Sorry Eileen, I can not vote for some one like you and the other guy from Salem that will be completely controlled by the Gay and Lesbian PACS! The last thing we need are more hard left activist judges! As a devout Methodist Christian, we need a complete change in this state as we have lost our moral compass. We need candidates that are conservative and have strong religious and family values! I am deeply troubled by the hard left turn the majority of elected officials and the democratic party have take here in Mass. I will be voting for DONALD BUMILLER for Council--a good Christian and a reasonable man. He is not a left wing extremist like so many in Salem, Cambridge and Boston. I ask you all--please vote for DONALD BUMILLER FOR GOVERNORS COUNCIL!

Gays have strong family moral values too , you don't need to be a churchgoing Republican to have those bases covered!

Sally - it's not very Christian like to be so prejudice! Your religious values should tell you that there is a place for all people in this world. I won't vote for this person just because of your message. If you truly want to help this candidate as much as you say you do, I would suggest you tone down your message. I don't want extremist candidates as you portray either, but your way of thinking as an alternative isn't knocking my socks off either! I would let Donald fight his own battles here, but you extreme attitude is going to hurt his campaign.

TJ you spoke to 6 people who agree with you. Are they all family members ? 6 doesn't do much in terms of a opinion group- it takes at least 10 people to form a Jewish prayer group for example. One thing I find disconcerting is the language and tone of so called Christian conservatives is usually one of intolerance of views different from their own. I don't think the message of Jesus was one of intolerance. He actually was a reformer, one who sought to help the poor and sick, today he would be called a progressive in my opinion.

"The game plan is to use the courts--google Barbara Lenk and left wing activist judges to proclaim that homosexuality is normal behavior. Then use the public school system--google California Senate Bill 50--to encourage young healthy children to become homosexuals, in order to keep their numbers up and maintain their political base."

Wow...We can't even teach California's kids to read, but we can make them gay??

Geez I've heard it all now...LOL....thank GOD you're in the minority and by "his" will will stay that way..no I guess I don't respect Christian Conservatives when they spew conspiracy theory, hatred and frankly, a twisted version of how Jesus would want us to live. I would look twice in the mirror at your own clergy before bringing up sodomy and marriage on the Patch when HUNDREDS of your own victimizing priests are deeply plagued by much deeper problems than many in our gay community. Go have your religious beliefs humbly, quietly and any way you want them, but keep them out of my legislature and don't try to use them as as the basis of limiting my freedoms--or those of my children AND YOURS.. Boy, would I hate to come out of the closet in your house--

Went to the website - I couldn't really figure out why the candidate wants to be on the Governor's Council. The candidate says that she'd keep an open mind but doesn't say too much about why having her open mind would be better than anyone else's.

If I ran for Governor's Council, I would also keep an open mind but I would also tell you where the current Governor's Council is lacking and why I'd be the person to improve the situation.

Telling us that you're going around the district meeting people isn't that impressive. Rep. Torrisi walked his entire district ringing every doorbell when he first ran. Now some call him Where-is-he Torrisi.

Good golly. Why so much focus on gay rights here? Unless the government tells your church that it has to host same-sex weddings, or unless the government tells you that you have to marry someone of your own gender, you shouldn't be bothered by fair and equal treatment of a small portion of the population.

I've met all three of these candidates and they were all quite willing to answer some tough questions about the need for a Governor's Council and how they will each approach the job. I actually like that Ms. Duff isn't a lawyer and that her background is more in policy. I think that all of the candidates are qualified, decent, hard-working people with years of experience, but Ms. Duff is coming into the field with a unique perspective and I like that.

i agree with both Sally and TJ comments above. The Gov is pro- Gay and Lesbian Political Action Committees as is other activist legislators and judges. Nationally the GLT PACs are extremist left who rarely square with the average American voter. Special interest groups are just that - special interest. Eileen Duff has done, nor said anything to the contrary. The GLT special interest groups in MA is the reason the public has not had a ballot referendum on gay marriage. Eileen Duff comes from that perspective. Sorry, cannot vote for her.

I do believe that people are all on their own spiritual path, and I have no right to tell anyone else what to believe. And Christian Conservatives do not have that right either, to impose their beliefs on others. We are all in this world together and need to respect one another despite our differences. LGBTQ issues are the civil rights issues of our time. They should have all the rights that everyone of us enjoys, and we should support and celebrate with them together.

Eileen,
Are you in any way affiliated with Duff beer?

I am appalled at the amount of "the bible tells me so" excuses people will stand behind to spew out such hateful and non-loving words and phrases. I do not believe that Jesus/God or whatever Spiritual path you are on would want such horrid behavior amongst their followers. True Christians accept and love everyone and do not blame races, creeds or orientations of people for what is wrong with this country. It's the hatred that is causing this country to divide and I think our ancestors would be appalled. Frankly I knew nothing about Ms. Duff until I read this piece, and frankly those that said such things about her and other candidates would force me to vote for them just to vote against the "Christians". Oh and for the record, I am a married, Catholic heterosexual woman with 2 children, not some "hard left activist". I believe in treating others onto how you want to be treated and frankly I am disgusted by the "Christianity" that was displayed here. Separation of church and state....remember?

JR, I'm not gay but I care--if my son or daughter are gay and have a partner for 27 years like Sally ride, they will not be able to benefit by social security, pension or any other benefits straight married couples AND their children would otherwise enjoy... By your theory, disabled people make up a small percentage of the population, should we stop making buildings accessible??? If people want to legally and financially commit to one another why are people so afraid?? It's pure hatred. What I don't care about is religion, because it drives other peoples' beliefs right into my government laws.

call it what you want...the bottom line is... it isnt normal

Sorry, Mr. White...when you expand or "extrapolate" your argument to the ridiculous ("if the entire human race...") your argument more than just "falls off the rails".

Mr. White.....I usually enjoy your comments, however, you are wrong about the human race ending. There are many, many G&L unions having children - and who do a hell of a job raising them by the way. Population growth would slowly increase in your scenario.

Sounds like the campaign trail is going well! I wish you the best of luck!

Wilmington's Farmer's Market is on Sundays 10:30-1:30, our town would love to have you there

I agree with Anne Sweeney !
Mr. White and Jay, If the Human Race were only homosexual from the very evolution of our species, we would have died out early as you stated. If their was a gene that only had same sex with same sex ? I doubt the species would even get off the ground. Obviously the Heterophobs will never admit to anything but the exception rather than to give credence to self evident facts of science. Keeping religion out of the scenario on that point but also recognizing that priests, when in court admit that they are Gay Priests, whether or not they prey upon children is irrelevant. Their basic proclivity is their motivation, as is with heterosexuals who are predators upon female children. Both deviations are equally repulsive, which is why I find Jay Burnham on the wrong side of where he should be, ethically.

Next, To all of the Above you will be advocating for NAMBLA ? You are all repulsive and disgusting. Mr. White is right, I am sure that some kind of superbug, pandemic will wipe out most of the human race. The re-set button will be pushed and we'll all start over again. However I doubt that Humanity will ever get it right, so long as there is perversion and deviation from the historical norm, which laid the foundation for our humanity over the past ten thousand years.

What position is she running for? The queen of the Southie parade. I believe we have bigger issues than homosexuality or whatever she stands for.

Anne and Mr. Smith, you are as disturbed as your logic, you blame policy instead of individuals and that breeds the hatred and anger we have. It also breeds the special interest groups who are encouraged to unite, vote and financially defeat small minded (sometimes religious) people like you both. I live and work in two of THE most diverse and free thinking towns in America. No I do support NAMBLA or any other that victimizes children so how dare you confuse fringe elements of society with more than 2 percent of the world's population who are gay NATURALLY...Society IS and will continue to progress learning to live peacefully and without hatred for others as I am trying to do with both of you. Eileen WILL win because of people like you, keep on spewing...

@Jim, so what's the "historical" norm?? LOL
War?, Incest? Priest pedophilia? Porn?
Child labor? Slavery? Separate but equal? Jim crow?

Nope I'll have to pass thanks, I would like a tolerant, civilized world for my kids and my students--people like you ARE the dark side--I'd rather move forward

Wow. I was raised Protestant (which, by the way, is Christian). We believe in an all loving, all forgiving God. Have you ever heard the phrase "Judge not, lest ye be judged."?
The people spewing their venom on here, hiding behind Christianity, should be ashamed of themselves, and their non-Christian behavior.

I ask you "Christians", have your marriages changed at all in the last eight years becauses of the SJC decision? I doubt it.

It seems to me that we have bigger issues to concern ourselves with, than two consenting adults, who love each other, having the right to get married.

What happened to the separation of church and state?
Mind your own business, and keep religion out of politics.
Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone. I will be castiing my vote for Eileen Duff.

God loves everyone, equally.

A homosexual savage Andrew Goodman found guilty of 48 counts of criminal sexual acts--the rape of young boys! Instead of life with out parole, New York State Judge Martin Murphy gave this animal just 2 years! Murphy has a lifetime job as they do in Mass--how about term limits for judges or the ability to recall them after an egregiously wrong decision like this one. NY media reported Murphy has a habit of being soft on child predators and homosexual attackers. I hope you would never approve a guy like Murphy--sadly Patrick has appointed many like him here--who love to legislate from the bench."

The USA is not a Christian nation. Thank you.

Based on percentages it is by a long shot

The organizations Chick-Fil-A support are pro-marriage, pro-family and anti-redefinition of marriage. There are many things that have helped to weaken marriage to this point ("no-fault divorces", increase in cohabitation, etc....). Homosexual "faux-marriage" is the latest in a long line of culture battles designed to further weaken the core foundational institution of society.

Also, this article is very subtle, but the message is clear. Keep your ethical & moral beliefs behind the 4 walls of your church where it can remain irrelevant. Out here in the "real world" where societal change is affected, secular humanists, atheists, progressives, etc... will only stand to have their values reign supreme within the law structure of our society. They will not tolerate another ethical law order. My hope is that at least a lot of Christians will wake up to the reality that there is no neutrality. That is a myth that has been foisted on them to disarm them. Just like statements such as you cannot bring your ethics and thus law structure into the public square while others go ahead and do the same for their "ethics" and resulting change in laws. If not, maybe Christians will finally wake up when we are getting hauled of to court or put in prison for proclaiming our stance on issues such as marriage. I am not under that delusion nor are those who are pro "faux homosexual marriage". They will push until there goal is reached. There is no neutral ground.

Why not call it Marriage for Heterosexuals and a Marital Union for everyone else. I think all these disagreements would come to an end, if the Gay Community could bend over of this issue, of what to name Civil Unions ? It's already legal so I don't get it ? Why take away something from Heterosexuals ? Leave them alone and come up with something innovative on your own and call it what you like ? All you women and men stir up so much controversy over describing a Legal Union ? Religion has nothing to do with it, What do Gay and Lesbian Muslims call it ? What do Africans call it, what do the french call it, what do the British call it ? Are not Gay and Lesbian Unions allowed or legal in European countries. And if they are, What do they call it ?

Your Hubris shows a lack of intelligence and a divisive angst.
By the way, I'm an Atheist, so stop throwing or shoving religion down my throat just because I choose to argue both sides to see if any of you have the dignity and integrity to find common ground. I am sorry to report that the above proves only one thing. This will probably play out in the streets at some point in our future. Like in Syria some issues cannot be resolved in a civil manner. They could have by calling it Civil Unions, but they chose to push Heterosexuals over the line and kept on pushing, when you push and push and bully and push, what results can you possibly expect ? From a culture which over the past 2012 years has defined marriage as between one man and one woman. Anything short of that is asking for trouble ? Think if you have that ability Christine and Mike, your inability to meet and find common ground on this issue is similar to why our world can never find peace. War is caused by your pointing and calling against religion, I am an Atheist and wanted to prove this point to my students Christine. You and Mike are not even Pragmatists as Obama is, you are purely Heterophobic and won't give an inch on the Marriage/Civil Union issue. We all know that the world has many Gay people co-existing peaceably with the rest of us in society, my brother is Gay, He would rather have Civil Unions as long as it comes with all the benefits and amenities which go with traditional marriage.

I would like to take this moment to point out that a blog post from a candidate for the Governor's Council has turned into a no-holds war over gay marriage. Maybe it's time we get back to the other issues at hand. I know that you believe gay marriage is one of the big issues in this race, but the comments here have become ugly. Let's get back to a civil debate and stop the mudslinging, please. Thank you.

Let's adopt the values of the "Religion of Peace". They are very open to "alternative" views and lifestyle. BTW, what's their position on gay marriage? I don't recall any outrage from Mumbles Menino when he gave them land for the Mosque at a reduce rate in exchange for taking care of a nearby park. No cries of "separation of church and state" ( a phrase that IS NOT in the US Constitution) then. But Reading can't plow church parking lots even though at least one is designated as an emergency site for a public school.

BTW, Just got back from Chick-fil-a. Yum :) I'll be going there more often.

menino's hypocrisy still doesn't justify your ignorance Cheryl... it's as normal for people for people to be gay as it is for people like you to breed... Thank god people like you don't define anything in my world... And soon, my government.... We are progressing as a society... Enjoy your chik-fil-a...

@ Janet, you are a meanspirited, ugly person inside-- not governed by any god worth worshipping-- try thinking for yourself and you might see why acceptance and kindness toward your fellow man makes all the world a better place...

Cheryl, Mayor Menino may have been wrong about this one. He may have crossed a line with his letter, but people who choose to boycott Chick-fil-a in response to hateful rhetoric are well within their rights.

Your post drips with fear and distaste. I feel sorry for you.

Good Grief Anne. You just compared minority populations in the US to the Nazi party. Once again, you should be ashamed of yourself for that.

Many - perhaps all - of the comments made against the LGBT community were made by people asserting their own religious beliefs.

Nobody has suggested that all religious people are wrong. It has simply been suggested that using your religion or the bible to support hateful ideology is wrong. It has also been suggested that no single religion should be used as a state religion. We just don't have a state religion.

Civil laws shouldn't be based on one set (or two or three sets) of religious beliefs. There are many religious people and organizations who believe in equality, who support equal treatment under the law of all people.

We are all well aware of the tax exempt status of churches. You might be interested to know that that tax exempt status is also extended to Unitarian Universalist churches, who embrace equality and who support same sex marriage.

Thanks J.R..... this whole "movement" of the country paranoia is such ridiculous drivel made worse by the media-- some people are prone to narcissism and negativity.. and thinly veiled anger and hate ... happy people always see the good in civil rights.. And if she were half a woman, Anne would remember from history that her gender was and is still fighting for those same freedoms from discrimination that gays are now, and
other minorities still are .... What would you do Anne if your own baby was gay, married interracially, was transgenger

Transgender, or was discriminated upon for JUST BEING who they are by nature? ....... You'd change...

@cheryl and Ann
Enjoy you Chik Fila now cause once Mayor Menino executes his action plan to uphold the rights of gays and lesbians according to the 14th Amendment, you will be driving to some 'narrow minded' Conservative State. For all the other Mayors in Mass will follow suit!  Remember, the residents of Massachusetts can see through lies, deceit and distortion like clear glass. Kudos to the Good Mayor for having 20/20 vision to see through the Cathy family Religious Right CRAP! They come off as God fearing Americans, who love everyone, but donate MILLIONS to anti-gay hate groups! 
My suggestion for you two is to try eating at local establishments, such as Land and Sea, Rizzos, Kelly's, Bill and Bobs, Big Fred's, or Brothers, just to name a few. These places have good food, employ locals, and by giving them your business they support the local economy, and more importantly donate their hard earned money to local non-profits such as youth sports, unified arts for kids, the homeless, boy & girl scouts, cures for diseases, and veterans groups! I challenge you two,  to procure a donation from the Cathy Family and their business for your favorite non-profit  or charity. Don't hold your breath waiting for a check in the mail! 

IMHO - This political fight, like many others, is about government rights and government regulations. (Unlike many others, its not directly about government spending).

Do we argue that there are too many Chinese restaurants and too few Indian? Or that, my neighbor's house is too much nicer than mine? Or that your tall child is a fantastic basketball player while my kid could use help tying his shoes?

But once government gets involved, we all feel entitled to fight for our piece of pie or for some right that others have that we should have.

If government wasn't so involved in our lives, we'd get along a lot better because we wouldn't be fighting as much.

Anne, are you related to Kevin?

she is not from Wilmington...Hamilton patch...she just loves too spewww her craziness everywhere...ignore

Yikes! The Klan is alive and well in Essex County! Seems to be led by 2 candidates who have people with pretty women on there code names.Note: the CODE WORDS!
These candidates should be ashamed of themselves.Eileen Duff and David Eppley are 1000 times better people than these looney's! I am an American and a veteran,Go back to you church in Kansas!!!!

hopefully Anne sends her kids to public school, then they get a nice liberal public education in public college, too-- then her lunacy will be undone....nothing undoes HATE like meeting a widely diverse group of people living happily in one world... LOL...I'm off this thread too...good luck Duff and Eppley although you won't need if Anne stays here... and BTW went on Don's page and he just ignored me...what does that tell you?

Mr. Schulze,
You shouldn’t assume that comments made by people on this post are coming from the other candidates. As your fully aware there are people out there that thrive on this issue and will find any available forum to show there displeasure.
I guarantee the other candidates do not support these comments. Please do not use this issue as an agenda when you do not know the other candidates personally.

Yikes! You people are from my little town? All this hatred and intolerance? Glad I don't know you because I don't want my children poisoned by the hatred and intolerance spewing from this crazy thread. I'll keep you all in my prayers. Blessings!

“Straight Answers: Exposing the Myths and Facts About Homosexuality,” October 8, 2003. (As of December, 2001, 45 percent of all AIDS cases involved men who were exposed to the disease through having sex with other men while 4 percent of the cases were among men who had heterosexual contact.)

But, hey, as long as they're happy we should leave them alone.
Same for alcoholics and drug addicts. They are a "normal" part of the population, so why do we try to cure them?

The court system gave these people the right to desecrate Veterans funerals. Can you believe it? I still say Eppley and Duff are 1000 times more American and better people and better Christians and better human beings,than these people! Where is Toto? Click your heels! Liz they are not from your little town!

Under Darwin's process of natural selection, all "beings" — as opposed to the outmoded religious idea of "creatures" — are continually adapting to their natural environment in order to have a better chance of surviving. The weakest and most poorly adapted die off, while the strongest and most improved survive long enough to mate. Their offspring inherit their genes, and thus the species improves from one generation to the next.

Darwin "noted that successful species produce more offspring in each generation than are needed to replace the adults who die . . . The species would thus have changed or evolved to favor traits that favor survival and reproduction," MedTerms explains.

This means that not only must these beings be able to reproduce sexually, they must actually do so, for evolution to work as posited. Under evolution, then, successful reproduction is the key. Homosexuals would cease to exist because their sexual practices are such that they do not produce natural offspring.

Therein lies the quandary, then, for the gay activist seeking to make his intellectual case for respectability based on science and genetics. These secular gods have abandoned him to oblivion. By their iron laws of Natural Selection, he cannot possibly exist, let alone be genetically preserved and determined.

This poses a huge dilemma for both the homosexuals and the evolutionists. Are the evolutionists willing to weaken their dogma by accepting the homosexuals as a genetically determined subspecies? If evolutionists accept homosexuals, the whole Darwinian argument falls apart.

http://www.linkedin.com/news?viewArticle=&articleID=5637041299279335520&gid=44711&type=member&item=141704445&articleURL=http%3A%2F%2Fyoutu%2Ebe%2FcdPSqL9_mfM&urlhash=71zs&goback=%2Egde_44711_member_141704445

http://youtu.be/-SD5-xfbcJI

Obama Youth:

http://youtu.be/JB45qymNQEo

Jim, that was an excellent use of silly and discredited information to set up an inane straw man argument that did nothing but further expose your deep-seated homophobia.

You are going above and beyond, sir. Please continue!

Crazy!! It just keeps getting crazier! How about a little haldol? Ask your doctor about it!

The comments section for this has certainly become... interesting. Just educate yourself on the issues in the campaign, make a decision based on what you think is best for the state, and vote. There's not much else to it. And avoid using mental illnesses to criticize those who don't agree with you. Thanks.

I've never seen anyone get so excited about the Governor's Council before. Possibly including the councilors themselves.

Rule of thumb: A book that says it's OK to keep slaves but a sin to eat a lobster is not a good source for what constitutes "normal behavior".

this is a generational event that will take a lifetime to evolve, if to become a natural way of life.
our grand kids-kids, may look back and wonder why there ever was an issue.

Our kids already wonder why there is an issue!!! They have already evolved....ask a 20 something

Mr. White, the only possible indoctrination that I received as a 4-year-old was to treat everyone fairly and with respect. In my eyes, as long as people are not hurt physically or mentally, I have no right to judge a person on his or her lifestyle. Of course it makes sense why you would take issue with gay marriage if you went through a Catholic school system. Unfortunately, it seems like there are people, including some commenters here, who treat homosexuals as lesser human beings because of their sexuality. Just because you may not agree with their lifestyle doesn't give you the right to degrade them.

Why do people feel it necessary to evaluate candidates on one issue only? There is more to Eileen than her sexual orientation. How many of you have actually met her? Have you spoken to Eileen to find out what she wants to accomplish if she succeeds? You might not agree with her on this one issue but take time to learn about the whole candidate.

I agree that there are other issues to be considered here. Why make it a one issue race?

I am an independent. I am not a democrat or a "liberal". I am, however, not blind to the right using social issues to garner support from the evangelicals and ignorant minded. Its much easier to get people to vote for economic policies that don't benefit them by masking it with hate, vitriol and fear. Roe v. Wade was decided 40 years ago yet its still hot button item each election cycle. Some Tea Party republicans would like to do away with social security yet they convince seniors to vote for them based on their bible thumping fear tactics.

Again, I am no democrat. I get angry with EBT scams, I support the 2nd amendment, I believe in a hand up and not a hand out. I don't think that a 2,000 year old storybook should dictate anything when most organized religion throughout history has been a purveyor of hate and leader of hypocrisy.

If Gays want to marry, so be it. It does not affect my marriage, my children, my life.

Only thing I want to hear from candidates for Governor's Council is how hard they'll fight to get rid of it. It is a third branch of the legislature, created during Colonial times to keep an eye on the royal governor, and has no place in an era when we're already paying full-time salaries to members of the House and the Senate. So what about it, Ms. Duff? Are you on the side of reform? Or are you going to try to tell us how important the Governor's Council is?

Hey Kevin MacDonald, what is your opinion of Miss Duff?

I had no idea who was running or what the issues were in the race, but thanks to all the vitriol in this comment stream, Ms Duff has my vote! Hurrah! You go girl! You counsel that governor! Yeah.

Why is this council even around? Waste of time, money and people.

Informed Citizen, you are not an independent or a pragmatist. You are a registered liberal democrat, don't be afraid to come out ?

Massachusetts is considering repealing its incest laws because they are "obsolete".
Just kidding, but this was an actual headline in Switzerland a few years ago. Coming to Massachusetts soon? Since some of you don't care what happens in other people's bedrooms, you should have no problem when a father and son go to Town Hall to get a marriage license. Some Massachusetts judge will side with them if they are both consenting adults. Remember, you don't care what consenting adults do. There's no genetic risk to any offspring and it doesn't impact your family, remember. How about mother/daughter, brother/brother, sister/sister? Remember, some of you reminded us with examples of what wasn't "normal" in the past and now is common. Maybe this will be the new normal in a few years. Why stop at same sex incest? With “free” birth control and abortions readily available, opposite-sex partner incest could be allowed as well. Cont’d…

…Cont’d What if they promise to only engage in sodomy? No problem, as it won’t impact any offspring or your family. Maybe it has nothing to do with sex and a child just wants to add his/her parent, to a healthcare policy, or they want to avoid the death tax, or don’t want to have to testify against a “spouse” at a criminal trial. Remember, the new “marriage” definition is just as much about legal rights as it is about love. Consensual incest is already legal in many countries like China, France, Israel, the Ivory Coast, the Netherlands, Russia, Spain and Turkey. So what’s stopping the US of A? Maybe Gov. Patrick, Ms. Duff and Massachusetts can lead the way and stop this oppression of consenting adults. Doesn’t sound so “normal” or “natural” now, does it?

At this point, just about every related idea has been said on this general topic and then some, so it's time to move on and talk about other things.