As we approach the Nov. 8 election, I feel it is important to clarify my position on the first referendum question, since I serve on the Judiciary Committee that voted in favor of this civil rights legislation. It is not my intention to tell anyone how to vote, only to share with you what I have heard as a legislator deliberating on this matter, and my own convictions.

Every bill in the Legislature receives a public hearing. Comment is accepted from both sides, and those neither for, nor against, the proposed legislation. Depending on the issue, the hearings can take hours, and committee members must carefully prepare ahead of time to ensure they get all the information they need. I looked at the legislative history of this issue, the past referenda, and our existing statute. I also reviewed the companion law about hate crimes.

My preparation showed me that fundamentally, this bill corrected a legal inequity. Sexual orientation was already a protected class under our hate crime law. The public hearing went far beyond a law on a piece of paper-it opened my eyes to the significant problem of discrimination, and it just didn’t seem consistent with the values of our state.

I have had the opportunity to meet many interesting people of all walks of life and political affiliations during my first term in the Maine Legislature, but perhaps the most unusual is Reverend-and Representative-Stan Moody. Rep. Moody is a minister, a Registered Maine Guide, and represents Manchester and other Augusta-area communities. He was, perhaps, the most ardent supporter of this legislation when we considered it in March.

As a student at Glen Cove Christian Academy, I learned many things that I have kept with me all my life, like the Corinthians passage that the greatest of our pursuits in life is love. I believe that legislators can govern with faith, not by faith, and I’ve struggled with how to accomplish this in Augusta, until I heard Rep. Moody speak one day.

He said, “Our job as legislators and citizens is to uphold the Constitution, but our job as Christians is treat people fairly.” I heard testimony on this bill in committee that truly moved me, but it was this statement that really made me feel that my convictions were where they needed to be.

Maine is the only state in New England that currently permits discrimination, and it is happening. That does not fit with what Rep. Moody said, nor does it seem to fit with how I see people in our area. In the remainder of Moody’s talk, he asked us who our neighbors were. I offer you the same question as you consider your vote on Question 1.

If I can offer any other information on Question 1 or any of the other ballot questions, please feel free to call me at 892-6591 or e-mail me at RepMarkBryant@yahoo.com.

As we approach the Nov. 8 election, I feel it is important to clarify my position on the first referendum question, since I serve on the Judiciary Committee that voted in favor of this civil rights legislation. It is not my intention to tell anyone how to vote, only to share with you what I have heard as a legislator deliberating on this matter, and my own convictions.

Every bill in the Legislature receives a public hearing. Comment is accepted from both sides, and those neither for, nor against, the proposed legislation. Depending on the issue, the hearings can take hours, and committee members must carefully prepare ahead of time to ensure they get all the information they need. I looked at the legislative history of this issue, the past referenda, and our existing statute. I also reviewed the companion law about hate crimes.

My preparation showed me that fundamentally, this bill corrected a legal inequity. Sexual orientation was already a protected class under our hate crime law. The public hearing went far beyond a law on a piece of paper-it opened my eyes to the significant problem of discrimination, and it just didn’t seem consistent with the values of our state.

I have had the opportunity to meet many interesting people of all walks of life and political affiliations during my first term in the Maine Legislature, but perhaps the most unusual is Reverend-and Representative-Stan Moody. Rep. Moody is a minister, a Registered Maine Guide, and represents Manchester and other Augusta-area communities. He was, perhaps, the most ardent supporter of this legislation when we considered it in March.

As a student at Glen Cove Christian Academy, I learned many things that I have kept with me all my life, like the Corinthians passage that the greatest of our pursuits in life is love. I believe that legislators can govern with faith, not by faith, and I’ve struggled with how to accomplish this in Augusta, until I heard Rep. Moody speak one day.

He said, “Our job as legislators and citizens is to uphold the Constitution, but our job as Christians is treat people fairly.” I heard testimony on this bill in committee that truly moved me, but it was this statement that really made me feel that my convictions were where they needed to be.

Maine is the only state in New England that currently permits discrimination, and it is happening. That does not fit with what Rep. Moody said, nor does it seem to fit with how I see people in our area. In the remainder of Moody’s talk, he asked us who our neighbors were. I offer you the same question as you consider your vote on Question 1.

If I can offer any other information on Question 1 or any of the other ballot questions, please feel free to call me at 892-6591 or e-mail me at RepMarkBryant@yahoo.com.