Should anti-gay supporters be exposed?

Voters in Washington and Maine will decide today whether existing protections should be extended to same-sex couples. A fierce battle has unfolded since both states introduced equal rights offers to gay and lesbian couples earlier this year—as is typical when the issue of gay marriage enters the law books (remember Prop 8 in California?). Polls in Maine predict that voters are split on the issue.

It's not unlike either side, for or against, to dig deep into rhetoric sending voters on a political seesaw. However, since the days of Anita Bryant, anti-gay supporters have been heavily criticized for falsifying facts under the guise of morality. The detriment of family values and children are often mentioned when communicating with voters, even when facts prove otherwise. For instance, anti-gay groups in Maine are using the Prop 8 defense, telling voters that same-sex marriage will be taught in schools, despite state Attorney General Janet T. Mills's claim otherwise.

Show me the facts
In these days of spawning grass roots politics, unsubstantiated claims are not enough. Anti-gay groups are being asked to support their claims with numbers:

• Where's the money?: Anti-gay marriage group NOM (National Organization for Marriage) has contributed an estimated $1.6 million to Stand for Marriage Maine, the organization opposing the state's gay marriage statute. The state ethics commission has filed an injunction to force NOM to produce its donor list.


• Show me the names: In appeal, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ordered Protect Marriage Washington, the organization that placed anti-gay Referendum 71 on the ballot in Washington, to release the names on their petitions. The Supreme Court has placed a hold on the release until they decides whether to hear the case.


• Define family values: San Francisco District Court Judge Vaughn Walker has asked Prop 8 supporters to explain the legal basis of their argument against gay marriage. In other words, how does gay marriage hurt straight people... factually?

Voters initiatives not enough
Creating ghost stories to solicit funds and signatures that restrict rights may no longer stand as judicial bodies, legislatures and pro-gay advocates place gay opponents on the defensive. But, is releasing the names of anti-gay supporters a matter of full disclosure or individual privacy? Soon, in the midst of several open injunctions and appeals, the country's high court will have to decide.