Anti-Gay Maine Group Agrees To Ethics Pledge (With Lots Of Provisos)

Yesterday No On 1/Protect Maine Equality issued a campaign ethics challenge to the anti-gay groups working to repeal marriage equality. Stand For Marriage Maine responded immediately, saying they'd be delighted to sign the pledge, but with the following provisos.

1. Agree to at least one public debate with the media invited to cover it live. The voters deserve to hear from both sides of this important issue in a forum that allows for a full discussion of the ramifications of LD 1020.

2. Agree that no contributor, volunteer or staff member will be harassed due to their participation in the campaign. Regretfully, supporters of marriage in California and other states were repeatedly harassed by gay marriage activists including posting their personal information on the Web, having their employers called, and subjecting them to various forms of intimidation.

3. Agree that property will not be destroyed, as has happened elsewhere. This includes destroying or defacing campaign signs, damaging vehicles containing bumper stickers and defacing churches that are active in the campaign.

4. Agree that churches on both sides of the issue will be dealt with respectfully and no attempt will be made to interfere with their lawful expression of beliefs or discussion with their members and the public.

In other words, Stand For Marriage Maine wants to hide the identities of their donors, they refuse to acknowledge that pro-gay Prop 8 activists were assaulted and harassed and had their signs stolen and their property defaced, and they don't want any objections when churches abuse their non-profit status and cross the line into political activism. They also make no pledge not to engage in the blackmailing of corporations that support marriage equality, as happened in California.