PittsburghAfterDark
CAGiversary!
Gay Marriage Advocates To Post Names On Internet
Petition Could Lead To Statewide Ban
POSTED: 7:40 am EDT September 8, 2005
BOSTON -- Two gay activists are promising to post on the Internet the names and addresses of anyone who signs a petition that could lead to a statewide ban on gay marriage.
The move by Thomas Lang and Alexander Westerhoff, one of the first gay couples married in the state, came after state Attorney General Thomas Reilly on Wednesday certified a ballot question that bans gay marriage and civil unions.
Now, the question's supporters must collect 65,825 signatures from registered voters, and approval from 25 percent of state lawmakers to get the question on the 2008 ballot.
Lang, 42, said the name, street address, hometown and ZIP code of everyone who signs the petition will be posted on the Web site KnowThyNeighbor.org.
"Everyone's scrambling to know who in their town would sign this," Lang told the Boston Herald. "And this Web site will give gay people the tools to know, to defend themselves and their families, to let them go neighbor-to-neighbor and say, 'I don't appreciate your signing this."'
"I'm going to be aggressive personally," he said. "I want to know that the people I do business with are not against (gay marriage). This is going to be won by economics."
Gay marriage opponent Kristian Mineau, president of the Massachusetts Family Institute, said the Web site is "intimidation by no other name."
Mineau is listed on the site, along with the first 30 people to sign the petition, including former Boston mayor Ray Flynn.
Westerhoff already introduced himself to one of the first petition signers, Madelyn Shields of Beverly. Shields told the Herald she found the meeting "a bit odd," but described Westerhoff as gracious. She said she hopes other exchanges between gay marriage advocates and petition signers are as gracious.
"I have a number of gay friends and I treat people the same regardless, but that does not change my position of what I believe marriage is," she said.
Link
What do you think would happen if a religous group tried to post the names and addresses of known homosexuals?
Is this what the gay lobby has come down to? Threats of intimidation? You now have to fear people will come to your home, call you or send you hate mail for a moral, religous and political belief?
Absolutely disgraceful.
Petition Could Lead To Statewide Ban
POSTED: 7:40 am EDT September 8, 2005
BOSTON -- Two gay activists are promising to post on the Internet the names and addresses of anyone who signs a petition that could lead to a statewide ban on gay marriage.
The move by Thomas Lang and Alexander Westerhoff, one of the first gay couples married in the state, came after state Attorney General Thomas Reilly on Wednesday certified a ballot question that bans gay marriage and civil unions.
Now, the question's supporters must collect 65,825 signatures from registered voters, and approval from 25 percent of state lawmakers to get the question on the 2008 ballot.
Lang, 42, said the name, street address, hometown and ZIP code of everyone who signs the petition will be posted on the Web site KnowThyNeighbor.org.
"Everyone's scrambling to know who in their town would sign this," Lang told the Boston Herald. "And this Web site will give gay people the tools to know, to defend themselves and their families, to let them go neighbor-to-neighbor and say, 'I don't appreciate your signing this."'
"I'm going to be aggressive personally," he said. "I want to know that the people I do business with are not against (gay marriage). This is going to be won by economics."
Gay marriage opponent Kristian Mineau, president of the Massachusetts Family Institute, said the Web site is "intimidation by no other name."
Mineau is listed on the site, along with the first 30 people to sign the petition, including former Boston mayor Ray Flynn.
Westerhoff already introduced himself to one of the first petition signers, Madelyn Shields of Beverly. Shields told the Herald she found the meeting "a bit odd," but described Westerhoff as gracious. She said she hopes other exchanges between gay marriage advocates and petition signers are as gracious.
"I have a number of gay friends and I treat people the same regardless, but that does not change my position of what I believe marriage is," she said.
Link
What do you think would happen if a religous group tried to post the names and addresses of known homosexuals?
Is this what the gay lobby has come down to? Threats of intimidation? You now have to fear people will come to your home, call you or send you hate mail for a moral, religous and political belief?
Absolutely disgraceful.