Tonight’s reading assignment, folks.

Check this out (from their website)- emphasis mine:

Stand for Marriage Maine Campaign Pledge

August 06, 2009

Mr. Jesse Connolly, Campaign Manager

No on One, Protect Maine Equality

Dear Jesse:

We are aware from media reports today that you have sent a “pledge” to conduct an ethical campaign consistent with Maine practice and statutes for Frank Schubert of Schubert/Flint to sign. We are pleased that your campaign has finally responded to our long-standing call for both sides of this issue to conduct an honest, civil and respectful campaign. We are pleased you have accepted our challenge.

Stand for Marriage Maine will be signing the campaign conduct pledge form you provided.

We were delighted to see your commitment to “uphold the right of every qualified voter to free and equal participation in the election process.” This is quite a change of direction given the extraordinary efforts made by Equality Maine and your allies to prevent Maine voters from having any say on this issue whatsoever during the Legislative session.

In addition to conducting an honest and forthright campaign, we hope that you will agree with us on the following principles.

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.

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.

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.

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.

We hope you can join us in making this pledge Jesse for the well being and safety of all and for the opportunity to have a fact-filled and honest debate over this important issue.

In the future we urge you to address your concerns to those that are charged with the decision making responsibility for our campaign. As I think you already know, Schubert/Flint are under contract with our campaign but it is the Executive Committee, Bob Emrich, Brian Brown, and myself as chair, that make the final call.

Sincerely,

Marc R Mutty, Chair, Executive Committee

Bob Emrich, Executive Committee

Okay, let’s parse out this mess… just love the scolding and finger-pointing, don’t you?

Yeah- the public hearing was held “silently”.In a vaccuum, with no media coverage and no open debate, discussion or participation whatsoever.

It’s not as if it was rescheduled from its original location at Cony High to the Augusta Civic Center, a much larger place, and certainly it’s not as if the entire public hearing, as well as the debates in the Statehouse and votes weren’t available live online.

Or covered by both print and television media- locally, nationally and even internationally.

It’s not as if the public were invited to testify for an entire day, and even extended an additional hour, as there were so many still waiting in line to speak.

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As for the implied violence aspects of this screed, this is out and out disgraceful- but as we saw in mid-July, Marc Mutty wasn’t above “going there” anyways to the media. This makes TWICE, Marc.

Gonna go for the Trifecta?

Trying to play the “gay panic card” is repulsive. Trying to use it to damage fellow Mainers and their families is unforgiveable.

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As for “who the spokepeople are”, let’s examine that; I’m a bit confused.

We had Bishop Malone speaking at the public hearing and to the press, speaking on behalf of all Catholics in Maine- whether or not THEY agree with HIM.

Then Marc Mutty and Bob Emrich, whispering together at the Judicial Committee hearing (a comment from one to the other when the hearing was interrupted by a distraught Christian grandmother, who ended up being escorted out by security, included laughing and agreeing that their official position was going to be “NO COMMENT!” if the press asked them about her).

Nice way to treat one of your own, gentlemen. Class, real class.

Then we had Mike Heath, a constant figure in the Statehouse, who also later said that his pal Pete LaBarbara was going to join in, kicking off his “Truth Tour 2009” in 3 secret locations with NO MEDIA ALLOWED. Funny how that was quietly shut down with STILL no explanation.

Why IS that? What happened to the “Truth Tour”?

But I’ve got a bigger question: if you’ve hired Schubert/Flint, why are YOU being THEIR spokespersons?

They’re the supposed media experts, right? Soooo…. why did neither Jeff Flint or Frank Schubert mention this point of “who is running the show” over the course of the past 2 weeks of media coverage?

Seems you might wanna renegotiate the terms of their contract…