By Bonnie Washuk,Staff Writer

LEWISTON – Saying discrimination is wrong, a Lewiston Catholic priest, the Rev. Michael Seavey; business leader Chip Morrison; and hospital administrator Rene Dumont spoke in favor of Maine’s new gay rights law.

For that reason, they told an audience Thursday night, on Election Day they will vote against a measure that would overturn the law. The three men urged those attending a Lewiston-Auburn College forum to do the same.

Question 1 on the Nov. 8 ballot seeks to overturn the gay rights law passed by state legislators this year. If overturned, discrimination because of a person’s sexual orientation in employment, housing and credit would be legal.

Seavey said the basic Catholic teaching is that each person has dignity and has the right to be an active member of society. Discrimination takes away from that, he said.

While gays do enjoy some of the rights everyone else does, a law is needed because some are denied other basic rights. He offered an example.

Ten years ago, he met a man whose brother, Fred, purchased an apartment building in Portland. Fred rented one apartment to gay men. “When his college buddies found out he rented to a gay couple, they started teasing him. They started calling it, Fred’s fag farm.'”

To stop the teasing, Fred evicted the men, the priest said.

“We can say that’s sad. That’s wrong. That’s sinful. But we can’t say it’s illegal unless we have this law,” he said. “That’s why this law addresses parts of society where there is a problem.”

Seavey was asked what commandment or Scripture points to how Christians should vote. The life Jesus led points to voting no, he said, adding that Jesus always tried to minister to those people who were marginalized.

The church teaches that homosexual sex acts are immoral, he said. The church also teaches that discrimination is a sin, Seavey said.

Dumont, administrator of St. Mary’s Regional Hospital Center, the first Catholic hospital in Maine, shared stories about discrimination against gays. These included a high school boy who was harassed and threatened daily by fellow students. Dumont said he and his wife are at a loss to explain to their children why that happens.

“Closer to home,” Dumont began, then had to pause as he fought back tears before speaking about his gay brother. His children love and respect their uncle, Dumont said. His brother is in a committed relationship with another man. They work hard, and provide a safe, nurturing home for their son.

“My children cannot understand why anyone would object to protecting their basic civil rights. In their eyes, and in ours, it simply isn’t fair,” Dumont said.

Morrison recalled growing up as a Jewish boy in Illinois and feeling different. When he encountered discrimination, it hurt. He recalled the civil rights movement in the 1960s. Many people then wrongly argued that civil rights for blacks would be giving them “special rights,” Morrison said, noting that the same argument is heard about gays now.

It was a sport’

While not on the panel, former Lewiston Police Chief Laurent Gilbert Sr. stood before the audience, also urging people to vote against overturning the new law. Gilbert recalled how when he was chief, gay bashing happened a lot in Lewiston.

“It was a sport,” Gilbert said. As police chief, he said he urged gays to report the crime. But many refused out of fear, he said. Saying he has two nephews who are gay, Gilbert said no one deserves discrimination.

About 80 people attended the forum. Among them was Paul Madore, head of the Maine Grassroots Coalition, which is working to veto the gay rights law.

A Catholic who says a gay rights law would lead to gay marriage, Madore handed out a prepared statement. It said that Madore was “outraged” that Seavey, a Catholic priest, spoke at the forum urging people to vote no.

“If this kind of thing continues, the pot is going to boil,” Madore said. “Lay Catholics will be forced to become more vocal to uphold the true teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.”

The forum was sponsored by Maine Won’t Discriminate and the Maine Civil Liberties Union. Each of the panelists was giving his own opinions, not those of his profession, the moderator said as the forum began.