The homophobes who tried to reject Referendum 71 are praying for a miracle:

Larry Stickney, campaign manager for Protect Marriage Washington, the conservative Christian organization that worked for rejection of the referendum, said: "There are a lot of votes out there still. We continue to have some hope that the votes cast later will move in our direction."

Earlier this week, Stickney said he was requesting prayers statewide, and the Web site for Protect Marriage Washington said: "As you may know, we have seen amazing things happen at every critical juncture of this campaign. ... Let's pray the Reject R-71 effort across the finish line!"

You can read about how they're praying into the wind over here.

mcjoan at DailyKos:

[While] it's not official yet, affirmation of Washington's "everything but marriage" law seems assured. R-71 affirms the expanded protections for domestic partners granted by Washington State lawmakers last year. It's not full-fledged marriage, but it does mark Washington as the first state in America to approve a gay-equality measure by the will of the people. I know it's small comfort to everyone who worked so tirelessly to defeat hate in Maine, but hopefully knowing that there's a corner of the country where hate couldn't prevail with Americans will provide some comfort, and some hope.

Ted Gideonse:

As Jesse Ventura said last night, “You can’t put a civil rights issue on the ballot and let the people decide. You have to have elected officials to who have courage to make the right decision. If you left it up to the people, we’d have slavery, depending on how you worded it.”

But when our lives aren’t run by mob rule, we do pretty well: We’ve pretty much conquered Hollywood.
We’ve conquered academia. The press is ours. Book publishing? Ours! The governments of Western and Northern Europe? Ours! And considering how people until 40 feel in this country, the future is ours, too!

So, this is what I have to say to Frank Schubert, Maggie Gallagher, Brian Brown, the Catholic Church, LDS, to the born-again nut jobs who haven’t a clue what the Golden Rule means and to the people who think that telling children that gay people exist is something like terrorism: Fuck you. Really: Fuck you. Fuck your lies. Your hypocrisy. Your cruelty. Fuck your pick-and-choose-only-the-most-bigoted-parts religion. Fuck your ignorance. Fuck your fear. Fuck you. Please: Eat shit and die. Fuck you. Very much.

Go read the whole thing.

Catholics are strutting around boasting about their role in repealing Maine's gay marriage law. At least they're taking responsibility for it. Catholics are the new Mormons—which sucks for me because I was raised Catholic. Can I unbaptize myself? Can I do it in a hot tub? How many guys will it take?

The marriage equality fight moves to New Jersey... where yesterday voters turned their pro-marriage equality Democratic governor John Corzine out of the office and elected anti-marriage equality Republican Chris Christie. The New Jersey legislature is about to pass a marriage equality bill, however, and Corzine has promised to sign it, defeat or no defeat. I don't know if New Jersey has a referendum process or a "people's veto" and I'm not going to check because right now I don't wanna know. Garden State Equality brought out a very effective, very moving ad today...

...but our side brought out lots of very effective, very moving ads in Maine. More info here.

UPDATE: Beth in NJ writes in comments...

We do NOT have a "people's veto" or referendum process or anything like that in New Jersey, and any proposed constitutional amendment has to be approved by 3/5ths of each house of the state legislature to even get on the ballot for the people to vote on it. If we can get a law passed and signed before Corzine leaves office, it will be very hard for the bigoted assholes to get it overturned.

Pam Spaulding...

What this loss in Maine (and the victory in Washington State) says to me is that I am so grateful that my civil rights, as a person of color, were not put up to a popular vote. As we've seen over and over in the last year, the emergence of naked racism lives despite laws on the books banning discrimination based on race. Reality-based arguments to people who are raised with bias have little motivation to change their thinking outside of keeping their bigotry out of the realm of law-breaking (and even then—it still occurs!). The feelings simply go underground.

That public expressions of racism have re-emerged and been cultivated by a major political party shows the work the LGBT community has to do as it waits for equality at the federal level. Changing hearts and minds every day is necessary—not just when there's a pending bigoted mob rule ballot measure. LGBTs—and more importantly, allies—need to come out of the closet advocating for equality in ways large and small. It's the only way to move many voters, particularly the ones who think they don't know someone who is gay. Too many politicians who support us privately still don't have the spine to step up their game when our rights are under attack. That has to change.

David Mixner:

President Obama standing on the sidelines in Maine and Washington was appalling. The failure of our national organizations and leaders to demand his involvement was equally appalling. The outrageous act of the Democratic National Committee sending an email into Maine asking Maine Democrats to call into "NEW JERSEY" instead of to support the fight against bigotry was unbelievable. No one gets to sit on the sidelines in an epic battle against apartheid and no one gets a free pass. If you want our support, you have to earn it. We are way beyond where we will accept a little bit in 2009, some in 2010 and maybe more in the second term. Does anyone think after yesterday election results and the upcoming 2010 election, Obama has the ability to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and "DOMA" next year? Does anyone really believe we haven't already missed a historic opportunity in the first 10 months of this year? Only a courageous fighting President and Congress can now help turn us this around and that we have not seen so far. Enough.

Andrew Sullivan...

After Maine, where the Catholic church actually organized a second collection to raise money to prevent gay people from having civil rights, the situation shifts again. Using a tax-exempt church to raise money to defeat the civil rights of fellow citizens is not too shocking in the age of Benedict. It is shocking if one believes in a separation of politics and religion, and if one believes that the church of Jesus should stand in solidarity with the marginalized, rather than seeking to marginalize and demonize them still further.

It is time to acknowledge that the Catholic church hierarchy can no longer pretend that it isn't the active enemy of gay people and our families. That this church hierarchy—especially in its more conservative wing—is disproportionately gay itself and waging war against their fellow gays through the cowardly veil of the closet, is not new. But it is, as we flinch with the sting of defeat, harder to take than ever.

It is time to demand that gay priests who are actively fighting against the dignity of gay people own their enmeshment in injustice, stigmatization and cruelty. It is time to reveal them in this respect as the enemies of the Gospels, not the champions.

Time to reveal them, Andrew? It almost sounds like you're calling for an outing campaign that targets closeted Roman Catholic priests. Which sounds good to me; I support outing closet cases when it's appropriate. Outing, as I've said before, is a brutal tactic that should be reserved for brutes. And it seems to me that, after Maine, closeted Catholic priests have to be regarded as either taking an active role in the brutalization and political persecution of gays and lesbians or complicit in the brutalization and political persecution of gays and lesbians. So let's out the bastards, I say, let's out 'em all.

Wayne Besen writing about last night's heartbreaking defeat in Maine...

It is time we wake up and acknowledge that the GLBT fight for equality is the world’s first “Civil Likes” movement. Each year, a popularity contest is held somewhere on the map and if the locals find us likeable our families are protected. If the natives have a negative view of gay people, we remain second-class citizens.

Given this reality we have to make a major choice.

We can declare the current process a disgusting and humiliating insult to our humanity and opt out of all future referendums. The movement would make the case to the nation why such votes are anathema to American values and in the process educate people about our families and quest for equality. A powerful campaign of continued and sustainable civil disobedience would have to supplement this strategy.

Or, we can continue to participate in degrading referendums. But, if we do so, we have to stop pretending that the majority of the American people understand the U.S. Constitution, much less the notion of equality. Those who vote against GLBT rights simply do not like gay people and their antipathy, often masked by religious bigotry, overrides the idea of equal protection.

The first numbers are in and they don't look good. Only 19 of 605 precincts have reported, however, so... fingers crossed.

UPDATE: And now with 11 more precincts in... things look bettter. "NO" is ahead—55 to 45. It's going to be a long, long night, people.

UPDATE 2: Rex Wockner is in Maine, covering the Question 1 campaign. He's at the "No on 1" campaign party. He's posting pictures, commentary, and the results as they come to to his blog.

Slog tipper Emma writes about intimidation of "Approve Referendum 71" sign wavers in Olympia:

Olympia's sign waving rally on Sunday the 1st (Black Lake Blvd & Cooper Point Rd) was overtaken by bullies late in the afternoon. The rally went peacefully from 12 - 4 pm. At 4 pm, Pastor Roy & his wife Valerie appeared, (local leaders of the anti-gay "Reject" campaign who are based in Dupont but lead a Church in Lacey). They had summoned 40 - 50 young men and a few young women who bullied us out of their way by jostling us and blowing painfully loud air horns close to where we were already standing. They appeared to be almost entirely Russian immigrants from one of the Tacoma churches involved in the anti-gay campaign. I asked Pastor Roy & Valerie to request their recruits to stop blaring the air horn in our ears and not to bully our sign wavers. Valerie blew me off and Pastor Roy just walked away. Ironically, last weekend when both sides were at the Lacey rally, our side made it a point to be courteous, and I even intervened in a few situations where Pastor Roy thought our people were being aggressive.

This was a pretty scary encounter. Most of our people left, including one father with a toddler. Two organizers (including myself) strongly encouraged the handful our supporters still there to leave in pairs to be safe.

Emma asks folk to join them from 4:30 p.m to 6:00 p.m. this afternoon and tomorrow "to ensure our safety in numbers and stand up against intimidation" at Plum & Union and Black Lake & Cooper Point. Go and be nice. Be really, really nice.

"Our 14-year-old son Elliott debuted as Lady Gaga in West Hollywood for Halloween," writes Slog tipper Miss Poppy. "His father accompanied him, dressed as his body guard. Elliott drew a crowd as he lip-synched and danced to Lady Gaga's music. He was ecstatic." Miss Poppy sent along a link to this YouTube montage of photos of Elliott...

A few more details from Miss Poppy: "Elliott is a middle-school student in Los Angeles, and a distance runner on his track team. He has been out for two years. Devoted mother that I am, I made his costume and helped him with his makeup."

This boy has been out to his family since age 12 and when he wanted to go out in drag on Halloween and his mother made his costume and his dad took him to West Hollywood. There's just one comment on the post at YouTube right now and it's from Elliott: "Dad let me upload this :D"

His dad let him post this video to YouTube.

You know, whatever happens in Maine and here in Washington state tomorrow, where marriage equality and domestic partnerships are on the line respectively, we can all take comfort in something as seemingly trivial as a 14-year-old boy's night out in West Hollywood with his folks. I've said it before and I'll say it again: We are winning—despite the setbacks—because our families are on side now. It's almost impossible to imagine an openly gay 14-year-old twenty years ago, much less an openly gay 14-year-old with parents like Miss Poppy and her husband. Moms and dads like Elliott's—parents who aren't ashamed of their gay children, parents who love and support their gay children for who they are, parents who want their gay children to be safe and happy and treated equally—used to be the exception. Not anymore.

We are winning.

Not long—not now that Obama is back in court defending DOMA. Oh, and remember that gay guy—raped in his home country—and legally married to American citizen in Boston whose application for asylum was denied by the Obama administration because we can't willy-nilly bend those immigration rules, even in cases where a person's human rights may have been abused? Remember him?

In an unusually protracted and closely watched case, the Obama administration has recommended political asylum for a Guatemalan woman fleeing horrific abuse by her husband, the strongest signal yet that the administration is open to a variety of asylum claims from foreign women facing domestic abuse.

Wake me when the fierce advocacy begins.

Lefty? Progressive? Got gay friends? Support gay rights? Don't spend your tourist dollars in Jamaica.

When THE STAR visited the area, a small group of residents pointed out an old community centre which is said to be the main 'hang out' spot for the lesbians. According to the residents the lesbians gather there almost nightly and can be seen hugging, kissing and even "touching".

The residents say they are mostly worried about the lesbian group as they are most prevalent and influential. The number of persons in this group is said to be steadily increasing. In terms of the suspected gay men, the residents claim they are not as bold as the lesbians and are fewer but they too are expected to comply with the two-week notice.

No quotes from the authorities about protecting the gay men and lesbians in town where the "eradication" is under way. Because, of course, the authorities in Jamaica don't protect gays and lesbians from mob violence. Background on boycotting Jamaica is here. And if Barack Obama is going to send an openly gay ambassador anywhere, he should send one to Jamaica.

It was legislation passed by the last Congress, and signed into law by George W. Bush, but it was the Obama administration that oversaw the final dismantling of the Helms-era ban on HIV-positive tourists and immigrants. And now it's history.

Congrats, Andrew.

Now all we're waiting for is action on DADT, DOMA, and ENDA.

There are 921 members of the Facebook group Reject Referendum 71. Why do they want to repeal the domestic-partnership law? I'd hate to color their logic with the prism of my bias, so here they are, in their own words:

Ben about 6 hours ago

i rejected referendum 71 thats totally wrong marraige stands between one man and one women this homosexual marriage makes me sick as a wa resident my self to hear this garbage this state is not california nor ma. either lets show congress what we really think by rejecting gay marriage proposal in our state!!! may god help us all

Ruslan Ukrainian about 1 hour ago

Marriage was made between man and women, everything else is just peoples perverted minds, due to moral decay, caused by early sexual activities, premarital activities, and web searched by children and adult related to "porn".

Jennifer Lalander 2 days ago

well it is written in the bible only a man and a women are to be married and as a christian women i truly believe this is what is right

Tip from NaFun, who also offers this image to cleanse your brain.