[HCCN] Gov. Baldacci signs new legislation

[Judy Robbins]

from an article in The Nation,online  http://www.thenation.com/blogs/ 
thebeat/433268/the_year_of_same_sex_marriage?rel=hp_picks

Here's what the governor said:

I have followed closely the debate on this issue. I have listened to  
both sides, as they have presented their arguments during the public  
hearing and on the floor of the Maine Senate and the House of  
Representatives. I have read many of the notes and letters sent to my  
office, and I have weighed my decision carefully. I did not come to  
this decision lightly or in haste.

I appreciate the tone brought to this debate by both sides of the  
issue. This is an emotional issue that touches deeply many of our  
most important ideals and traditions. There are good, earnest and  
honest people on both sides of the question.
In the past, I opposed gay marriage while supporting the idea of  
civil unions. I have come to believe that this is a question of  
fairness and of equal protection under the law, and that a civil  
union is not equal to civil marriage.
Article I in the Maine Constitution states that 'no person shall be  
deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law, nor  
be denied the equal protection of the laws, nor be denied the  
enjoyment of that person's civil rights or be discriminated against.'
This new law does not force any religion to recognize a marriage that  
falls outside of its beliefs. It does not require the church to  
perform any ceremony with which it disagrees. Instead, it reaffirms  
the separation of Church and State.
It guarantees that Maine citizens will be treated equally under  
Maine's civil marriage laws, and that is the responsibility of  
government.
Even as I sign this important legislation into law, I recognize that  
this may not be the final word. Just as the Maine Constitution  
demands that all people are treated equally under the law, it also  
guarantees that the ultimate political power in the State belongs to  
the people.
While the good and just people of Maine may determine this issue, my  
responsibility is to uphold the Constitution and do, as best as  
possible, what is right. I believe that signing this legislation is  
the right thing to do.



-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mainetalk.org/pipermail/hccn_mainetalk.org/attachments/20090506/34459e05/attachment.htm>