry mob at Jesus' trial before Pontius Pilate. Her remarks were followed by Senator Phil Bartlett.

Senator Debra Plowman (Republican - Penobscot County)

Men and women of the Senate, today I rise to speak for the people who were not represented here last week: men and women of faith all over the state of Maine.  Persons who listened in and listened to not only our churches and the word of God used to say that this is not about religion, and yet it seemed to be all about religion for some people.  Since that was brought up, I'm going to bring up a few points.  This bill is about religion.  For all the people that will be made happy today there will be many others, who are people of faith, who will find they have no protections in this bill regarding their religious liberties…    The  condemnation that I heard last week was so disturbing I had to not respond that day…The Catholic Church was denigrated for having persons who you wouldn't want to be your neighbor, absolutely, and people of faith sat by and heard that without a voice in this room… The people in this room, who have a job to defend the religious liberties of others, sat still as well.  That's not my government.  My government would have said enough…It hurts people of faith.  When I heard the people of the state of Maine, who asked for a referendum, referred to as the mob, the angry mob who chose to choose Jesus over Barabbas - I don't see the people of the state of Maine as an angry mob.  I see them as people who want to make a decision.  I will tell you that before the angry mob decided what to do they made one choice, they said, 'We have no King but Caesar.'  Well, I only have one God and it certainly isn't the State of Maine.

Senator Phil Bartlett (Democrat - Cumberland County)

I rise as a person of faith to speak in support of enactment of this bill… people of faith come to this in a number of different ways.  My particular religious faith does solemnize same sex marriages already.  To date their freedom of religion has not been respected by the State of Maine.  Simply extending coverage of marriages to those recognized by a wide variety of faiths instead of narrowing to the few, in my view, furthers religious freedom in this state and supports people of faith, people of all faiths.

Senator Nancy Sullivan (Democrat - York County) 

Men and women of the Senate, I'm a Christian…  Today I stand before you, not as a Christian, not as a happily married heterosexual woman; I stand before you as a legislator, as you are… Every single argument I have heard against this bill is based on religion, the very thing that started our country when the Puritans came here seeking religious freedom from the Church of England…. My religion may not be your religion.  My thoughts may not be your thoughts.  However, this government recognizes its citizens as equal.  They have the right to pursue religion and to live life within bounds of society.   I firmly believe in the Bible that says 'love conquers all' and 'the greatest of these is love.'  You could go through it over and over again.  'God does not make junk.'  'Created in image.'  I can take my religion and I can show you a million reasons why I will be supporting this bill.  Those aren't important because that's my religion and it may not be your religion.  What is important is that we are all citizens.  We all have the right to practice our religion.  We all have the right to love who we want.  It's important. 

Senator Christopher Rector (Republican - Knox County)

I've been raised to believe that I am better than no one, that like all of us I'm loved by God and created in God's image.  I'm a church going Christian whose church's position has been outspokenly in favor of this legislation.  I have prayed and read and fought about this issue, seeking to reflect a lifetime of learning and understanding in that context.  I've also remained intentionally uncommitted since I was first approached about this issue back in December.  I've sought input from all and received literally thousands of constituent e-mails, phone calls, letters, postcards, and comments in public places.  ….  In the end the constituent responses I have received are overwhelmingly on one side of this issue and I believe my first responsibility is to reflect the views of the vast majority of my constituents.  As the Senator from Knox County, I will therefore be casting my vote in favor of [same sex marriage.] 

Senator John Courtney (Republican - York County) 

I would like to share a couple of things and I'll try to be very brief.  During the debate I had time to read the Bishop's letter that came.  With your permission, I'd like to just read a small portion of it.  The Bishop says that when same sex marriage was legalized in Massachusetts Catholic Charities in the state were forced to abandon a long established and successful program for adoption of difficult to place children because the State held that it must be willing to place them with same sex couples.  Parents in the state lost the right to remove their children from public school classrooms when the issue was taught.  There are numerous cases from other parts of the country and other nations in which it is clear, while churches may not be required to marry same sex couples, religious liberties are indeed compromised as a consequence of same sex marriage… I'd submit that I offer no ill will to anyone in this chamber on either side of the issue or anyone promoting either point of view.  I'd suggest that we're not going to be judged by this Body.  We're not going to be judged by the voters.  We're going to be judged by one of a higher power…

Senator John Nutting (Democrat - Androscoggin County)  

I'm going to be supporting [the same sex marriage bill].  First, in my line of work I deal with genetics.  That's one of the reasons I'm supporting this issue.  I've got a lot of e-mails, like everybody else has, about somehow somebody becomes gay or lesbian because of the environment.  Well, I'm standing here to say that I firmly believe that whether or not somebody is gay or lesbian or straight is in their genes.  That is spelled not JEANS but GENES.  The second reason, as an Elder in my Presbyterian Church I'm been struck in the last year on this issue by the e-mails I've gotten opposing it, mostly from those that feel strongly with their Baptist and Catholic faiths.  I remember the last Baptist wedding I attended.  Lovely service.  The couple was really, really in love with each other.  You could see that.  Big crowd of people.  The minister gave a long lecture over how, in the church's view, the wife should be subservient to the husband because that is what it said in the Bible…. I'm reading the Bishop's letter that came today.  In the last part of the last sentence of the first paragraph it says, 'The church's position is based on what we believe is best for our state and our nation.'  I have trouble with, once again, this particular church, I guess, not believing in separation of church and state and wanting to somehow inject themselves into state's business.  As an Elder in our Presbyterian Church we are taught that God loves those who love others.  Period, simple, that's it.  That's why I'm supporting the [same sex marriage bill.]

HOUSE

May 5th

Representative Michael Carey (Democrat - Lewiston)

 …Today is my birthday.  In my traditional family my birthday was particularly exciting because it was the only day of the year I could wear jeans or shorts to school.  Khakis may have been the Sunday best, but I wore them all week long.  Likewise, it wasn't just at church that I learned about God; every day my parents showed us that God is a God of Love.  I learned to accept this gift of love with humility, with hope, and with faith.  But the greatest of these, is love. his bill affects me deeply and personally.  I am not gay.  My immediate family members are not gay.  In my rural school, I didn't know anybody who was gay.  This is not a gay bill.  This is about Love, Equality, and Freedom.  I cherish these principles, and it is because of them that I serve in this body.  So I'll support the pending motion, Madam Speaker, because all Mainers, all Americans and all of God’s people, deserve to know the blessings of love, equality, and freedom.  Thank you.

Representative Charles Kruger (Democrat - Lewiston): 

Thank you, Madam Speaker.  Madam Speaker, Men and Women of the House.  This bill is not about God, as if we could legislate him or her.  This bill is not about morality, as if we could legislate that.  This bill is about the meaning of equality.  It is about the pursuit of justice for all.  It is not about good and evil.  It is about live and let live.  I urge each of you to vote yes.  Thank you.

Representative David Burns: (Republican - Whiting) 

… I am deeply disturbed about the attacks which took place in the other body last week.  For members of that body to single out two specific faiths, Catholics and Baptists, as being intolerant and the cause of the problems we face currently is both reprehensible and a vicious attack on my personal faith and that of tens of thousands of other Mainers.  I am not sure what the origin of their religious values are, that is their business; however, the context of my Bible has not changed since it was given to us over 4,000 years ago.  In Genesis 2:24, God said:  Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave under his wife:  and they shall become one flesh. Arguments for this marriage bill, whether they come from scientific evidence or from a religious perspective, have no basis and do not hold water, thus leading to attacks on people's faith.  Madam Speaker, in 1997, we passed the Protection of Marriage Act, which acknowledged that traditional marriage was a necessity of a stable society.  This new proposal radically changes all of that.  Where will it stop?  I promise you that it'll not stop here.  This will have a far reaching and negative impact on our children, parents, education, religion and our economy.  This proposal will be one of the most important pieces of legislation you consider in this session and, most likely, in the tenure of your legislative career.  Please vote no on this.  Thank you.

Representative Les Fossel (Republican - Alna)

Thank you very much, Madam Speaker.  As usual, I am coming from a slightly different place.  As you may not know, I don't really have much of a religious faith.  I lost that a long time ago, but I believe in trying to find common ground between us, and I think if you look around this chamber there is common ground.  There is common ground in that we all believe in equal rights.  The difference is only that we don't believe all in marriage rights.  If we wanted to have equal rights in this chamber, we could pass it as an emergency bill immediately.  It's the marriage name that is sticking us and dividing us, and I want to see a world where we don't find reasons for divisions…. 

Representative Charles Harlow (Democrat - Portland)

Thank you, Madam Speaker.  Madam Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen of the House.  I will not play the Bible game nor the religious game.  I was involved in the first voting for the gay rights bill in Portland, and the reason we did it was so everybody would have equal rights and to give the state courage to vote for it up here….  I think this is the next step on civil rights.  I am not saying that if you vote against this you hate anyone….I have been married for an hour and a half, 45 years, and I don't think this is going to affect my marriage in any way shape or manner.  I worked in Christian schools and Catholic schools for over 30 years, and I don't think this affects anybody's religion the way it is written…