When you sign a petition to take basic rights and protections away from a class of citizens, you are engaging in direct democracy. You are choosing to bypass your elected representatives and take on the role of legislator yourself — a citizen legislator. It is a great privilege to live in a democracy and have such power!
But if you are going to take advantage of the benefits of democracy, you must also assume the responsibilities.
That means if you don’t feel strongly enough about a petition to sign it publicly, then you shouldn’t sign it! That tension you feel over knowing that your signature will be public is intended. It’s what makes a petition have value. It’s part of the normal system of checks and balances that underlies our form of government.
Should your state senator be allowed to sponsor legislation in secret? Of course not. Then why should you?
And let’s be honest. It’s the petition sponsors and those signing who are doing the intimidating here. If you try to deny basic rights and protections to gay individuals, couples, and their children… don’t those people have a right, if not an obligation, to do everything they can within the law to protect their families? Wouldn’t you want to protect your family?
This list of names is being compiled by the petition sponsors and those signing. Through the petition, they are asking to be recognized publicly for their stance against basic rights and protections for Oregon families. If you are not willing to take on the responsibility of a being a signer, don’t sign. And if you do sign… don’t whine. Just be responsible.
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