Main Governor Baldacci has signed LD 1020 granting marriage equality to all Maine citizens. From the Bangor Daily News:

[Governor] Baldacci made his announcement within an hour of the Maine Senate giving its final approval to LD 1020. The Senate voted 21-13 in favor of the measure after a short debate.

The House of Representatives gave its approval on a 89-57 vote Tuesday.

The proposal would make Maine the fifth state to allow gay marriage.

The following statement was released after Baldacci signed the bill:

“I have followed closely the debate on this issue. I have listened to both sides, as they have presented their arguments during the public hearing and on the floor of the Maine Senate and the House of Representatives. I have read many of the notes and letters sent to my office, and I have weighed my decision carefully,” Governor Baldacci said. “I did not come to this decision lightly or in haste.”

“I appreciate the tone brought to this debate by both sides of the issue,” Governor Baldacci said. “This is an emotional issue that touches deeply many of our most important ideals and traditions. There are good, earnest and honest people on both sides of the question.”

“In the past, I opposed gay marriage while supporting the idea of civil unions,” Governor Baldacci said. “I have come to believe that this is a question of fairness and of equal protection under the law, and that a civil union is not equal to civil marriage.”

“Article I in the Maine Constitution states that ‘no person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law, nor be denied the equal protection of the laws, nor be denied the enjoyment of that person’s civil rights or be discriminated against.’”

“This new law does not force any religion to recognize a marriage that falls outside of its beliefs. It does not require the church to perform any ceremony with which it disagrees. Instead, it reaffirms the separation of Church and State,” Governor Baldacci said.

“It guarantees that Maine citizens will be treated equally under Maine’s civil marriage laws, and that is the responsibility of government.”

“Even as I sign this important legislation into law, I recognize that this may not be the final word,” Governor Baldacci said. “Just as the Maine Constitution demands that all people are treated equally under the law, it also guarantees that the ultimate political power in the State belongs to the people.”

“While the good and just people of Maine may determine this issue, my responsibility is to uphold the Constitution and do, as best as possible, what is right. I believe that signing this legislation is the right thing to do,” Governor Baldacci said.

Welcome to the party Maine! Come on California… we’re next!

The Maine House of Representatives has voted to grant same-sex couples the right to marry by a vote of 89-58. Last week the Maine Senate voted 21-14 for same-sex marriage as well.

A recent poll shows Maine voters are evenly split on the issue. And, while it remains unclear if Governor Baldacci would sign the bill  should it reach his desk, he has suggested recently that he would favor the legislation.

In a final vote by a margin of 12-1, the lone dissenting vote cast by former D.C. Mayor Marion Barry, the city council has voted to recognize same-sex marriages preformed in other states.

This was the second vote of the morning. The first vote was a unanimous 13-0 until Barry realized what he had voted for and wanted a do-over.

If Congress fails to overturn the vote within 30 days, council member David Catania will introduce a separate bill legalizing same-sex marriage in the district later this year.

More on the vote at the Washington Post.

Over at OneNewsNow.com, our favorite homophobe Peter LaBarbera drops some pearls of wisdom on the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA), viewing it as yet another attempt to grant special rights to homosexuals. If only UAFA had a “reverse” provision to ship folks like him OUT of the country.

“We don’t need to start providing government benefits and special treatment to relationships based on homosexuality, which many people regard as a sin,” says LaBarbera. “I think this is an egregious example of special rights for homosexuals.”

The pro-family activist contends that homosexuals and their supporters are using this case to push for the passage of the Uniting American Families Act (H.R. 1024), which would give homosexual Americans the right to sponsor foreign-born partners for residency.

“This is a ridiculous piece of legislation,” exclaims LaBarbera. “Americans are already concerned over illegal immigration. I don’t think most Americans want to give incentives to bring more homosexual activists into the country, which is what this case embodies.”

I’m all for yanking soap boxes out from under homophobes and bigots, denying them the  attention they so desparately crave. Many suggested I should have done that instead of posting Joe the Plumber’s outrageous but totally in-character quote yesterday… But I think in some cases, letting these outrageous statements run wild in the media/blog echo chamber marginalizes these creatures further.

And that’s a good thing.