Before the same-sex marriage law was passed, the wording in the previous Maine marriage law stated:

“The union of one man and one woman joined in traditional monogamous marriage is of inestimable value to society; the State has a compelling interest to nurture and promote the unique institution of traditional monogamous marriage in the support of harmonious families and the physical and mental health of children; and that the State has the compelling interest in promoting the moral values inherent in traditional monogamous marriage.”

The law also mentions the traditional monogamous marriage’s unique contribution to the rearing of healthy children.

The new law deletes those words and takes gender out of marriage. Yet the television ads promoting same-sex marriage talk of outsiders harming their children (thus implying that those who want to maintain heterosexual marriage are outsiders). It doesn’t make sense.

What has changed so that some Mainers no longer accept the wording “to nurture, sustain and protect children physically and mentally” by maintaining the basic building block of society — traditional monogamous marriage between one man and one woman?

Voters in 30 states have chosen to uphold one man-one woman marriage and voted against same-sex marriage. Voters in Maine can make the state the 31st.

People need to do what’s right and vote “yes” on Question 1.

Lois Henry, Farmington