> From Community Pride Reporter, Vol 3, Number 1, Summer 1995 ANTI-GAY COALITION FORMS TO SUPPORT REFERENDUM Cosby Shunned as National Groups Take Center Stage in Referendum Battle by Bruce Balboni Paul Madore, failed candidate for the state legislature from Lewiston and leader of the successful fight against Equal Protection Lewiston has been chosen to lead the newly formed Coalition to End Special Rights (CESR - pronounced "Caesar"). Their first meeting was held Monday, June 19, 1995. The Christian Civic League (CCL) of Maine is the parent of this coalition with support from Focus on the Family, based in Colorado Springs, Colorado and the Family Research Council, based in Washington, DC. The emergence of this coalition is a reflection of the fading star of Carolyn Cosby, Chairperson of Concerned Maine Families (CMF) as a leader in the anti-gay political movement. Cosby has been unable to obtain any funds from national groups and is being investigated by the Ethics Commission in Augusta as a result of a complaint by one of her own supporters - Linda Bean. Ominously, Bob Knight, who holds the absurdly oxymoronic title of Director of Cultural Studies for the Family Research Council attended the June 19th meeting in Lewiston. The Family Research Council is a Washington, DC based radical right organization which supports the referendum and opposes any legal reform regarding the civil rights of homosexuals. Knight is the author of, "Homosexual Agenda", a series of pamphlets whose "emphasis is given to dispute the 10% figure and other faulty research claims, as well as exposing the homosexual in agenda in schools." Knight was the keynote speaker at the first meeting of CESR. according to 'The Record," newsletter of the Christian Civic League, '"Knight indicated that the president of the Family Research Council, Gary Bauer, is very supportive of the referendum." Knight also told CESR that their coalition had received a strong endorsement from Tom Minnery, vice president of public policy at Focus on the Family. "The Record," went on, "Knight is convinced the referendum can be won with hard work and the kind of sincere devotion demonstrated in the successful Lewiston campaign of 1993. Paul Madore closed the productive meeting with a promise to commit himself fully to the task of organizing a statewide grassroots effort and the administrative infrastructure to create a "Yes" vote in November. The initial budget for the Coalition is $100,000." The Community Pride Reporter (CPR) spoke to Madore and asked him what involvement, if any, CMF would have in CESR. He said, "I was approached by representatives of principal organizations, both state and national and I was asked to head the coalition and I'm just delighted that they gave me that opportunity. I'm very close to this issue and I share their concerns as well, mainly because I believe I understand the message and I'll be able to bring to the state effort something similar, if not identical to the results in Lewiston." When pressed to answer why Concerned Maine Families (CMF) is not included in this coalition and why they were not approached to lead the referendum battle, considering that it was they who gathered the signatures for the petitions to force a referendum, Madore would not answer. He said, "We're going to be very hard at work in the next few months and I expect to work on behalf of the referendum, that's what has been delegated to me. He did offer the following observation as to why there may be a problem between Cosby and other supporters of the referendum, "I hope that we all have an opportunity to speak freely on the issue and to maintain the kind of respect that all parties deserve. If there is a problem at all I think it's that we don't do that. We fail in that effort. I want to maintain a mutual respect for all people involved and beyond that point I have a plate of fried chicken I've been attempting to get to. Let's talk in the future." CHRISTIAN COALITION RESISTS PRESSURE TO JOIN CESR Paul Volle, Executive Director of the Maine Christian Coalition, told CPR that Madore has asked him to join CESR but Volle does not believe the referendum is constitutional and that the ends do not justify the means. Volle added, "I'm not willing to compromise my principles because they say the issue is so burning and we have to deal with it. I don't believe that at all. There has been a lot of pressure put on us from national groups and state groups, but we will maintain the position we've had since 1993, which is hands off." The national Christian Coalition has been receiving pressure from Bob Knight of the Family Research Council - which in turn has been applied to Volle. Knight has called Volle. Madore recently spent two hours trying to get Volle to join CESR. Volle said Madore wants the referendum taken away from Cosby because Madore feels that Cosby is not a credible person. Volle added, "If you really stop and think about it they (CMF) have some real ethical problems going on with their finances and how they got the signatures from the standpoint ... they were trying to tell the general public and the media that it's not a gay rights issue but when they were going out and collecting the signatures they were saying, 'Stop the gay rights in the state and overturn the gay rights in Portland.' So it was one way to one group and another way to a different group. I don't think that's an honest perspective. When is she lying? I don't want to be associated with an effort like that." Commenting on the most recent death threat Cosby received Volle said, "It's another way to get media attention." Volle said that years ago, when Cosby was involved in slandering legislative candidate Robin Lambert she claimed to have received a death threat then. CPR asked Volle if he has had any personal experience with gay men or lesbians. Volle said that he had a cousin, Steve, a homosexual, who died of AIDS.