A new campaign for gay marriage started by Basic Rights Oregon will focus on personal conversations between gay couples and their communities.
"We have got to start talking about this now" Says Jeana Frazzini Executive Director for Basic Rights Oregon.
BRO knows it is in for a fight, a big one – back in 2004 voters in Oregon passed a law stating only men and women can be married.. Frazzini hopes to have something on the ballot as early as 2012. Political pollster and consultant Mike Riley says bringing in the young voters that helped make Barak Obama president will be necessary to win - adding that even Oregon’s democratic strongholds have turned gay marriage down.
Any effort to legalize gay marriage in Oregon is likely to run into opposition from the Defense of Marriage Coalition. Its spokesperson, Betsy Maynard, promises to "Vigorously defend Oregon's constitution." You can read her full statement in the .pdf file attached to this story.
