The anti-discrimination law was enacted to protect Maine citizens from discrimination in employment, housing, education, credit and public accommodations. It does not legalize same-sex marriage, but secures protection of Maine citizens from being discriminated against based on who they are.

Some right-wing, conservatist groups – namely the Christian Civic League – are systematically trying to scare Maine’s people with a threat that the law legalizes same-sex marriage, and likening gay people to child molesters, who, statistically, are white, married, Anglo-Saxon men in their 40s, and other social-sexual deviants.

The Christian Civic League has also tried to convince Maine citizens that the anti-discrimination law gives gay people special rights. If that were the case, then Maine’s Human Rights Act is filled with groups and classes receiving “special” rights.

If they are concerned about special rights, then perhaps the entire Human Rights Act should be rewritten to say, “No law-abiding citizen shall be discriminated against in employment, housing, education, credit or public accommodations based on who they are.”

The fact is, gay people are no different than any other citizen in Maine, and deserve the same protection and the same basic human rights that other citizens have and often take for granted. The faces are of mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, aunts and uncles, cousins and neighbors – don’t they deserve to be protected?

Trish Thompson, Augusta

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