thomascwaters.com

The folks who are opposed to Marriage Equality in Maine,  and who spread “family values” as their mantra have a lesson for everyone on marketing and message that could be entitled “How to lie and get away with it.” These are the same folks who successfully campaigned for Prop 8in California, and are working closely with the National Organization for Marriage, and the Catholic Church. Their message? Vote Yes on 1, which will deny gay and lesbian families the right to marry in Maine.

The basis of Yes on 1, is that homosexuality is wrong, and allowing gay marriage will destroy the sanctity of marriage. From the Catholic church perspective, homosexuality is a sin. But lying to accomplish your goal? Even with a commandment against bearing false witness? These folks, who using religion as the basis of their attack on gay and lesbian families, think it is perfectly OK to lie to try and manipulate Maine voters. This is how you lie in a family values way.

The Yes on 1 campaign released their first TV ad this week, aligned with the campaign they ran in California, it is a mishmash of misrepresentations and outright lies, with two particular claims being called out as especially bad.

Before I go further, let me say, that even though I fully support marriage equality (and a bunch of other GLBTQ rights actions) I have no problem with others who do not agree with me. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, and a diversity of opinions is a good thing in a democracy. That said, I have no toleration for anyone in opposition- doesn’t matter what the cause or position, that has nothing to campaign on except lies and misinformation. If you can’t win your argument based on facts or logic, then you have no business being in the debate. Freedom of speech may allow us to tell lies, but democracy can not survive without an honest portrayal of the facts for each side’s position.

The family values type in general, and the Catholics in particular, ought however to be familiar with the 10 commandments, and one of those commandments, is do not bear false witness. So how is it that the TV ad claims that marriage equality in Maine will force schools to teach homosexuality? Even the ad sponsors admit that isn’t quite true, and here is how you lie family values style. Just claim that you didn’t mean it to be taken literally!

From ABC 8 WMTW:

Part of the TV commercial includes a line, “Homosexual marriage taught in public schools whether parents like it. Vote yes on question one.”

The “vote no” side called that claim inflammatory and misleading.

“This insinuation that this will happen in Maine is exactly that, an insinuation designed to generate fear,” Cluchey said.

According to the Department of Education, no specific curriculum language exists or would exist that instructs schools to teach about marriage. There are guidelines for students to discuss their own health in context of family life, but nothing explicit. The exact lesson plans are created by an individual school system, some of which already talk about heterosexuality and homosexuality.

Those who made the commercial said the line in the advertisement is not meant to be taken literally. Instead, it’s meant to imply that, in their opinion, if schools currently teach about family life and marriage, discussions about same-sex marriage would likely be included.

Call me crazy, but “Homosexual marriage taught in public schools whether parents like it. Vote yes on question one” Doesn’t really sound like an implied idea, it sounds pretty direct and explicit. It is bearing false witness, stating something as fact or as definite that isn’t at all.

This type of misleading and false information is one important part of why anti-gay forces won in California. At least there are now attempts to show this for what it is, but will that be enough?  What you can do:

• Demand that TV stations refuse to carry the ad because it is false and misleading.
• Spread the truth by helping with the Maine Phone banks