Protect Marriage Maine, the official campaign against the state’s marriage equality ballot initiative, has posted an epic screed revealing many of its true motives. While the article cites many of the traditional lies and myths that equality opponents rely upon, one passage managed to sum up all the most offensive distortions about people who are gay. Relying on research from 1977, Edward Allebest calls gays “highly promiscuous,” “predatory,” and victims of rape or molestation who are defined only by their sexuality:

Homosexuality is highly promiscuous. To accept homosexuality as the social, moral, or religious equivalent of heterosexuality would constitute the first modern assault on the extremely hard-won, millennia-old battle for a family-based sexually monogamous society – precisely because the homosexual lifestyle is highly promiscuous. The basis of homosexuality is centered around anonymous sexual encounters. Long term relationships are very rare. [...]

As a result, serial homosexuality has as its most visible consequence AIDS, among various venereal diseases. But another social problem is that it is largely predatory. Part of the thrill, part of the challenge, is having sex with the inexperienced, the uninitiated, and to dare say that out loud, even though it is true, is to risk being called “intolerant”, “homophobic”, or worse. The dark secret of homosexual society is how many homosexuals first entered into that world through a disturbing seduction or rape or molestation or abuse, and how many of them yearn to get out of the homosexual community and live normally.

The acceptance of homosexuality as the equal of heterosexual marital love signifies the decline of Western civilization as surely as the rejection of homosexuality and other non-marital sex made the creation of this civilization possible. The overwhelming majority of US citizens and parents do not want the government to endorse and promote a homosexual lifestyle, with bizarre and promiscuous behaviors, and many negative outcomes — particularly to innocent children.

That’s what those opposed to marriage equality believe: gays and lesbians are wicked, predatory, condemned by God, a threat to children, and they will bring about the destruction of society. The fact that same-sex couples want to commit to each other monogamously, protect each other through the end of their lives, and raise children together doesn’t seem to factor in at all.

Tomorrow, four states will have the opportunity to weigh in on the question of marriage equality, three of which will have the opportunity to embrace the freedom for the very first time. All four campaigns have had fierce efforts both for and against, with millions of dollars spent on ads. As election day approaches, here is a final look at what the campaigns have been saying to the public in Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, and Washington.

Opponents of marriage equality have run fairly uniform ads across four states, largely because the National Organization for Marriage has been the primary source of funding in every one of those campaigns. Most of these ads have relied on misleading claims that individuals who would prefer to discriminate against same-sex couples as victims. Others rely on the false threat that schools will suddenly teach young children about sexuality. One of NOM’s final ads compiles all of these lies into one clip that attempts to scare voters about the “broken promises” of marriage equality. Despite these very negative scare tactics, NOM’s last ad paints opposing equality under the veneer of love and respect for gay people. Watch the Minnesota version of this underhanded ad:

Meanwhile, the state campaigns for equality have actually run very independent campaigns, featuring individuals who live in the state rather than imported scare tactics:
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Though the National Organization for Marriage is desperately highlighting letters to the editor from Maine residents opposing equality, one prominent newspaper has taken a stand for equality. Today, the Bangor Daily News endorsed Question 1 for marriage equality, calling it “a matter of fairness” and “a matter of equality.” The editorial explains why the freedom to marry will not impinge on anybody’s religious beliefs:

Some people may understandably oppose gay marriage for religious reasons, but — while the church has played a long and important role in marriage — they should remember that marriage licenses are issued by the state.

They should also remember that no one is trying to change their beliefs. Clergy will not be forced to perform marriage ceremonies or bless gay couples. The legal freedom that protects clergy, allowing them the ability to choose whom to join in marriage, is the same legal freedom gay couples are seeking to be able to marry. Extending legal protections to the few does not hurt the majority.

The endorsement also notes that civil unions are insufficient recognition for same-sex couples, because marriage is the “most accurate representation” of “public recognition of the private love.” If equality passes in Maine next week, it will be the first time a state recognizes same-sex marriage thanks to a grassroots ballot initiative effort. The Bangor Daily News hopes that “voters affirm Maine as a place where people value the rights of all their neighbors equally.”

A poll last month showed that 56.6 percent of Maine voters will do just that.