By KERI ANNE FOX
Associate Online Editor
 

This week some Bates students started acting to oppose the referendum which would repeal the just-passed law.

"We should all be deeply troubled by the persistence and vehemence of the people who are pushing this [anti-GLB rights] agenda," said David Lieber '98.

The two groups managed to get the required number of signatures, 51,131 (they produced 58,750), on the last day of the mandated 90-day period in which groups can try to get enough support to call for a people's veto.

Once the Secretary of State verifies the signatures, he has until Oct. 18, there will be a special election sometime between December 1997 and April 1998.

The ballot question will read:

"Do you want to reject the law passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor that would ban discrimination based on sexual orientation with respect to jobs, housing, public accommodations and credit?"

A "no" vote would uphold the law, and a "yes" vote would repeal it.

Even though there it is not yet certain that the special election will be called for, some Bates students are already starting to organize.

Carin Edwards-Orr '98 and Jen Edwards '98 are getting a jump start on campaigning against the referendum by organizing information tables during the Saturday's football game and lunch in Merrill.

"We're trying to get the word out about the referendum. We're trying to educate people as to the exact wording of the referendum and what would happen if the it passed. We're trying to get information to the 10 to 15 percent of Bates parents who are from Maine who may be here this weekend," said Edwards-Orr about plans for this weekend.

After this weekend, Edwards and Edwards-Orr plan to keeping working to stop the referendum. "We hope to continue the education on campus, to get people to register, to get out the vote. It's [the opposition's stance] really closed minded," said Edwards-Orr.

Arthur Stamoulis '98 and Jessica Brown '98, of New World Coalition, are working with many others to plan both on- and off- campus rallies as the semester progresses.

Lieber, a co-coordinator of the Bates Democrats, also has enthusiastic plans to organize a counter-campaign to the proposed people's veto.

"What we're planning on doing so far is a coffeehouse to raise awareness about this issue; we're going to be driving people to poll's. ... and registering people to vote," he said.

As the individuals, small groups and organizations gather steam, they are aware that they can be effective if they work as on their cause as a collective coalition. "We want to do a coordinated effort with the rest of the groups," said Lieber.