Earlier this year the Maine Senate and House of Representatives passed and Governor Angus King signed an amendment to the Maine Human Rights Law that bans discrimination based on sexual orientation in jobs, housing, accommodations and credit. Every state in New England has already enacted these protections: Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont and Maine.

The law does not grant any "Special gay rights;" it only makes discrimination illegal. Maine's Human Rights Act has for over thirty years extended these same protections to people who have suffered discrimination because of their race, religion, nationality, age, sex, disability or family status.

Citizens of Maine need to know that this law does not grant any "special rights." No matter what its opponents claim, it won't guarantee anyone a job, an apartment or a loan. Southern segregationists were the first to use the "special rights" claim against African-Americans in the civil rights movement of the early 1960s. It was no more true then than it is now. Maine people are not in favor of this or any kind of discrimination; all they need is the truth.

To that end we have initiated a campaign where any of us can solicit friends, neighbors . . . anyone and everyone . . . to sign a pledge not to sign the repeal petitions being circulated. Here are some documents for you to use:

Chose Rich Text Format (.rtf) if nothing matches your word processor better.

In a perfect world, a simple click will download the file and open the right word processor. If you just get a screen full of garbage, hold down the SHIFT key and Click to Download these.

The Pledge form: Should look like this	MS WORD 6.0 (WIN) MS WORD 4.0 (Mac) WordPerfect 5.1 (DOS) MS WORKS 4.0 (WIN) Rich Text Format (ALL)
The Bill as enacted - One page long. No "Special Rights" just civil rights. Makes a great handout. Should look like this (small sample)	MS WORD 6.0 (WIN) MS WORD 4.0 (Mac) WordPerfect 5.1 (DOS) MS WORKS 3.0 (WIN) Rich Text Format (ALL)

Campaign contacts: click to send email

David Garrity Paula Stockholm Michael Rossetti All three. (Please use sparingly)