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NOM Tour Tracker: Day 1, Part 1 — Equality Maine steals NOM’s thunder
July 14, 2010
By Eden James
Hey everyone — on the heels of an overnight flight from California, our intrepid staffers on the ground in Maine have done a bang-up job compiling everything they could from today’s NOM “Summer of Marriage” tour stop kickoff in Augusta, including photos, video and their personal thoughts.
Unfortunately, we also encountered some tech snafus that delayed our first report. A great deal of footage was taken by Robert and Danny, and we’re still working through it, but we’re going to save some of that video footage for a subsequent post or two. Some really good stuff. Stay tuned.
Meanwhile, here’s a rundown of what happened today, from a few traditional media reports. In a separate post, we will bring you on-the-ground analysis from Danny Segura and Robert Oliver, plus some good pics from the event.
The big headline: Equality Maine stole NOM’s thunder today, holding a great event that may have — though there are varying estimates — attracted a larger attendance. Danny and Robert did a hand-count from the video footage and estimated that there were 102 people at the Equality Maine press conference and 76 people at the NOM rally. That is an amazing accomplishment for Equality Maine, given that NOM has been hyping this tour for weeks now and Equality Maine organized their event in response.
First, an AP report in the Bangor Daily News kicks off the the coverage from the heart of Maine:
AUGUSTA, Maine — Gay-marriage opponents who put hundreds of thousands of dollars into the successful effort to keep the practice out of Maine are taking their show on the road. The National Organization for Marriage kicked off its 23-city “One Man, One Woman” bus tour Wednesday in Maine, where voters last fall rejected a law that would have allowed same-sex couples to wed. About 100 people showed up at a rally at noon at Capitol Park, at which speakers said it’s important to defend traditional marriage. Earlier, about 80 people showed up at a separate rally in the nearby State House in support of legalizing gay marriage.
So, the Bangor Daily News flipped the crowd estimates between NOM and Equality Maine. But yet another source (Maine Watchdog) reported that there were 150 people at the Equality Maine event. Again, Danny and Robert’s 102-to-76 count was taken directly from video, so take that for what you will.
Meanwhile, Maine Watchdog focused a bit more on Equality Maine’s event, highlighting Governor John Baldacci’s appearance:
Governor Baldacci spoke approvingly of their efforts: “I’m so impressed with all of you. I know we came up a little bit short in the last election. But I think you did change a lot of minds and hearts.”
He galvanized the red sea of supporters: “I know what the future looks like, and I know that we’re going to have an opportunity to make sure that everybody will be able to enjoy marriage equally and without discrimination.”
Danny and Robert were able to capture Gov. Baldacci’s brief speech (excuse the baby crying in the background):
You can also see a brief clip of Gov. Baldacci’s speech as well as some comments from NOM Executive Director Brian Brown in this TV news report from WCSH6 in Portland, Maine.
More to come from Danny and Robert on the NOM rally and Equality Maine’s even more impressive rally in the next post…
Filed under: NOM Tour Tracker,Right-wing
Having technical problems? E-mail prop8trial AT couragecampaign DOT org for assistance!
57 Comments Leave a Comment
1.
Richard A. Walter (s | July 14, 2010 at 12:48 pm
Governor Baldacci shas shown that he has more sense than Brainless Brown.
2.
Sagesse | July 14, 2010 at 12:50 pm
Watch the WCSH 6 footage. The kids are beyond adorable.
3.
Richard W. Fitch | July 14, 2010 at 12:57 pm
Is the gov. expending political collateral -or- does he better represent the feelings of Maine?
4.
Richard A. Walter (s | July 14, 2010 at 1:01 pm
I think he better represents the feelings of the state of Maine. After all, there were more people in the marriage equality groups than in the other group.
5.
RJ | July 14, 2010 at 1:04 pm
Awesome, awesome news. I know now that their NH and RI receptions will be as equally testimonial. NOM is losing cred. They have gone off the deep end and are slowly becoming less viable. Let's hope they keep running out of gas… literally and figuratively.
6.
Kathleen | July 14, 2010 at 2:25 pm
Thanks for being there for us all!
7.
Owen | July 14, 2010 at 3:54 pm
Maine is close enough to 50-50 on SSM, and gay marriage is rarely an issue that weighs heavily on the minds of voters when it comes to politicians, especially in the northeast. I'd wager that he has very little to lose from any of this.
8.
Papa Foma | July 14, 2010 at 5:08 pm
El Matrimonio Gei Es Ley En Argentina!!!
Marriage Equality is Law in Argentina!!!
July 15 2010 4AM Argentina Time
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!FELICIDADES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
9.
Felyx | July 14, 2010 at 5:14 pm
Llorando yo! Que emocion!!!! Se aprobo eo proyecto con 33 a favor y 27 en contra!!!
El Matrimonio Gei Es Ley En Argentina!!!!!!!
Argentina is the first country in Latin America and in South America to grant full marriage rights to all couples! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Felicitaciones!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
10.
Felyx | July 14, 2010 at 5:19 pm
Ademas, I believe the law goes further than just marriage but allows true equality in regards to marriage, divorce and so importantly adopcion!!!!
iiiiiiiiiiiiiiLlorando, llorando!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Uniones Cibiles no son bastantes – CU's are not enough!
iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiArgentina Amaramos a Uds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We love you Argentina!!! Show is the way!!!!
11.
Felyx | July 14, 2010 at 5:44 pm
La gente del ArcoIris Rainbow People
The celebration in front of the Argentine Capitol is huge! Watching our Latin Rainbow Tribe brothers and sisters leaves me with tears welling up! What a day when we can celebrate so!!!! Argentina show us the way!
*********LIBERTAD * IGUALIDAD * FRATERNIDAD*********
Let us see NOM bus there way to Argentina!! What a victory. The Catholic Church is weeping and wailing in a valley of tears … our tears … tears of Joy! One comment was made that has me bawling … The Catholic Church may be a part of Argentina but Argentina is not a part of the Catholic Church!!!! DAMN!!! Are you listening NOM? This is what the will of the people sounds like! Cheering and Celebration for real marriage … the kind that stands on its own merits and needs NO DEFENSE!!!!
Congratulations Argentina! iiFelicitaciones!!
Felyx iFeliz en felicitaciones!
PS: I am listening to Miguel Angel Pichetto say that Gays getting married will not end the Catholic Church …. DAMN! One more lie from the Catholic Church!
Also PS: If a priests rapes a child it takes decades to defrock him but how long does it take to defrock a priest who speaks out in favor of Gays being allowed to marry?
…
Evidently 7 days!! What a farce!!!
iVIVA ARGENTINA! iVIVA IGUALIDAD! iVIVA EL ARCOIRIS!
12.
Franck | July 14, 2010 at 5:57 pm
Easy there, Felyx. We wouldn't want to tell Kirille how we lost you to a happiness-induced stroke!
This is indeed great news. Three countries voted for marriage equality in the last six months alone, two of them heavily Catholic (Iceland, Portugal, Argentina)
France and the United States, supposed homelands of democracy and human rights, why are you so late?
13.
Kathleen | July 14, 2010 at 6:01 pm
This really is great news. I will now go to sleep, knowing that when I wake tomorrow, it will be to a world with a bit more equality and justice in it than there was this morning.
Another win for equality!!!
14.
Straight Grandmother | July 14, 2010 at 7:26 pm
GREAT for every citizen in Argentina!! You know Canada did not slide into the ocean when they legalized same sex marriage, neither did the Netherlands. What great news to wake up to this morning.
15.
Shun | July 14, 2010 at 7:35 pm
Now we're slower than Argentina!? COME ON AMERICA!!!
I wish Obama would come out and defend same sex marriage like the president of Argentina did….
16.
Straight Grandmother | July 14, 2010 at 7:45 pm
Many thanks for this report Maine. As with anything there is always a period of getting the kinks out, thus the delay in getting us information back on the 2 different Ralleys (Rallies?). Because of the discrepency in the count of people showing up for each cause hopefully our Courage staff will seek out the press at every future event and share with them their counts. It is much better press for us if our crowds are bigger than their crowds so this is a very important point to have reported in the prress.
It was nice to see the governor address the pro equality supporters but this also resulted in us not seeing any pro-equality signs. The press loves to photograph signs and the NOM signs were photographed and distributed in the MSM but no Pro-Equality signs. Great idea to all wear red though, this made an impact.
I hope for overwhelming feet on the ground on our side as this tour continues.
It is greatly appreciated if the Courage Staff can get information on the Marriage Tour back on this website quicker. I know there was technical problems with this first one and no hard feelings. On an ongoing basis I know I would appreciate knowing right away after the event how it went, the numbers I am interested in the numbers.
Whoever is on the ground at the event can simply just call in on the phone to a Courage Staff member in California and give a high level summary, and this information can simply be added as a comment into the existing topic. It doesn't have to be all fancy smancy right away. In summary I would say I am looking for both speed and substance. Initally speed, followed up by indepth substance.
17.
Ķĭŗîļĺę& | July 14, 2010 at 8:45 pm
This is what happens when I don't get to talk to Felyx for a whole day — he goes nuts!
Wonderful news! They simply gathered and voted — and there you go, marriage equality!
Because everybody understands that we DO have a right to get married!
Мои сердечные поздравления Аргентине!
Когда-нибудь это случится по всему миру!
Ура! Ура! Ура!
18.
Ķĭŗîļĺę& | July 14, 2010 at 9:26 pm
Ugh, this freak Brown!
— this is essentially his rhetoric: the courts are there to impose on our rights, to limit our freedom to be hateful bigots. How about thinking with your head for a change? Judges are not granting same-sex marriage because they want to! They look at the law, at the Constitution, at the spirit of the law, at the values of liberty and equality, and everywhere they see there is no reason to forbid loving people of the same gender to get married, au contraire, it harms them, their well-being, their love, their families, their children. These are the facts that science came up with! And what does the other side have? “We got Nuthin’! Nuthin’ but the old book written God know when by God knows whom for God knows what purpose and with God knows what intentions! But we believe it more than anything we see with our own eyes!” — 21st century… the land of the Free… the country of scientific progress, liberties and freedom for all… Yeaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh… I see…
19.
Rhonda | July 14, 2010 at 9:38 pm
I noticed the nOm Blog is strangely quiet about this vote. It has two articles re: Argentina Marriage vote before the vote, nothing after. How will they spin this one?
<3 Rhonda
20.
Ķĭŗîļĺę& | July 14, 2010 at 9:45 pm
@Rhonda
It's obvious how gNOMe will spin it: the will of the people was ignored (70% in polls for marriage equality doesn't count). Dirty politicians voted for gay marriage because they've made a deal with the Devil in exchange for 70 years of harvesting crops with no problems caused by tornadoes and whatnot from Atlantic Ocean. Makes sense to me, how about you?
21.
Rhonda | July 14, 2010 at 10:03 pm
http://www.holybulliesandheadlessmonsters.blogspo…
Alvin McEwen
Posted: July 14, 2010 09:27 PM
National Organization for Marriage: Gays were never hunted down and murdered like 'Jews, Christians, and Blacks'
What's up with the National Organization for Marriage (NOM)?
Not too many people are noticing this, but that organization, started to supposedly "protect marriage" from us so-called evil lgbts, seems to be going off the deep end in terms of rhetoric.
When it began, NOM cleverly played up the "we are unfairly being called bigots because we simply want to protect marriage" meme. And that was because of the savvy of its founder, Maggie Gallagher.
But now with Gallagher handing the reins of the group to Brian Brown, the organization has abandoned all pretenses of martyrdom and is headed straight for crazy-talk territory.
This was evident when it joined forces in its "Summer for Marriage" tour with one Louis J. Marinelli III, a man who not only cites the discredited work of Paul Cameron, but is also very vocal in the belief that gays want to cause all sorts of mischief from molesting children to creating polygamous relationships.
And if that's not bad enough, from the administrator of NOM's facebook page comes this little "gem:"
(Gays and lesbians) are not being repressed, discriminated against. There is no and never has ever been a homosexual man hunt for them. Jews, Christians, and Blacks were hunted down and murdered. Homosexuals have nothing in common with the three.
Now I could go into a history of the persecution of the lgbt community in places like Nazi Germany or talk about Sakia Gunn, Michael Sandy, or even Matthew Shepard (whose murder was not soley about a robbery no matter what the right says), or the countless number of lgbts who have lost their lives due to hate but what's the point?
Sometimes people say things so wildly inaccurate that any comment you want to make is unnecessary.
The statement by NOM is beyond the pale and it further proves what many lgbts know about that group. NOM is not interested in defending marriage. It's only interested in bashing lgbts, but not by physical attacks.
NOM seeks to psychologically bash us.
First the organization tells us that we are not worthy of marriage; that we have no ability to love and raise children; that we are undeserving of anything except for what folks like them feel that they want to give us.
And now with that statement, NOM seeks to rewrite history in a way that eliminates our past struggles for equality in the same manner that the group is also trying to eliminate our potential future happiness.
I think a question by web site Box Turtle Bulletin about the statement on NOM's facebook page says it all:
Are they completely delusional?
Sadly, I think the answer is yes.
Hat tip to Box Turtle Bulletin.
22.
Rhonda | July 14, 2010 at 10:05 pm
@Kirille You are probably correct. Or they could say that the Devil is in Argentina and is corrupting all the innocents.
23.
Dave in Maine | July 14, 2010 at 10:05 pm
Thanks for the update, Eden!
First-yes, that baby was sometimes louder than the governor!!!
There seems to be quite a range of attendance numbers-
Courage Campaign: 102 EqMe, 76 NOM.
WLBZ: ~50 NOM.
MPBN: ~80 EqMe, ~100 NOM.
Bangor Daily News: ~100 EqMe, +100 NOM.
I emailed the writer of the MPBN story to see what he knows about this discrepancy.
I've got the pics uploaded to my Flickr site as well as two clips from the WLBZ news report that covered the events. You can find me on Flickr as MaineDave (or on my wordpress blog wp.me/ps3UO-3s).
On that blog is also the link to todays Bangor Daily News story. What happened yesterday was a rally, as Eden stated, planned way ahead of time by NOM and a press conference only arranged last week by EqMe. What we see in the paper is a BIG picture of my friend, Bev, who is the pregnant (with twins!) business leader who spoke. The photo is mostly above the fold in the "State" section and clearly is the focal point. There is a smaller photo of the Mystery Machine below.
Inside the paper, on page 4, is a larger photo of Mr. Brown ranting on and a smaller photo of Carla Hopkins, who also spoke, and her partner Virginia Eleftheriou and their son Eli. It is with great horror this morning that I see that I have the same haircut as Mr. Brown, complete with unruly cowlick. I think I need to change my haarstyle.
The court battle between NOM and the Maine Ethics Commission is mentioned as is the "activist judges."
Apparently, Charla Bansley, the woman who appeared as a teacher in a Yes on 1 commercial here was at the NOM rally, too. She appeared in a commercial that is identical to the one that was aired in California detailing the horrors that happened to Joseph and Robin Wirthlin, a Massachusetts couple who's son was "taught" gay marriage. Although we are led to think that she is an average teacher in a public school, she is, in fact a teacher at a private religious school and is the Maine state director of Concerned Women for America, a group that brings "Biblical principles into all levels of public policy" (from their website).
I think, that even though the main event was the NOM rally, the paper (which has always been supportive of us) covered both events very well.
I look forward to reading Robert and Danny's report!
Dave in Maine
24.
Rhonda | July 14, 2010 at 10:08 pm
Nice report, Dave. Thanks
<3 Rhonda
25.
Dave in Maine | July 14, 2010 at 10:18 pm
Thanks, Rhonda!
Dave
26.
Sagesse | July 14, 2010 at 10:46 pm
Dave, comments are disabled on the Bangor Daily News story you linked to, but there are 235 comments on an earlier story it links to. The ones I looked at seem very sane…. and Maine-like.
http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/148467.html
27.
Sagesse | July 14, 2010 at 10:56 pm
Excellent!! They debated all day into the wee hours of the morning to get this done.
28.
Sagesse | July 14, 2010 at 11:38 pm
Don't know how to put this into words. The visuals of the two gatherings speak volumes.
The EqMe press conference crowd look organized, respectable and respectful, and young. There are families present. The colour co-ordinated red, literally standing behind the speakers is impressive…. kudos to whoever picked the venue. Everyone was involved without saying a word.
The NOM group looked like a Tea Party rally, except they were quiet. Older, with signs, there to talk about family, but with no children around. The speakers all preached in their pulpit voices.
And the little girl crying when the governor was speaking was just being a little girl. Brian Brown haranguing and whining… well, he was just being Brian Brown.
29.
Rhonda | July 14, 2010 at 11:51 pm
NOM’s double standard on public exposure
Timothy Kincaid
July 13th, 2010
NOM's Bus of Animus
Maggie and crew over at the National Organization for Marriage were furious when the courts ruled that Washington State was not incorrect in wanting to release the names of the signatories on public referenda. She was aghast that the courts did not shroud the identity of those who wanted to testify in favor of Proposition 8. And she was apoplectic when the Maine courts told her that she could not keep secret the identity of those who funded the campaign to block marriage equality in that state.
They Could Be in DANGER! They might lose business or have people say mean things to them if the public came to know that these individuals sponsored anti-gay discrimination!
But it seems that NOM’s concern for privacy and secrecy extends only to those who agree with them. When it comes to those who oppose NOM’s agenda, all concerns for privacy, security, or “participating in the democratic process” no longer matter.
This week, activist Louis Marinelli and NOM President Brian Brown are traveling about in a big Protect Marriage bus and a little Protect Marriage van, seeking to encourage and rally those who are dedicated to keeping you, your family, and your rights inferior to their own. And here is what NOM had to say on Thursday:
Yesterday, a handful of teenagers packed into a small white car beside the NOM van at a red light took notice of the van’s exterior design which reads “Protecting Marriage Between One Man and One Woman”.
“Hey, you guys are against gay marriage!” one girl yelled out, calling the NOM van to the attention of her friends, who proceeded to yell out vulgarities and show their middle fingers to us. Then they got camera shy when Louis started taking photos of them from inside the van. The girl in the front passenger side tried to cover her face.
Real courageous group.
This was accompanied by a photograph of the car and its passengers. I’ll not include it here.
http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/
Two-faced hate-mongers
<3 Rhonda
30.
Rhonda | July 15, 2010 at 12:00 am
Brown shows his brainless-ness in the video showing a part of his speech. He said (not verbatim, but close), "they say we have the right to believe what we want in the privacy of our homes, and in our churches, but if we act on it, we are bigots."
Well….. yes. I can wish that a 1000 fleas inhabit your armpits, but if I toss the fleas at you, I would be assaulting you.
31.
Alan E. | July 15, 2010 at 12:03 am
Is this the same Danny that worked on the "Equality on Trial" skits, tall & skinny? If so, tell him I say hi!
32.
Sagesse | July 15, 2010 at 12:12 am
From Box Turtle Bulletin, about NOM's journey of desperation.
NOM goes completely wackadoodle
http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2010/07/13/24286
The picture of Maggie is a gem.
33.
Sagesse | July 15, 2010 at 12:24 am
Rachel Maddow 'Voiceover Theatre' of the DADT Comic Book (see if this embed works….)
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
34.
Sagesse | July 15, 2010 at 12:27 am
Rachel Maddow ‘Voiceover Theatre’ of the DADT Comic Book
http://advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/07/15/Ma…
Embed fail, stuck in moderation.
35.
sneaks911 | July 15, 2010 at 12:38 am
ignore
36.
Felyx | July 15, 2010 at 1:12 am
My dogs have donated nearly 25 fleas apiece and one of the cats is giving about a dozen….where do we need to send them?
Felyx
37.
Felyx | July 15, 2010 at 1:15 am
Happiness-induced stroking?
I should be so lucky!!!
Felyx
38.
Felyx | July 15, 2010 at 1:18 am
"And the little girl crying when the governor was speaking was just being a little girl. Brian Brown haranguing and whining… well, he was just being Brian Brown."
Don't you mean to say…
"And the little girl crying when the governor was speaking was just being a little girl. Brian Brown haranguing and whining… well, he was just being A LITTLE GIRL!"
(Maybe not…too insulting to little girls!)
39.
Felyx | July 15, 2010 at 1:30 am
From http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2010/07/13/24286 …
Yes, NOM has decided it’s time to attach its bus to the wackadoodle train… and I marvel at that decision. Frankly, I thought Maggie was smarter than that.
She is smarter than that. LDS is running out of heavy funding for NOM. Maggie stepped down from the presidency and pawned it of on Brown-hole so that she wouldn't have to go down with the ship. In return, she gets some sort of severance, a new van and an all expense paid tour around the country to do what she likes to do.
Now tell me any of you wouldn't like to take a tour around the country to do what you like to do?! Maggie's not an idiot…she knows how to milk the system.
Don't pity the fool!
40.
sneaks911 | July 15, 2010 at 1:37 am
Victory for Gay Marriage in DC
By Advocate.com Editors
DC MARRIAGE X390 (DC AGENDA) | ADVOCATE.COM
Marriage equality foes were dealt a blow Thursday morning — the DC Court of Appeals ruled against allowing an initiative on the ballot to invalidate same-sex marriages entered into in the District.
Gay marriage foes — led by antigay Bishop Harry Jackson of Maryland and groups including the National Organization for Marriage — were attempting to get Prop. 8-like initiative on the ballot in DC.
The Court of Appeals ruled 5-4 that the proposed initiative would permit discrimination against gays and lesbians in the District, which is prohibited by the DC Human Rights Act.
“The court’s ruling today is a significant victory for justice, the rule of law and the protection of all D.C. residents against discrimination,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “It’s time for the National Organization for Marriage to realize equality is here to stay no matter how much money they want to throw at turning back the clock.”
The District began issuing marriage licenses in March. Subsequent congressional attempts to block the law failed.
http://advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/07/15/Vi…
41.
Sagesse | July 15, 2010 at 3:23 am
Kinda deflates NOM's big Tour finale in DC
. Sorry, shameless attack of schadenfreude.
42.
Kathleen | July 15, 2010 at 6:32 am
If I recall correctly, when Maggie stepped down as president, she made some kind of statement about the organization wanting to move in a new direction … or something like that. Is it possible that what we saw was a split within the organization about the wisdom of abandoning its "we're only protecting marriage" message to become an overt hate group?
43.
fiona64 | July 15, 2010 at 6:38 am
That seems to be the case from where I sit.
44.
Dave in Maine | July 15, 2010 at 6:46 am
Hi, Sagesse-
The past year and a half since this has been in the news here in Maine, the Bangor Daily News comments section have been filled with hateful people, with a core group of about 5 posting the most hateful and deceitful comments. Lately I don't bother reading them and even the core 5 or so supporters isn't enough to entice me.
Just like attending the NOM rally, engaging these people accomplished nothing but high stress levels.
I'm glad the comments you read were sane, but I assure you that is an anomaly. (Or maybe I'm much too sensitive these days?)
Dave in Maine
45.
Dave in Maine | July 15, 2010 at 6:48 am
I just watched the clip in this posting. If the camera holder had aimed just a little higher, you would have seen me, too! I was near the top of the steps-I should have been closer to the bottom where I could have waved at all of you!
Dave
46.
Dave in Maine | July 15, 2010 at 6:52 am
Yeah, that's really cool. I guess we'll be getting more hysterical emails from BB soon about the activist judges.
Speaking of activist judges (and a LITTLE bit of a digression), I read that the new law in Nebraska that requires a mental screening of women who want to have an abortion has been blocked by a federal judge pending the outcome of a lawsuit that is challenging it. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/14/nebraska-abortion-screeni_n_646155.html)
Dave
47.
JonT | July 15, 2010 at 6:56 am
Huh, you may be right. I was always curious as to why she decided she 'wanted to work in the background'. I thought it was just the negative attention, but perhaps not.
Maybe the haters on their board won the argument.
48.
Kathleen | July 15, 2010 at 6:56 am
Dave, thank you so much for all the reports and photos and doing such a great job of helping us find the news coverage. I hope we have such a fantastic advocate as a local liaison on each of the tour's stops.
Just wanted to make sure you know how much I appreciate all the effort you put into this – and with such short notice!!!
And, of course, kudos to ALL the individuals and families who showed up to represent!
49.
Kathleen | July 15, 2010 at 7:03 am
I caught that, too, Rhonda. My reaction was a rather inarticulate, "well, duh!"
50.
Straight Grandmother | July 15, 2010 at 7:16 am
Thank YOU Dave in Maine for being there. Just thanks…
51.
Straight Grandmother | July 15, 2010 at 7:19 am
Rhonda, I really enjoy reading your posts when you are on fire. I respect and appreciate your indignation.
52.
Straight Grandmother | July 15, 2010 at 7:26 am
Good in fact GREAT!!! I was not aware of that and it is really important to me as our son married his husband just this past April in DC. As happy as I am for my son, and I am sincerely and deeply happy for him, my heart remains sad for my daughter becuase the mean state of Virginia offers her nothing, not a crumb of equality.
53. NOM Tour Tracker: Brian B&hellip | July 15, 2010 at 4:31 pm
[...] course, what Brown fails to acknowledge is that Equality Maine was able to generate a higher turnout in Augusta yesterday than NOM did after weeks of NOM hyping the event to their followers. As we [...]
54. NOM Tour Tracker: “&hellip | July 15, 2010 at 7:07 pm
[...] And while the marriage equality movement didn’t outnumber NOM’s turnout today like we did yesterday, equality activists in Manchester were able to make their presence known in a way that spoke [...]
55. Do you see my love?: A be&hellip | July 17, 2010 at 12:47 pm
[...] to NOM actually attracted more people to their event than NOM’s kickoff event on Wednesday (102 to 76 by our hand-count). Then the New Hampshire counter-rally organizers held a brilliant “silent witness” [...]
56. Irregular Times » B&hellip | July 17, 2010 at 3:10 pm
[...] The National Organization for Marriage kicked off its anti-gay bus tour against marriage equality in Augusta, Maine three days ago — and was outnumbered by people showing up to show their support for marriage equality. [...]
57.
Ronnie | November 6, 2010 at 8:16 am
catching up on buried threads…that comic book was hilarious…maybe I will make a comic book on how to not enforce DADT…lol…..<3…Ronnie
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