Gay-marriage backers seek to turn tide in votes in 4 states

The Washington Times ^ | June 17, 2012 | Cheryl Wetzstein

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Gay marriage dominates the list of “social-issue” ballot measures going to voters this year, with amendments for and against same-sex unions up in four “blue” states:

• In Minnesota, voters will be asked to amend their state constitution to say that marriage is the union of a man and a woman. Amendments like this have already passed in 31 states, including North Carolina in May. The Minnesota Marriage Protection Amendment was put on the ballot by lawmakers in 2011, a few months after Republicans took over the state Legislature for the first time in 38 years.

• In Maine, gay-marriage supporters held a petition drive to allow voters to weigh in on a measure legalizing gay marriage. The Act to Allow Marriage Licenses for Same-Sex Couples and Protect Religious Freedom clarifies that, if approved, it would not require clergy to perform gay marriages if it violates their beliefs.

• In Maryland and in Washington state, residents are working to repeal gay-marriage laws enacted this year by their state lawmakers. In Washington, state officials have already certified Referendum 74 for the ballot, and in Maryland, residents have already submitted 120,000 signatures — more than twice what is needed — to state officials to add their measure to the ballot.

Early polls put these four measures as tossups or victories for gay-marriage supporters.

Gay-marriage advocates are eager to finally win in the voting booth.

“We’ve shown that we can win court cases. We’ve shown we can win legislatures. We’ve shown we can win Republicans as well as Democrats,” Evan Wolfson, founder of Freedom to Marry, told Rolling Stone earlier this month.

“So the one thing they say we can’t do is win a ballot measure, and we want to take that talking point away from them this year,” said Mr. Wolfson.

[longtermmemmory]

why only clergy?

why not objection of conscience?

what about an atheist or objects to same sex based marriage?

There is a church state issue. The solution is to say ANY matter of conscience is allowed to pass on the subject.

This seems like a set up to be striken.

[fwdude]

Does anyone know of polling on these states?

The fake polls commissioned by the sodomites and their compliant polling firms usually show the sodomites winning or the issue a dead heat, like in California in 2008. The reality is always about 5 to 10 points for marriage in reality.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks sickoflibs.