News

By James Tillman

WASHINGTON, DC, October 21, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com)—Homosexualist advocates are denying evidence indicating that making same-sex “marriage” legal in Maine would lead to the encroachment of homosexual themes in school classrooms – a claim that pro-family advocates have dismissed as simply untrue and contrary to the experiences of parents in other states where same-sex “marriage” has already been legalized.

The frantic repudiation of same-sex “marriage” advocates comes in response to ads and information from “Stand for Marriage Maine,” detailing how Massachusetts schools began to indoctrinate children with homosexualist ideas after the Massachusetts Supreme Court legalized homosexual “marriage.” 

One ad features excerpts from an interview with a Massachusetts teacher on National Public Radio (NPR).  The teacher says that if someone wishes to challenge the fact that she is teaching about homosexual activities, she knows that she is safe because of the same-sex “marriage” law: “I know that, ok, this is legal now. If someone wants to challenge me, I say, 'Oh give me a break.'”

In another part of the interview not included in the ad, the same teacher explained the nature of her lessons on homosexuality, which were astonishingly explicit. She describes how she goes through a chart with her class: “Can a woman and a woman kiss and hug? Yes. Can a woman and a woman have vaginal intercourse?  And they will all say 'No!'  And I'll say 'Hold it!'  Of course they can. They can use a sex toy … and we discuss that.”

Then there's the case of Robb and Robin Wirthlin of Massachusetts, which is featured in another pro-marriage ad.  Without their permission, the Wirthlin's 2nd-grade son was read “King & King,” a book about a prince who turns away from every princess he meets, until he finally falls in love with another prince and “marries” him.  According to Robb Wirthlin, when he and his wife lost a legal challenge against the school, it was troubling for him to hear the judge suggest “that the state must teach these things to children before they've had a chance to make up their own minds.”

There are other, similar cases that pro-family groups point to as evidence for the inevitable encroachment of homosexualist propaganda into schools.  Nevertheless, those pushing same-sex “marriage” have obstinately insisted that such accusations are absurd.

“That's the kind of stuff I find really offensive,” said Jim Bishop, a volunteer for the Protect Marriage Equality campaign, in an interview with NPR. “Saying that we're going to teach about gay marriage and gay lifestyle in the schools, and that we're going to try to convert. This is just absurd.”

“I think that their intention is to scare parents into thinking that something will be taught in schools that won't be taught in schools,” said Maine House Speaker Hannah Pingree, who supports the law.

“The Maine Legislature never discussed school curriculum,” she continued. “The attorney general has been very clear that Maine law says that marriage is not part of curriculum. So anything about marriage will not be part of curriculum after this is passed.”

Many who agree with Pingree point to a statement released by Maine's Attorney General, Janet Mills, on Thursday.  In this statement, Mills says that “whatever the benefits and burdens of the civil institution of marriage, the state's definition of marriage has no bearing on the curricula in our public schools, either under current law or under LD 1020 [the homosexual “marriage” law].”

In the same statement she attempts to assure parents that their religious beliefs will be respected by arguing that there are already “safeguards for persons with religious beliefs … in the law.”

According to Marc Mutty of Stand for Marriage Maine, however, Mills' legal opinion “has not even a shred of pretense of independence or objectivity.”

He continued: ”The opinion poses a position that our campaign does not advocate – that LD 1020 affirmatively changes the curricula to require instruction on gay marriage. That is not our position. Our position is that no change to Maine's curricula is necessary in order for homosexual marriage to be taught in our schools. Further, that homosexual marriage is taught in other states where it has been legalized. When they study the facts, Mainers will see right through Ms. Mills' opinion for what it is: a shameless political ploy by supporters of homosexual marriage.”

“We have demonstrated how it could be taught in schools, and that it HAS been taught in other states that have legalized gay marriage. It's a shame that Maine's top lawyer is using her good office for such a transparent political stunt.”

Arguments and advertisements both for and against the legalization of homosexual “marriage” are aimed at influencing votes on an upcoming referendum this November.  Maine's legislature had passed a law to make homosexual “marriage” legal, but the due to a signature drive, the law is subject to a People's Veto and will not become law unless a majority accepts it.