The Honorable Olympia J. Snowe
United States Senate
154 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-1903
Dear Senator Snowe,
I would like to be able to thank you for your support of the civil rights of Mainers regarding the vote on marriage equality on November 3, 2009. I would like to thank you, but I cannot. Your silence on the subject helped ensure the bigots and haters in Maine won, taking away a basic civil rights to many Maine citizens before it was even enacted.
It is understandable why you remained silent on Ballot Question 1. Why risk losing support from either side on such a divisive issue? Your silence keeps everyone guessing on where you stand. Why get down in the weeds? Perhaps your support of marriage rights for all Mainers would have made a difference (and perhaps not). We will never know. It seems to be easier to play it safe with the goal of staying in office. Why bother to have the integrity to stand up for what is right and lead on important issues? Those politicians may not win re-election.
Of course the consequence of this vote is that gay and lesbian couples are not afforded the same rights as heterosexual couples. That may seem a small price to pay. However, the youth of Maine get a message from a vote like this – that being gay or lesbian is wrong – a defect – something of which they should be ashamed. I hope you are not too troubled that, by remaining silent, you are basically reinforcing that message. It is easy to understand why the suicide rate for GLBT youth is many times higher than it is for straight youth. Try to imagine growing up in rural Maine knowing you are a homosexual and the overwhelming message you get is that you are sick and not deserving of the same rights as "normal people."
Though I am currently not a constituent of yours, my partner and I do own land in Sedgwick, ME. My partner grew up in Maine (he knows first-hand what that is like for a gay kid). We still love Maine, though. We had hoped to build on our land and to live there in retirement in 8 years. Obviously, we are rethinking that plan.
In addition, we have always enjoyed vacationing in Maine every year. This past year, we rented a house on Little Deer Isle for two separate weeks. We won't be returning to Maine next year. We won't be buying any Maine products (we're going to miss shopping at LL Bean). We don't support places that basically tell us that our rights do not matter.
I am hurt and angry that Maine has rejected marriage equality. I am also saddened that you have chosen to remain silent on this issue. I hope you will reconsider your actions and, in the future, show Maine the way a leader leads. Thank you.
