I’m afraid of me BY AL DIAMON

"A fawn is not vulgar in being timid," wrote John Ruskin, "nor a crocodile ‘gentle’ because courageous."

Ruskin wasn’t referring to Equality Maine when he mentioned the deer, nor was his inspiration for the reptile the Christian Civic League of Maine. But the characterizations fit. Equality Maine, formerly the Maine Lesbian Gay Political Alliance and still the state’s leading gay-rights proponent, has developed a solid reputation as a wimp. The Civic League, the vocal advocate of the religious right, has a history of displaying little in the way of common sense or compassion.

Both organizations are playing their roles to the stereotypical hilt in the current debate over legalizing same-sex marriage, although there’s a plot twist. The bill that would allow gay and lesbian nuptials is sponsored by one of the Civic League’s strongest supporters, state Representative Brian Duprey of Hampden. The chief opponent is Equality Maine.

Duprey claims he introduced the bill at the request of a constituent, who wants to remain anonymous. He said he plans to vote against the measure, thereby maintaining his conservative credentials, even if it does make him look like an idiot.

Betsy Smith, president of Equality Maine, struggled to justify fighting the bill, while supporting the concept of same-sex marriage. After calling Duprey "disingenuous" for sponsoring the legislation, she neglected to characterize her own group in the same fashion, thereby giving Duprey some company in the looks-like-an-idiot caucus.

"The fact that we would oppose a same-sex marriage bill is a really tough position [for us]," she told the Portland Press Herald. "We agreed early on that it would be premature to do a [marriage] bill." Then she admitted to the Lewiston Sun Journal, "The big issue for everyone . . . is marriage."

While Smith floundered, her legislative allies were likewise in disarray. In early December, House Democrats appeared ready to take an incremental step toward same-sex marriage. House Speaker John Richardson told the Morning Sentinel in Waterville, "I think it’s time for us to seriously consider civil unions." In the wake of Duprey’s unexpected move, that trial balloon broke its mooring and blew away in blasts of hot air emanating from Democratic leaders. "I don’t think the Maine Legislature is ready for [same-sex marriage]," House Majority Leader Glenn Cummings told the Press Herald. Said Senate Majority Leader Michael Brennan to the same paper, "There’s no support anywhere."

Oddly, both Cummings and Brennan had previously given the idea tentative endorsements.

Of course, this newfound fear of queer weddings has less to do with convictions than political strategy. Democratic Governor John Baldacci has promised to introduce a bill this session providing anti-discrimination protection to gay men and lesbians in such areas as housing, employment, and credit. Equality Maine and its legislative toadies are afraid the same-sex-marriage debate will obscure the issue, causing the gay-rights bill, which initially appeared to have enough support to pass, to be defeated. Baldacci’s spokesman, Lee Umphrey, told reporters the civil-rights bill "needs to happen before anything else happens," and the governor announced he would not support the marriage measure. Smith told the Sun Journal her group was busy devising a strategy to counteract the religious right’s attempt to use same-sex weddings as a red herring to defeat gay rights.

So far, that strategy seems to consist of cowering like a fawn.

Meanwhile, over in the crocodile camp, there was much courageous gnashing of teeth. In an email newsletter, Civic League director Michael Heath said, "Equality Now [sic] is the group that would be introducing the [same-sex-marriage] bill if they were interested in being honest." Heath said Equality Maine hoped once gay-rights legislation passed, the courts would do the dirty work by making homosexual marriage legal in Maine. League president Dallas Henry, in a posting on the group’s Web site, claimed gay marriage advocates would openly embrace the idea "only after they have had a chance to spread their deceitful arguments abroad like a narcotic, putting the conscience of the people of Maine to sleep." Then, said Henry, they would be able to accomplish "that oldest of Leftist goals, the complete destruction of the traditional family."

Setting aside the fact that the oldest leftist goal has to do with redistribution of wealth, Henry’s characterization of his opponent’s strategy is more or less correct. Nasty, but correct.

Both sides are now preparing for the coming debate by employing their traditional tactics, with the Civic League striking out in all directions and Equality Maine running and hiding. And while there may be something to be said for Ruskin’s take on the situation, it also might be well to remember Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s warning:

"In politics, what begins in fear usually ends in folly."

Don’t be afraid to email me at ishmaelia@gwi.net