Gay Marriage Backers Say Fight Not Over in Maine

Defeated advocates say they'll find new strategy
By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 4, 2009 2:16 PM CST
Gay Marriage Backers Say Fight Not Over in Maine
Two people argue their differences regarding same-sex marriage in front of City Hall, in Portland, Maine, on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009, a day after voters rejected the gay marriage law.   (AP Photo/Pat Wellenbach)

Gay rights activists in Maine vowed to continue fighting today, after voters repealed a law making same-sex marriage legal in the state. “Here we are in a civil rights struggle,” said the executive director of Equality Maine. “What do we do in a civil rights struggle? We pick ourselves up and we stay the course.” For now, however that course is murky. Activists said they would come up with a new strategy, reports the Boston Globe.

“Are we disappointed? Yes, we’re disappointed,” the top "No on 1" organizer told a crowd of about 100 supporters outside Portland's city hall. “This is personal.” One woman showed up with a sign to protest the gathering, saying the gay community should drop its efforts. “I feel very strongly about redefining the institution of marriage,” she said. “We can be equal without being the same.” (More gay marriage stories.)

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