Maine House to take up gay marriage bill

[WillParkinson]

Source: Associated Press

Maine House to take up gay marriage bill
By The Associated Press
05.04.2009 4:02pm EDT

(Augusta, Maine) Diane Sammer and her partner, Pam Dennis, were careful to sign papers giving Sammer power of attorney over Dennis’ affairs. Yet after Dennis died of a heart attack and her body was to be cremated, the undertaker refused to accept Sammer’s signature.

After some legal wrangling, Sammer signed a document to free the undertaker of any potential legal liability for taking away the remains of the woman with whom she had lived for 28 years.

“It was humiliating and just made an unbearable situation that much more so,” said Sammer, who’s from the coastal Maine town of Harpswell.

Sammer’s situation is one of many examples of how Maine law differentiates between straight and gay couples, said Jennifer Wriggins, a professor at the University of Maine School of Law.

Read more: http://www.365gay.com/news/maine-house-to-take-up-gay-marriage-bill/

---

Yes, there are reasons that gay marriage is so important to some of us. I know full well some people here at DU are asking us to "wait" and "be patient", but I have to tell you that enough is enough. When you're told that you cannot visit your loved one in the hospital or you cannot help them fulfill their last wishes then you'll know the pain that some of us feel.

[druidity33]

1. will it pass?

What are the chances of this passing?

Is it a fairly crafted law?

Who will be instrumental in its passage or fizzlement?

I'm here in MA, would be happy to pressure legislators in Maine via the telephone. Who's bell do i ring?

:)


The tide is turning. Maine and NH soon... who knows where next?

[skyounkin]

2. I don't know the chances of passing.

But it doesn't matter to me.

You don't just fight the fights you can win.

You fight the fights worth fighting for.

This is worth fighting for.

[fight4my3sons]

3. They are voting tomorrow.

It should pass. The EqualityMaine website may have info about who to call. I'm sorry I don't have it handy - I'm trying to get this out via iPod.

[MaineDem]

6. Yes, it should pass easily

But the opponents have a legal recourse called a People;s Veto. With enough signatures they can get the entire issue out out for referendum in November. That will be quite a fight. Polls show Mainers pretty evenly split on the issue.

The veto will PROBABLY be defeated if we work hard enough.

[Veruca Salt]

7. If we have that fight here, should I contact EqualityMaine to help?

Or does anyone have any other groups that will be working on the issue? I'm probably jumping the gun here but I've got a dog in this fight. A referendum is the one thing I'm worried about.

[MaineDem]

10. Yes, EqualityMaine will have the lead on this.

There may well be a group like "Maine Won't Discriminate" a few years ago that will incorporate many coalitions. But EqualityMaine has already started the ball rolling on organizing.

[Veruca Salt]

11. Seeing as it passed, which I am still on cloud nine about,

I think I'll go see about volunteering for EqualityMaine even if it's just doing some office work for them on the weekends. This is worth putting in time as well as money!

[druidity33]

8. i'll help...

keep us updated please...


:)

[evilkumquat]

4. Wait for Equality... BULLSHIT.

"It's too soon to integrate. People can't handle it. The gays need to wait just a little longer for them to gradually gain rights."

What all those douchebags REALLY mean to say is, "Please wait to give these people rights until after I'm dead, because my tiny fucking little mind can't cope with the idea that those who are different than me deserve the same protection under law that I have had my entire life."

That's the same bullshit, copout response those asshole Southern politicians had regarding civil rights.

Fuck them. Seriously. Fuck the waiters.

Give them their rights NOW you bigoted, small-minded, homophobic, tiny-dicked shitlickers.

[WillParkinson]

5. Hey now!

I've been a waiter for 22 years! :-)

I agree, though. When you have rights it somehow becomes very easy to tell others they should be willing to wait.

[MaineDem]

9. It passed!

Now on to the Governor.