A good thing happened in Maine yesterday

Folks, according to the Wall Street Journal and several other sources excluding and CNN, Maine voters rejected a law allowing same-sex couples to marry in a closely fought referendum that saw unexpectedly high turnout. Rolling back the law is a setback for gay-rights advocates and makes Maine the third state in which residents reversed their government's decision to permit gay marriages, after California and Hawaii. Same-sex marriage has yet to win a popular vote in any state, despite a recent string of wins in the New England region. The other states that grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples -- Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, and Vermont -- have done so via legislative vote or judicial ruling, and New Hampshire will grant such marriages starting in January after a vote by its legislature. The federal government and most other states don't recognize same-sex marriages.

This victory is a tribute to the hard work of all the defenders of natural marriage in the state of Maine and also exemplifies the fact that voters don't want the definition of marriage tampered with by anyone. As my much better known colleague, Thomas Peters of the American Papist states, this result comes despite Maine being a liberal state, despite a 2-1 funding disadvantage, despite aggressive legal action against traditional-marriage defenders, despite unusually high voter turn out, and despite Rachel Maddow and the elite press running interference. Proponents of same-sex marriage, unlike in California’s Prop 8, can’t blame Maine on Mormons, on African Americans who turned out for Barack Obama, or on confusing ballot wording. Their issue loses when the people decide. And it loses every time.

I hope this lesson is learned once-and-for all in the corridors of power. I hope that politicians get to understand that Americans do not want the definition of marriage tampered with in order to mollify the loud, well-funded minorities who are attempting to impose their viewpoint upon us come hell or high-water. If you are an assemblyman, local or state representative, senator or judge running for office, or if you are a congressman or senator in Washington and you decide to tamper with the definition of marriage, have no doubt that we will remove you from office and replace you with someone who knows what the American public really wants. As simple as that.

Congratulations, National Organization for Marriage, with whom I've had the honor to collaborate occasionally, and congratulations to Maine-based pro-marriage grassroot activists for a job well done and a well-deserved victory in one of the critical issues of our age.

Update: CNN finally got around to report it 30 minutes ago - about 2:30 PM EDT today.