News from Maine . . . August 1, 1994

        Concerned Maine Families (CMF) has announced to the press that
        it has collected enough signatures to put its anti-gay,
        anti-everyone measure on our 1995 ballot. (Exact wording in
        usa/maine/maine.referendum.wording)

        As much as we like to dismiss this Colorado-style radical right
        group as a fringe element of Maine's population, we must
        remember the 70%-30% trouncing gay rights received in Lewiston,
        Maine in 1993. *We could lose*

        We expect that CMF will deliver it's signatures to the Attorney
        General around August 15, 1994. The AG will probably do a
        criminal investigation to examine the collection process - a
        reflection on a prior petition drive, not CMF.

        Then we - Equal Protection Maine - will initiate a signature
        challenge -- probably in September or October, 1994. As
        volunteer coordinator, I have been delighted with the numbers of
        gay and gay-friendly people who are chomping at the bit to get
        involved in this.

        Equal Protection Maine still needs LOTS of people with any
        amount of time to offer in Portland and Augusta. (Contact me)

        We also very much need financial support to the tune of
        $2 million to wage a statewide campaign, hire the professionals
        and all the other necessary things. (Gawd, we'd be grateful for
        your contribution!)

        The fine print: Equal Protection Maine is a PAC. Contributions
        are not tax deductible. Cumulative contributions of $50 or more
        must be reported to the Secretary of State.

        The fun part: Maybe consider a vacation in Maine next year, too.
        It's just north of the traffic noise and the urban sprawl.
        Join us!

        Equal Protection Maine              Paula Stockholm
        PO Box 8124                         paula@nlbbs.com
        Portland, ME 04104