Backlash Felt by EQMD Sign Supporters

A note from Executive Director Dan Furmansky

Dear Friends,

Equality Maryland's Civil Marriage is a Civil Right campaign is certainly getting people thinking and talking about marriage equality. Unfortunately, not all of this has been positive discourse.

Just last month, my neighbors, who live alongside a very busy street in Silver Spring -- Colesville Road -- had the yard signs they had proudly displayed for traffic in both directions stolen in the middle of the night. I sent them an email when I noticed the signs were gone and dropped off a couple more signs to them later that night. Thankfully, they are still standing.

Several Equality Maryland members in the Rodgers Forge neighborhood of Baltimore County have reported a public intimidation campaign to remove their yard signs. This has included publishing a factually incorrect article in the community newsletter indicating it was against county code to display signs with "political messages." The editor also wrote an article urging people to keep their political beliefs to themselves. Someone photocopied the article and mailed it to one couple without any return address. Nonetheless, our Rodgers Forge members won't be intimidated or remove their signs, and since the brouhaha, several of their neighbors have requested signs as well.

A letter in the Bowie Blade from June stated: "I dislike such an aggressive pushing of a certain political agenda. I realize we live in politically correct times, but do we have to endure such a 'blight on the landscape'? After all, this isn't San Francisco."

And, Equality Maryland friend Jim Johnson, who runs the blog "Straight, Not Narrow," wrote about his own confrontation with someone attempting to remove his yard sign: click here.

This backlash means only one thing: this campaign is truly making a difference. These public displays of support for marriage equality in anticipation of our court ruling are being seen far and wide, creating dialogue, and attracting new supporters in the face of opposition. Whether you live in Snow Hill, La Plata, Fell's Point or Cumberland, now is the time to speak out on this important issue by getting a yard sign and bumper sticker for yourself.

To get your yard sign and bumper stickers, go to www.marylandersformarriage.org.

If you have a place of business that could serve as a distribution center for yard signs and bumper stickers, please email dan@EqualityMaryland.org.

And if you would like to support this campaign with a gift to Equality Maryland, please make a donation today at https://secure.ga4.org/01/marylandersformarriage.

In partnership and equality,

Dan Furmansky
Executive Director

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Equality Maryland is Maryland's largest LGBT civil rights organization, focused on making life better for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender citizens of Maryland. Equality Maryland works to secure and protect the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Marylanders by promoting legislative initiatives on the state, county and municipal levels and educating the public about the issues faced by our diverse community.

Equality Maryland can be found online at www.equalitymaryland.org.