The NO on 1 campaign has a new ad out, one that directly addresses the tactic of fear being used by opponents of equal marriage:
Fear. That is all the opponents have. Fear that allowing lesbian and gay couples to marry will mean that "homosexual marriage" will be taught in schools, which is code for "your children will be turned into gay monsters by their teachers."
As part of its campaign in support of the Question 1 ballot initiative, Stand for Marriage Maine has aired several television ads claiming that unless the law is repealed, same-sex marriage could be taught in schools.
Gendron and Maine education officials have said that the law will have no impact on curriculum decisions. While Stand for Marriage Maine has defended the ads as raising legitimate questions, the campaign to defend Maine's same-sex marriage law has accused the opposition of employing distortion and scare tactics to sway public opinion.
But in response to continuing questions from the media and the public, Gendron sent a letter to Attorney General Janet Mills on Wednesday asking for an analysis of the law and any legal ramifications of a Massachusetts court decision referenced in the ads.
"The commissioner felt it would be helpful to put this issue to rest," education department spokesman David Connerty-Marin said Wednesday night.
Stand for Marriage Maine (S4MM) could have requested that the AG determine the impact of LD 1020 on the public schools here, by why do that when it's easier (and less risky to their argument), to spread rumors that it will? Bob Emrich, one of the founders of S4MM, let's it be known just how much they want to obfuscate the issue:
"Commissioner Gendron asking Attorney General Mills for an unbiased opinion on Question 1 smacks of a political stunt," Emrich said. "Hopefully, Attorney General Mills will not allow her department to be misused in such a manner."
Perhaps he will ask the attorney general from a state more sympathetic to his cause for an opinion on Maine law.
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