Protect the Everglades of the North - Final Outcome

Yesterday, it was announced that over 700 acres of the 1,000 acre proposed site will be sold to the state to become a permanent part of the Blackwater Wildlife Refuge. We're assured (ahem) that the announcement's timing has nothing to do with today's election.

The Critical Bay Commission nixed the hotel, convention center, retail center, and golf course but did allow the 2,700 homes since they were far back from the Little Black River. With the crux of the project (read, moneymaker) axed, the developer decided to negotiate the sale with the state and settled for building a654 homes, instead, that will mostly cater to the elderly.

The developer will still get 10.4 million for that 700 acres, though. I wonder if he will take some of his profit from the sale and donate it to the refuge he threatened to destroy.

Probably not. Stay tuned. I'll see what I can find out.

Protect the Everglades of the North - Governor's & Gubantorial Candidate Letters

Here are the next two sample letters. As usual, they are presented as guidelines to help you get started on your own letter; however, feel free to use them ver batim if you feel uncomfortable writing your own.

Both these letters are important ones. The letter to Governor Ehrlich urges him to intervene in the project on behalf of the state. The letter Mayor Martin O'Malley subtlely encourages him to take a public stand on the project forcing it into a campaign issue. That may add pressure to Governor Ehrlich to intervene.

As a reminder, in order of most impressiveness on elected officials:

• Snail mail followed by phone call
• Snail mail
• Phone call
• Email

Any method you decide to use will be a great help.

Governor Ehrlich:

Contact:

Office of the Governor
The Honorable Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr.
State HouseAnnapolis, Maryland

21401-1925410.974.3901 (PH)
410.974.3275(Fax)
Toll Free 1.800.811.8336
TDD 410.333.3098
MD Relay 1.800.735.2258

webmail: http://www.gov.state.md.us/mail/

Dear Governor Ehrlich,

I am writing you with regards to the proposed Blackwater resort project tentatively approved by the Dorchester County and City of Cambridge commisioners. I urge you to intervene on behalf of the hundreds of thousands of Marylanders who, directly or indirectly, depend on the Chesapeake Bay for their livilihood.

The proposed project will butress the Blackwater Wildlife Refuge. Managers of the refuge have expressed their concern that the project will put the habitat and surrounding marshlands in jeopardy. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation has publically declared its firm opposition to the development. A full 73% of the voting residents of Dorchester County oppose the project.

All share the fear that the 1,000 acre project, over three hundred of which cut through critical bay habitat, will seriously damage, if not destroy, the refuge and surrounding marshlands. Damage to the wetlands will have a ripple effect far beyond the Dorchester County line. Being an important nursery for the fish and crabs of the Chesapeake Bay, fishermen and crabbers up and down the Bay will feel the crunch in lower catches and businesses dependent on the seafood harvests - both commercial and tourist orientated - will feel the pinch in higher prices or in a search for better fishing grounds outside of the Bay.

While I do appreciate the local governments' desire to spurn economic growth in their communities, the laws governing critical bay habitat development shouldn't be broken just to make a fast buck today. People come to the marshlands to enjoy its natural beauty. If the resort being built to accomodate these people end up destroying the marshlands, they will stop coming. All the jobs and revenue createdby the project will dry up tomorrow and hundreds of thousands of Marylanders up and down the Bay and in Dorchester County will pay a heavy price for the bad decisions being made today.

I urge you to step in and encourage the Dorchester County and City of Cambridge commissoners to reconsider the project. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation has offered a good solution: move the project closer to the heart of Cambridge to revitalize depressed sections of the city and designate the 1,000 acres of the proposed site as a buffer zone between the delicate wetlands and the future growth of Cambridge.

This sounds like a solid and smart plan to follow.

Sincerely,

[Your name here]

Mayor Martin O'Malley:

Contact:

Campaign Headquarters
2400 Boston Street
Suite 203
Baltimore, MD 21224

Phone: 410-814-4206
Fax: 410-814-4218

email: email: campaign@martinomalley.com

Dear Mayor Martin O'Malley,

As a leading gubanatorial candidate, I would like to know your stand on the proposed Blackwater resort project tentatively approved by the Dorchester County and City of Cambridge commisioners. Unfortunately, if the project goes through as planned, groundbreaking will begin in October, a month before the election, but your stand on this project will give me and Maryland voters a good idea where you might stand on any future development plans along the Chesapeake Bay.

The resort project may not be an election year hot topic, but it is extremely important to the 73% of voters in Dorchester County who oppose it and to the tens of thousands of Marylanders who have already signed the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's petition urging Governor Ehrlich to intervene on behalf of the state.

Hundreds of thousands of Marylanders depend on the Bay, either directly or indirectly, for their livlihood. They are keenly sensitive to any issues that may threaten their way of life such as destruction or damage to major wetlands that the Blackwater resort may cause. I know I, and many other Marylanders, eagerly await your public stand on the Blackwater project and the future of the Chesapeake Bay.

Sincerely,

[Your name here]

Protect "The Everglades of the North" - Commisioners' Sample Letters

As part of the ongoing effort to protect the Blackwater Wildlife Refuge and the surrounding marshlands, below is a sample letter to use if you decide to write the Mayor of Cambridge and the Cambridge and County commissioners - all who have supported the resort project.

A few formalities first.

1. The sample letter below is a guidline to help you get started on your own. However, you may feel free to use it ver batim especially if you're uncomfortable writing your own.
2. In order of most impressiveness on elected officials:
   -Snail mail followed by phone call
   -Snail mail
   -Phone call
   -Email
3. Proper envelope addressing will be "The Honorable" for mayor and "Commisioner" for city and county commisioners.

Contacts

City of Cambridge and Cambridge Mayor:

Mayor Cleveland L. Rippons

Commisioners Kenneth P. Knox, Donald Sydnor, La-Shon M. Brooks, Gilbert (Gil) Cephas, Walter Lee Travers

[Elected official's full name]
City Hall
307 Gay Street
P.O. Box 255
Cambridge, MD 21613

Phone:
410-228-4020
410-228-4554 (Fax)
1-800-735-2258 (TTY)

Email:
info@ci.cambridge.md.us

County Commisioners:

Glenn L. BrambleWork:
(410) 228-5272
E-Mail: gbramble@docogonet.com

Effie M. Elzey
Home: (410) 228-8736 (Please note that the home phone is publically listed on the Dorchester County Government's official website.)

E-Mail: effie@shorecable.com
E-Mail: eelzey@council.docogonet.com

William V. Nichols
Home: (410) 221-1371 (Please note that the home phone is publically listed on the Dorchester County Government's official website.)

E-Mail: mailto:wnichols@docogonet.com

David Yockey
Work: (410) 943-4025

E-Mail: dyockey@docogonet.com
dyockey@comcast.net

Ricky Travers

Work: 410-228-4313
Home: 410-228-1532 (Please note that the home phone is publically listed on the Dorchester County Government's official website.)

E-Mail: travers@fastol.com

Jane Baynard
Work: 410-228-1700
Fax: 410-228-9641

E-Mail: jbaynard@docogonet.com

Address for all:

Commisioner [full name]
County Council of Dorchester County
County Office Building
P.O. Box 26
Cambridge, Maryland 21613
(410) 228-1700

Sample Letter:

Dear Mr. (Ms.) [mayor's or commisioners' full name here]:

I am writing you with regards to the proposed Blackwater resort project. While I do recognize your sincere desire to spurn economic growth in Cambridge and Dorchester County, I believe the site location for the proposed project will do more harm than good in the long run.

I urge you to seriously consider the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's reccomendation to move the proposed resort closer to the heart of Cambridge or another suitable location already approved for development and designate the present 1,000 acre site as a buffer zone between Cambridge's future growth and the wetlands encompassing and surrounding the Blackwater Wildlife Refuge.

Since 1938, over 8,000 acres of marshland has laready been lost primarily due to natural causes. Despite the best efforts of the Blackwater Wildlife Refuge managers, Army Corps of engineers, and the Baltimore National Aquarium, the marsh still looses about 130 acres per year primarily from rising sea levels due to global warming and wave action from the increased area of open water. In fact, the U.S. Geological Survey ran a conservative model of the refuge showing a good portion of it will be under water within the next forty-five years. Despite the best efforts of many organizations trying to save the drowning marsh, rising sea levels can't be stopped. Hopefully, the marshlands will have time to adjust by slowly moving inland as the water levels rise.

Placing a resort on the edge of the refuge and allowing it to cut into over three hundred acres of designated critical bay areas will surely speed up the demise of the Blackwater Wildlife Refuge and the surrounding marshlands. Storm runoff will inundate the marsh with pollutants from paved surfaces; and fertilizers, insecticides, and herbicides from homoeowners lawns and the golf course. The greater increase in the freshwater flow into the marsh will surely alter the salinity levels. All this can only spell disaster for the fragile ecosystem.

And even if the above scenario fails to play out as the experts fear, the marsh will have nowhere to move inland as the sea levels rise. The resort will be in the way.

The big attraction for building the resort is the refuge and marshlands. That is what people will come to see and enjoy. While the short-term spurt in economic growth may be an economic boon for a few years, once the marsh disappears so will all the people who come to enjoy it. The harmful effects won't stop at he county line, either. The death of the marshlands will have a ripple effect up and down the Chesapeake Bay's shores and will be felt by the hundreds of thousands of Marylanders - if not more - who depend, directly or indirectly, on the Bay for their livilihood.

The Blackwater Wildlife Refuge and surrounding marshlands are one of Cambridge's and Dorchester County's greatest and most valuable asset. Planned growth to benefit the citizens should be made around protecting this asset for today's and tomorrow's generations.

Sincerely,

[Your name here]

Protect "The Everglades of the North" - Update

In my previous post, point one directs you to an online petition. If you notice, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation provides a printable version for people to circulate in their communities and return to them by 23 Jun.

I just received an email from Mr. Terry Cummings of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation confirming that the deadline has been extended to 21 Jul! He stated that because of an unexpected large response to new signatures, they extended the deadline.

So please, sign the online petition and if you are inclined, gather signatures and mail the petition to the Foundation.

Protect "The Everglades of the North" - Intro

The Blackwater Wildlife refuge, a 27,000 acre refuge of marshland for the threatened bald eagle and endangered Delmarva fox squirrel, is under attack. Designated a critical wetlands area, the marshes provide important habitat for over 250 species of birds, is a major wintering route under the Atlantic flyway (the main route taken by many migratory birds), is home to the largest colony of nesting bald eagles in the 48 states except for Florida, and acts as a major nursery for much of the Chesapeake Bay life - seafood many watermen up and down the Bay depend on for their livilihood. It has earned the nickname of "The Everglades of the North" because of its size and variety of wildlife.

Since 1938, over 8,000 acres of marshland has been lost at the rate of about 130 acres per year. Once recognizable channels and ponds are now submerged. A US Geological Survey study predicts that by 2050, most of the marshland will be open water. In effect, the marshland is drowning.

The largest contribitors to the marsh's decline has been the introduction of nutria, a South American rodent broght to the marshes to boost the fur trade, rising sea levels that alter the salinity of the marsh, and an increase in wave energy produced from the ever-expanding open water.

While the managers of the wetlands work with Baltimore's National Aquarium and the Army Corps of Engineers to restore the marsh, a new threat looms on the horizon. A developer has won approval to build an 800 acre resort comprising of 2,700 homes, a 100-room hotel, a conference center, a retail center, and a golf course next to the refuge. Three hundred thirteen of the acres will cut through the designated critical habitat of the wetlands. Normally, that means very strict building guidelines need to be followed in critical areas. For example, new homes must be separated by 20 acres of land; every tree a property owner cuts down must be replaced with a new tree; vegetation destroyed for other than maintence of an existing lawn must be replaced in certain percentages elsewhere on the property. These laws are waived for the developer of the Blackwater resort.

To date, no environmental impact study has been completed. Mangers of the Blackwater Wildlife Refuge, however, have expressed their concern. The project is only hundreds of feet away from the Little Black River, which feeds directly into the wildlife refuge. They estimated the project would add 12-13% more impervious surface to the area (roads and parking lots). With soil already sitting on a high water table, storm runoff from the development would inundate the marsh with pollution from the road surfaces and fetilizers, insecticides, and herbicides from the golf course and home owner lawns. Previous studies on wetlands have already shown that a 10% addition of impervious surfaces result in substantial loss of fish life in the surrounding wetlands and sharp drop in quality of the water.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation is more outspoken in its opposition to the proposed project. Recognizing the city of Cambridge's desire to attract new business and spurn economic growth, they encourage the project to be moved into the city itself or in areas already designated for growth and make the presently proposed site for the project a permanent natural barrier between Cambridge's growth and the delicate wetlands.

And what do the residents of Dorchester County think? They are, after all, the ones who stand to gain the most (economic opportunities) or lose the most (loss of quality of life, destruction of their environment, loss of economic growth - those who depend on the marsh and the bay for their livilihood). A full 73% of voting residents oppose the Blackwater development plan.
But if the Dorchester County and City of Cambridge councils get their way, groundbreaking for the new resort will begin in October.

With this background, I urge all Marylanders to do any or all of the following to protect the wetlands: (You may use any letter samples ver batim or as a guidline to creating your own):

1. 
   Sign the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's Petition (http://www.cbf.org/site/PageServer?pagename=bw_home)
2. 
   Write the Dorchester County and City of Cambridge council members, the two councils that have given the green light for the project. (Sample letter and contacts to follow.)
3. 
   Write Governor Ehrlich asking for state intervention. (Sample letter and contact to follow.)
4. 
   Write Mayor Martin O'Malley of Baltimore and gubernatorial candidate. Force the project to become an election year hot button. (Sample letter and contact to follow.)
5. 
   Write the major news stations encouraging them to cover the story. (Sample letters and contacts to follow.)
6. 
   Write an editorial/letter to the editor to the two popular newspapers. (Sample letters and contacts to follow.)
7. 
   Write the state senator and rep urging state intervention. (Sample letters and contacts to follow.)
8. 
   Write the Department of Interior urging federal intervention. (Sample letter and contact to follow.)
9. 
   Write MD Senators and District Rep urging federal intervention. (Sample letters and contacts to follow.)

Obviously, I have quite a few letters to write. Over the next two weeks or so, I'll be posting them. But I wanted to get this up so any Marylanders can at least sign the petition (the first thing in my long list to do) before Thursday's town meeting. I reckon if you don't live in MD, but have visited the refuge, there's no reason why you shouldn't voice your concern, too. And heck, if after visiting the website of the refuge and seeing what is all there, I reckon it wouldn't hurt to voice your opinion through one of the appropriate outlets listed above like a letter to the editor or something.

Open Letter to the President

Sure, I know. Today, the Senate is expected to reject a proposal for a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage. But the issue is far from dead. The House is expected to take it up again later this summer. And then there is the Replay of 2004 principal at play here.

I figured it would be best to start letting our elected officials know how ridiculous they really sound. So I wrote the letter below to President Bush. I wonder if he'll have someone read it to him so he can understand what I have said...

At any rate, you, too, can write the President - and your senators and representative too! I even provide a way to write the President anonymously if you are worried about his tendency to snoop into our lives. Get the details here.

If you're really ambitious, check out other things you can do to promote same sex marriage...or just tee somebody off.

Now, back to my letter to President Bush:

Dear President Bush,

What do murderers, rapists, thieves, child molesters, alcoholics, and drug addicts have in common?

They can marry.

What do death row inmates and lifers with no chance of parole have in common?

They can marry, too.

Here’s a clincher. What can an illegal alien do that a native born, law abiding, US citizen, who is gay, cannot?

That’s right. The illegal alien can marry, too.

All those marriages are condoned and recognized by the federal government and all fifty states without question. A gay couple, however, is viewed as a threat to the institution of marriage and an undermining force to the American family.

This summer the House is expected to take up the issue of gay marriage and an amendment to the Constitution to define marriage as being only between a man and a woman. I urge you to make an about face on the issue and oppose the amendment effort.

First, marriage has been and always should be a state issue. Second, the proposed constitutional amendment serves only to enshrine discrimination and bigotry into our laws and society in general. If it were about protecting the American family and the great institution of marriage, the people I mentioned above wouldn’t be allowed to marry either.

Highest regards,

Mark Darien

Soundoff to Maryland Delgate Dwyer

Last month, Baltimore Circuit Court Judge M. Brooke Murdoch sided with nine gay couples and ruled Maryland’s law defining marriage as between a man and a woman unconstitutional and discriminatory, stating that the law “cannot withstand constitutional challenge.”

Maryland state delegate Don Dwyer (R-Anne Arundel County) immediately vowed to remove the judge from the bench. He made good on his promise the other day. (-story)

It should be noted that Dwyer’s quest to herd the homosexuals back into the closet didn’t start with the judge’s ruling. He also authored legislation to be put on the November ballot that would have banned gay marriages and civil unions. The measure was defeated.

He has found a friend with the gay-hate group, Family Focus. Family Focus wasted no time reporting how Dwyer proposed to “rein in” the activist judges and encouraged their members to contact Dwyer and show their support for his efforts. (“Activist judges”, by the way, is the buzz phrase that defines any judge who, after evaluating the law, rules contrary to how one believes they should have ruled. It’s a favorite phrase among the far right conservatives and conservative Christians.)

Whether or not one favors same sex marriage, alarm bells should be sounding off over Dwyer’s answer to “activist judges.” The legislature’s job is to make laws. The court’s job is to interpret those laws based on current law and prior precedence. If the law is “no good”, it’s the legislature’s job to rewrite the law to address the court’s legal concerns. It is not the legislature’s job to throw out judges who don’t agree with their laws. Otherwise, there would be no point in maintaining a court system.

Please take the time to tell Delegate Don Dwyer how you feel about his latest effort against homosexuals.

·Email: Don_Dwyer@house.state.md.us
·Postal mail: P. O. Box 667
Glen Burnie, MD 21060 – 0667
·Phone: (410) 768-0945

As always, please be professional, courteous and polite in expressing your views. Postal mail carries the most weight with politicians. Phone calls are a close second, emails are a distant third, and anonymous submissions, such as provided here, are at least tabulated if nothing else. Including your real name and contact information always gets the attention of politicians and possibly a thoughtful consideration and sometimes a reply, even if it is a standard form acknowledgement.

To submit a comment anonymously or to use a sample letter, please click here.

Making fun of the news and the people in it...

"I'm mean. I'm a queen. I'm an Aids fighting machine."

Elton donates to Nepal's HIV fight - story

Fight Discrimination in Florida

Last month, County Commissioner Ronda Storms in Hillsborough County, Florida banned any recognition of “gay pride, little p, little g”. (story ) Her use of “little g, little p”, added to the ambiguity of the county ordinance and has a lot of people up in arms, including the Mayor of Tampa.

This isn’t the first time Storms has shown her homophobia, either. A few years ago, she successfully rescinded the county’s Human Rights Ordinance that protected homosexuals. At the time, she claimed the “government should not be in the business of saying this is acceptable behavior.''

If you live in Hillsborough County, Florida, now would be a good time to let your commissioners know how you feel. If you want a good idea of what to write, you might want to use the First United Church of Tampa’s letter as an example. (their letter)

If you live outside of Hillsborough County, Florida, you can still let the commissioners know how
you feel about the “gay pride, little g, little p” ban. You can use the letter linked above for ideas of what to write, but tailor it to your needs as an “outsider”.

For address/contact information and sample letter, please visit Little Guy Protest's effort. Please let them know if you plan to participate. An easy to fill, anonymous form is provided.

Boycott Ford

story

The American Family Association, a gay hate group, has called on its 2.2 million members to boycott the Ford Motor Company because of Ford's perceived support of the "homosexual agenda" and gay marriage. Following the link, one becomes aware of the main complaints the AFA has of Ford:

1. Ford advertises in gay publications with ads tailord to the gay market.
2. Ford wishes to sell its vehicles to homosexuals.
3. Ford supports diversity training throughout its company and subsidiaries.
4. Ford financially contributes to the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and the Human Rights Commision.

Specifically, they are asking their members to contact their local Ford dealers and tell them that they will no longer buy Ford products as long as the Ford Motor Company supports the homosexual agenda and gay marriage.

The AFA is the same group who boycotted Disney World because Disney offered domestic partner benefits and held a "gay day." That nine year boycott officially ended practically the same day they announced the Ford boycott.

Show Ford that not everyone is as homophobic as members of the AFA. Contact your local Ford dealer and tell them that despite the boycott call, you plan on remaining or maybe becoming a Ford customer. To find your local dealer, click on the make of your vehicle below:

Ford Jaguar Lincoln Land Rover Mercury Mazda Volvo

You may also contact the corporate headquarters in Deerborn, MI and tell them what you think about their contributions to the gay community and their push for diversity training in the automotive industry. The link provides an easy to use, online form submission. You may also contact them the old fashioned way:

In United States:

Phone:800-392-3673
800-232-5952 (TDD for the Hearing Impaired)

Mail:
Ford Motor CompanyCustomer Relationship Center
P.O. Box 6248
Dearborn, MI 48126

Hours of Operation:8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (Monday-Friday)

In Canada:

Phone:800-565-3673

Mail:Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited
Customer Relationship Centre
P.O. Box 2000
Oakville, Ontario L6J5E4

Hours of Operation:8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (Monday-Friday)
9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. ET. (Saturday)

Be sure to let the AFA know how you feel about their boycott, too. I'm sure they'd love to hear from you. (The link takes you to an easy online feedback form for the AFA.)

If It Weren't So Dang Funny....

If you're interested in learning more...

International Organization of Heterosexual Rights

....it'd be just another sad hate group.

The International Organization of Heterosexual Rights (INOOHR): the name alone should be a tipoff that the group can't be taken seriously. Visit their home page and you're greeted with a dove (dime-a-dozen on free clipart sites) beating its wings over a picture of a rainbow arching over a scenic valley (a little harder to find than the animated dove, but common). The flapping wings almost keep time to the slow drawal of a country singer lamenting he is weak and weary and seeking the Lord.

Someone should inform the webmaster that sound files really slow down the loading time of the page. My 56k modem takes awhile to handle the page and of everything on the site, that dang song is the most annoying.

Being an international organization, one might think that global membership would require a board of directors, a reporting staff, an editorial staff, an editor, a webmaster, and, well, a whole bunch of people.

Clicking on the Contact Us, you find the director (director@inoohr.org) and a generic contact (inoohr@inoohr.org). There is no About Us page. All the articles are cut and paste jobs from other news sources cleverly linked to tell one story - gays are bad. In fact, the articles' statistics rely heavily on on the gay hate group, NARTH and the "research" of Paul Cameron.

Apparently, there isn't even a webmaster let alone a staff of any kind.

INOOHR has been in existence since 2001, based on the current domain registration, with headquarters in Idaho. Idaho as a base of operations for a global organization must come as a real shocker. Idaho is known for potatoes, militia groups, and Mr. Potato Head.

Ok, sit down, now. Mr. Potato Head is from New York, not Idaho. But that didn't stop four residents of Boise from voting for him for mayor as a write-in candidate in 1985. Unconfirmed rumors are that every resident of Idaho has Mr. Potato Head sitting on the mantle flanked by the Bible on one side, Jesus on a cross on the other side, and at least three guns hanging on the rack overhead.

No one would believe Idaho could be the center of a global organization. Ninety-eight percent of Idaho residents can't even find the world on a globe.

Yet here we have a global organization out of Idaho. INOOHR does have at least one confirmed member. Denise Caster is listed as the director of the organization in the WHOIS directory. Please fell free to write her at:

PO Box 6109
Boise, Idaho 83707

Better yet, give her a jingle at 417-496-5070.

She put a lot of time, sprinkled with a loving dash of hate, into making the website. I'm sure she'd love to hear what you have to say about it.

I wouldn't suggest sending two Mr. Potato Heads embracing, kissing, or...ahem, you know...because, well that's plain blasphemous.

Oh, maybe she could use some soy products. This theory is what makes the whole site so dang funny: soy products (Ms. Caster refers to them as "soy toxins") are directly responsible for the effeminization of the American male and the rise in homosexual activity.

Now that can't be hate, right?

Which Don't Belong? Lawyers, Religion, Homosexuality

If you answered homosexuality - WRONG.

If you answered religion - WRONG.

It's lawyers. Don't worry if you answered incorrectly, though. A lot of people aren't good at those word association puzzles. The average SAT score is pretty indicative of that...but the state of our education system is a whole 'nother blog.

This blog centers specifically on a letter written by attorney Steve C. Whiting in Portland, Maine to the local paper, Portland Press Herald. It is so important to save this letter from the cyber-trash heap, I have reprinted the full text below.

MAINE VOICES: Stephen C. Whiting
Why some
Christians oppose gay rights

I am writing to respond to a
recent column entitled "It's Unchristian to Oppose Gay Rights" (April 4 Press
Herald).

I am legal counsel to the Christian Civic League. I am also on
its board of directors. So I can answer the question: "Why would the leadership
of the Christian Civic League sponsor yet another referendum to veto yet another
gay rights bill?"

First, the primary purpose of the gay rights bill is to
give legal and social approval to homosexuality, to pave the way for gay
marriage. That is what gay rights bills did in Vermont (where they have gay
civil unions) and Massachusetts (where they have gay marriage).

The Bible
is very clear that homosexuality is wrong and should not be endorsed by society;
and that marriage is between a man and a woman only - not between two men or two
women.

Proponents of gay rights/gay marriage ask: "But isn't
homosexuality genetic?" The answer is no. Thousands of homosexuals have changed
their sexual orientation, and are happily married to people of the opposite sex
and have children.

Second, there is no widespread discrimination against
gay people in this state in employment, housing, etc. If there were, the
Christian Civic League would strongly condemn it. But have you ever heard a
waiter say to a gay couple: "We don't serve your kind here"? Have you ever heard
a hotel check-in clerk say: "We don't rent rooms to gays
here"?

Proponents of the bill say 40 percent of "hate crimes" in the
state involve gay bashing. However, this gay rights bill has nothing to do with
violence against gay people. It only purports to prevent discrimination against
gay people in employment, housing, etc. Since such discrimination is virtually
nonexistent, it is clear the primary purpose (if not the only purpose) of this
bill is to legitimize homosexuality and pave the way for gay
marriage.

Third, unlike discrimination based on race or ethnicity,
sometimes discrimination based on sexual orientation is reasonable and should
not be outlawed. For example, under this bill if a school wanted to hire a gym
teacher whose job would include supervising the locker room and group showers,
the school could not refuse to hire a gay person who would be sexually oriented
toward the students. Or if you were financially strapped, so you had to take in
boarders to live with you and your family to make ends meet, you could not
refuse to rent to a gay couple.

In fact, the governor's gay rights bill
defines "sexual orientation" as: "a person's actual or perceived
heterosexuality, bisexuality, homosexuality or gender identity or
expression."

This means that if a transvestite applied for a receptionist
job, you could not refuse to hire him, even if you did not think it would be
appropriate to have a man dressed in women's clothes greeting your clients. Or
worse, it means employers, hotels and restaurants could not stop a man from
using the women's bathroom if the man said he thought he was a woman.

And
fourth, gay rights laws inevitably lead to reverse discrimination. If two people
apply for a job, one gay and one straight, the employer better hire the gay
applicant or he could be sued. And an employer could not fire, fail to promote
or reprimand a gay employee without running the risk of being sued. Defending
against such suits would cost the employer tens of thousands of dollars, even if
the employer won!

Moreover, anyone who says anything negative about
homosexuality at work would have to be fired for creating a "hostile work
environment" - so while gays could extol the virtues of homosexuality at work,
anyone who dared express a contrary opinion would risk losing his
job.

These are not wild, imagined concerns. These are examples of how gay
rights laws are actually being used and abused around the country
today.

Jesus told the people not to kill the woman caught in adultery.
However, he then told the woman to "go and sin no more." He did not say: "Let's
go to the Legislature and get them to pass a law making adultery
legal."

We all have gay friends and relatives. We love them regardless of
their sexual preference. But that does not mean we approve of their lifestyle -
which is the primary purpose, if not the sole purpose, of this gay rights
bill.

- Special to the Press Herald

Up front and honest - I'm no lawyer. I can't even claim to be related to a lawyer to add an air of validity to what I have to say.

Ok, my sister is a lawyer, but for the right price, she would convincingly argue that that ain't true. It's the nature of lawyers. For the right price, they'll argue any point regardless of the truth.

Now take a close look at this letter from attorney Stephen C. Whiting of Portland, Maine. He represents the Christian Civic League. They must be paying him a whole heap of money to go out on the limb with the legal claims he has put forth.

He claims the purpose of a gay rights bill is to lend legal and social approval of homosexuality that would eventually pave the way to gay marriage. The Bible, however, condemns homosexuality and defines marriage as between a man and a woman. The claim that there may be a genetic component to homosexuality is casually brushed off with no further explanation and complete disregard to the myriad of scientific evidence and general medical consensus.

That's the crux of his argument: the Bible says homosexuality is not normal and that's the final authority on the matter.

He even advocates that sometimes, discrimination against homosexuals in employment and housing is justified.

How's that again? Because the Bible says so, we can treat others as less than equal citizens? As a lawyer, has he ever heard of the phrase "separation of Church and state"? I think I learned that in my third grade civics class. His Bible may say that it's ok to treat some citizens as less than equal, but my Bible does not. If he's going to make a law, he dang well better be making it on more than just his Biblical beliefs.

Or, in this case, the radical, conservative, religious nuts who are paying him tons of money need to practice their religion and stay out of law.

I do hope the Christian Civic League is paying attorney Stephen C. Whiting of Portland, Maine handsomely to say such un-lawyer like arguments. If not, we may have our first example of a welfare-qualified lawyer, ever, 'cause Lord knows these kinds of arguments tell me that he isn't a very smart lawyer and probably doesn't have very many clients who are willing to lose their cases just to help him put food on his table.

I wonder if attorney Stephen C. Whiting of Portland, Maine is fully aware that the Bible accepts eight different forms of marriage? I wonder if he and his client, the Christian Civic League, would be willing to endorse these marriages as legal.

Probably not. And that throws their whole because-the-Bible-says-so argument out of the court room and onto the street where it can ooze through the manhole covers and disappear into the sewers where it belongs.

If you are so inclined, you can always sound off to the Portland Press Herald with a letter to the editor. Of course, they just published a letter one of their readers wrote. But let's change attorney Stephen C. Whiting's letter a bit and then ask yourself, "Would the paper have printed this letter?" If you're answer is "No" then sounding off to the paper would be a good idea.

Discrimination acts currently protect individuals from discrimination based on race, religion, sex, national origin, age and disability. The only protected class in this listing that is purely choice is religion. You are not born Christian. You are taught to be Christian. So let's give the readers out there who see nothing wrong with attorney Stephen C. Whiting's letter the benefit of the doubt and assume, for the moment, that all the scientific evidence is rubbish and homosexuals choose to be homosexuals.

So here is attorney Stephen C. Whiting's letter rewritten with regards to religion - the other choice lifestyle - seeking protection of the law:

I am writing to respond to a recent column entitled "It's
Unchristian to Oppose Religion Rights" (April 4 Press Herald).

I am
legal counsel to the Christian Civic League. I am also on its board of
directors. So I can answer the question: "Why would the leadership of the
Christian Civic League sponsor yet another referendum to veto yet
another religion rights bill?"

First, the primary purpose of
the religion rights bill is to give legal and social approval to Catholics,
to pave the way for Catholic marriage. That is what religion rights
bills did in Vermont (where they have Catholic civil unions) and
Massachusetts (where they have Catholic marriage).

The Bible is very
clear that Catholism is wrong and should not be endorsed by society; and
that marriage is between a Christian man and a Christian woman only - not
between two Catholics.

Proponents of religion rights/Catholic marriage ask: "But
isn't Catholism genetic?" The answer is no. Thousands of Catholicss have
changed their religion, and are happily married to Christian people and have
children.

Second, there is no widespread discrimination
against Catholics in this state in employment, housing, etc. If there
were, the Christian Civic League would strongly condemn it. But have you ever
heard a waiter say to a Catholic couple: "We don't serve your kind here"?
Have you ever heard a hotel check-in clerk say: "We don't rent rooms to
Catholics here"?

Proponents of the bill say 40 percent of "hate crimes"
in the state involve Catholic bashing. However, this religion rights
bill has nothing to do with violence against Catholics. It only purports to
prevent discrimination against Catholics in employment, housing, etc. Since such
discrimination is virtually nonexistent, it is clear the primary purpose (if not
the only purpose) of this bill is to legitimize Catholism and pave the way
for Catholic marriage.

Third, unlike discrimination based on race or
ethnicity, sometimes discrimination based on religion is reasonable and should
not be outlawed. For example, under this bill if a school wanted to hire a gym
teacher whose job would include supervising the locker room and group showers,
the school could not refuse to hire a Catholic, or even a Catholic
priest, who might be sexually oriented toward the students. Or if you
were financially strapped, so you had to take in boarders to live with you and
your family to make ends meet, you could not refuse to rent to a Catholic
couple.

In fact, the governor's religion rights bill defines
"religion" as: "a person's actual or perceived religious identity or
expression." This means that if a Catholic applied for a receptionist
job, you could not refuse to hire him, even if you did not think it would be
appropriate to have someone wearing crosses and rosary beads or ashes on
their forehead greeting your clients.

And fourth, religion rights laws inevitably lead to reverse
discrimination. If two people apply for a job, one Catholic and one
Christian, the employer better hire the Catholic applicant or he could be
sued. And an employer could not fire, fail to promote or reprimand
a Catholic employee without running the risk of being sued. Defending
against such suits would cost the employer tens of thousands of dollars, even if
the employer won!

Moreover, anyone who says anything negative
about Catholism at work would have to be fired for creating a "hostile work
environment" - so while Catholics could extol the virtues of Catholism
at work, anyone who dared express a contrary opinion would risk losing his
job.

These are not wild, imagined concerns. These are examples of
how religion rights laws are actually being used and abused around the
country today.

Jesus told the people not to kill the woman caught in
adultery. However, he then told the woman to "go and sin no more." He did not
say: "Let's go to the Legislature and get them to pass a law making adultery
legal."

We all have Catholic friends and relatives. We love them
regardless of their religious affiliation. But that does not mean we approve of
their lifestyle - which is the primary purpose, if not the sole purpose, of
this religion rights bill.

If this letter doesn't outrage you, feel free to substitute any other religion in for Catholics - Protestants, Methodist, Muslims, Wiccans, Satanist, New Age Spiritualists - whatever you like and read it again. I'd be willing to bet no paper, including the Portland Press Herald, would even seriously entertain the idea of printing the letter.

If you're really outraged, feel free to call or write attorney Stephen C Whiting of Portland, ME:

Whiting, Steve - Whiting Law Firm
(207) 780-0681
75 Pearl St # 207
Portland, ME

Click on the link and you can e-mail him, if that's easier.

We should no longer be forced to accept public displays of prejudisms, bigotry, and hatred towards homosexuals in silence. Let him and the Portland Press Herald know that such blatant displays of antagonism towards homosexuals is no more tolerated than blatant displays of discrimination towards the disabled, religious intolerance, sexism, or racism are tolerated.