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Annie submitted this story on 01/31/06

I am from NH and my partner is from MA. Both our families know about our relationship and we even had our civil union done in VT. My family loves my partner and her family loves me.

I just found your website by reading the advocate. I was looking in there and I found her father signed the petition. I don't know how I feel right now. I feel like he is a wolf in sheeps clothing. I can't believe he is a biggot. The way he talkes to me as if I am his daughter it really has me doing tail spins.

Elizabeth submitted this story on 01/02/06

I had no intention of signing this petition.  The woman collecting signatures read the details of of the three petitions. The last being anti same sex marriage, which I refused to sign.  I can only conclude that she mixed up the forms.

I have never had an issue or reason to be anti-gay, I in no want to diminish anyone's rights. I feel very badly that my name is recorded as such. I am following this up by filling out the affidavit form.

Elizabeh Cadorette

Sandy submitted this story on 12/31/05

I found the names of a couple of very good friends on the list; needless to say, I called them up, and they were HORRIFIED that they'd been scammed.  I encourage everyone to go through the list and make certain that none of your friends or family who would never sign this vile petition are not listed.  

MY friends are absolutely BALLISTIC about this! They are true supporters, and never dreamed that they'd be on this list. Good work,KNOWTHYNEIGHBOR --- they would never have known if it wasn't for you guys!!

CJ submitted this story on 12/30/05

Going through the list I was horrified to find my aunt and uncle had signed the petition. My aunt and uncle are also my godparents. They have met my husband and have always been nice to us. I guess I know where they stand now.

Kevin submitted this story on 12/29/05

I married my husband Bob 8/9/05. It was wonderful. We had a reception of about 125 people at a very swank Boston hall. Both families were present in full force. Everyone was happy. Both families have been completely accepting. That is until this site came out and we found that my brother had signed the petition. I have tried to rationalize this..he is bi-polar, on lots of medication. But I'm still pissed.

Michael submitted this story on 12/27/05

I have been with my mate since 1978. We have spent a bunch of money to cover our asses in case of emergency or death. As our circumstances change so does the need to update and each time it costs more money one would not have to put out if one had  marriage protection. No matter how many tiimes we use a laywer one can not cover all the points a simple marriage can cover.  I see 13 Lonergans signed the anti petition, too bad there are so many with my name that have such hate in thier hearts.

Michael Lonergan

Scott submitted this story on 12/26/05

I recently went to the list to see which of my neighbors signed the petition. I was shocked to see that my best friend and staunch supporter of my marriage and gay rignts was on the list. She told me that the petition was presented as FOR gay marriage. She is from the Bellingham area and I wonder how many others have been duped!

Scott Fisher

Carol submitted this story on 12/24/05

I am a firm supporter of gay rights and marriage. I never signed the petition. I never authorized anyone else to sign my name. I am signing an Affidavit Form for Petition K to rectify the situation. I hope that the petition has not offended my friends and co workers.

Carol Armstrong

Tom & Mark submitted this story on 12/23/05

Thank you for this information.  I speak hours today searching town by town, all through the alphabet of every person on my Christmas Card list.  I never new my sister-in-laws middle intial until I say here name on the list!  Oh, and my "good" neighbor, the one on his second marriage!  Gosh, and he told me he thought our marriage was a great thing.  Hmm, time for a little Christmas chat.

Also, I intend to re-send to a thank you card to everyone on my Christmas list, who did not sign.

Faye submitted this story on 12/23/05

When I went searching through the database, hoping and hoping I wouldnt find my name or my friends' names, I was horrified to find among them my godmother, the parents of a gay friend, the father of a married gay son, one of the most open-minded faculty members ever, and a girl I went to school with. When I showed the database to others, hoping that those names were there by fraud, it started to sound like nearly everyone got duped into it. My other friends have found more names that they recognize; and of people they've HAD the gay rights discussion with and know where they stand on it.

If only there were a way to send mailings to these people, for verification purposes. I had signed a petition a few months ago when I was in Boston on a trip. I think it involved the greyhounds? But I was so nervous that I had been fooled, because I had had to sign on two pages. Now I'm worried, angry, bitter, and will never EVER sign another petition that I dont have the time to sit down and really look at.

Jim submitted this story on 12/23/05

Several months ago, I was approached by two very talkative and slick petition drivers, as I refer to them, nowadays. I distinctly remember the event at South Bay Mall. Keep in mind that I have on occasion been involved in petition signature gatherings oft and on for years. Their game and petition was regarding the liquor on Sundays, all stores story.

First, I am a life-long resident of Massachusetts and have been a resident for a few years of a community neighboring New Hampshire, so I am aware of the arguments pro and con on the issue of liquors sales, blah blah.

I asked the petition gatherers several more detailed questions, the response, “Honey, I’m from California with my girl, here, and we don’t know all of the details of your old laws, but we can buy liquor anytime we want. Why can’t you folks?“ I asked her another question or two, and obviously she was not that informed regarding the petition she was driving, if you will.

I watched her 'work the crowd', a real huckster -- something that I had never seen before in all my years in Massachusetts. I was more put out than suspicious, initially. I did not understand why the liquor industry or hoteliers or restaurants would hire 'carnival barkers' such as these two indiviuals.

I asked her to see the petition, she pulled one out and asked me to sign. I did and began to sign with my ward and precinct, of which she was surprised and said, “Oh No. Don’t sign that, because we’ll lose the whole petition.”

I responded, ‘What?’ She said that I made a mistake. I said, ‘No, I did not. And why would you believe that. I do know my ward and precinct. And even If I did, it would only be my signature voided, not the whole page.’    She responded, “Honey. I’m working and must raise all the signatures that I can get, so that I can return to California, next week. I’ve been told that if you make a mistake, then you can F***U*, the whole page.” I said, ‘No, you’ve been given misinformation.  It was then she appeared nervous. I signed and she asked me to sign the following page, as a back-up.   Then I knew immedialely, that something was irregular. Petition gatherers are usually advised to be extremely polite, and one should never engage in hostilities, deceptions or foul language. They’re is no such animal as a 'back-up' page.  She had it folded and then I began to pull apart the page from the clip board. She pulled it away from me. She apologized.  And then I was so stunned by her quite rude and odd behavior, that I left without saying anything else.  I went into the store to shop, and came out later.

She approached me while still playing the crowd - a very seasoned person she was.  She said, “I’m sorry for yanking the board away from you, but, Honey, I have a job to do. You appear to know a lot more about this signature process than I do. Please understand and don’t report me.” I was so surprised at her comment, that I don’t believe that I responded.

I honestly never thought about it again, till hearing and reading the news reports of the past several weeks.  Gratefully, I never got to sign the 'hidden petition.'  Sadly, most folks can be conned by pros such as her and that company from Calif.

Jim Murphy

Nancy submitted this story on 12/23/05

I am a straight woman who was married to a gay man.  He is now remarried and his spouse brings out the best in him.  His partner is a great step-father to my kids.  I support gay marriage because it makes a statment to people that there is nothing 'wrong' with it.  This is important to me because my children have a gay father and a gay step-father.  I think that the stigma of being different (having a gay parent) is easier for them knowing that their dad was married in a church and that this is legal in Massachusetts.

Even though this was personally painful for me, I can look at it now and say that the situation is better for all involved.  I get along better with my ex-husband than I did when we were married -- and his partner is a very nice man.  I have also had the benefit of getting to know my sons' step-brother, who I adore.

Judy submitted this story on 12/23/05

I am shocked to find my parents name on this site.  I am out to my family and I thought they were suppotive of me.  I cannot believe the people in my own community who have signed this petition.

Linda submitted this story on 12/22/05

I cannot believe my name is on the list. I wholeheartedly support gay marriage. I was completely duped by this at Shaws in Beverly. I am outraged and disgusted by the means in which this was done.

To be told by one of my closest gay friends that I was on this list and for her to doubt my stance on this is absolutely heartbreaking. What kind of rights are they supporting by abusing my right to sign a petition I believed was for something completely different (wine and beer sales in grocery stores)??

Please let me know any way I can spread the word and support your mission to promote gay marriage in Massachusetts.

Linda Crawford

John submitted this story on 12/22/05

The President of the Massachusetts Family Institute said "the People have not just spoken, they have shouted ..."

At my home in the South Shore, the shout was "f**king faggots" on the Sunday morning the petition was being signed at the Catholic church next door.  The provocation was a yard sign asking neighbors NOT to sign the petition.  

I've invested too many years fighting for gay rights to be cowered by this bullying.

Elizabeth submitted this story on 12/22/05

I live in Sacramento, California but grew up in the town of Wrentham and was shocked and horrified to learn that kids I went to school with, teachers and people who lived in neighborhood where I grew up signed a petition, which wants to propose legislation that will deny equal rights and freedoms to a group of people.  A retired sixth grade schoolteacher, a childhood playmate who lived on my street, the paper boy (whose defense I rushed to when he was getting beat up by a neighborhood bully where I intervened) and public officials are some of the people from Wrentham who signed it.

I have several generations of family that have lived in Wrentham. My nephews, my father, grandfather, great-grandparents, great-great-grandparents and so on all grew up in Wrentham. That town has 300+ years of history and what have they learned?

I plan to come back to Massachusetts to run in the Boston Marathon for a second time.  I had also planned on visiting Wrentham and would have been proud to say that it was my hometown until I learned of the names on that list, but sadly it was never truly a place I would call "home".

Elizabeth Ware

Paul submitted this story on 12/22/05:

I've always feared that if I'm incapacitated that my family including my sister who is a born again christian will stop from my partner from seeing me. He has been there for me through all my past crises and they have not. I know her and she will take full advantage of any health situation.

I have been with Bob for eight years. He is my soul mate. I have recently looked into a health proxy. He is the one I want making decisions for me. This petition may change that for us and I believe it has nothing to do with tradition. It's about hate pure and simple.

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