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Gay Groups Hassle Petition Gatherers

by Steve Jordahl

In 24 states and various counties citizens can use the petition process to put a proposal on a ballot. But intimidation is likely to follow.

“An e-mail went out. You are being asked to leave. Any petitions gathered today are illegal.”

That is a transcript of a video of transsexual Dana Beyer threatening signature gathering in Montgomery County, Maryland. He is a senior staff member of the councilwoman responsible for writing the law the petition seeks to overturn, according to Michelle Turner of Maryland Citizens for a Responsible Government.

“They were harassing and intimidating towards not only those collecting the signatures but also those citizens who were trying to sign the petitions.”

In Ohio, Phil Burress of Citizens for Community Values says gay rights activists spit on petition gatherers, defaced and even stole pages of signed petition forms.

“They would usually come up to you in gangs; there would be two or three or four of them and they would protect each other and watch out for the police. They knew that what they were doing was illegal.”

In California, an aggressive campaign called Decline to Sign brags about “sending teams to go where the anti-marriage petition is being circulated and urge people not to sign it.” Burress questions the word ‘urge.’

“Where we had a problem twice was dealing with the homosexual agenda. I have never seen such a vile group of individuals in my life.”

He says intimidation is the gay advocate’s best bet to derail family friendly laws.  

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