A new kind of politics, or better, a new method of politics is emerging to intimidate voters by way of lists posted on the internet of those who would disagree with gay marriage. I say “new method” but it must be stated that lists of dissenters have always been compiled by those who wish to do harm to those differing from them.

Yesterday the Seattle Times reported that like other states where internet lists of those who contributed to campaigns banning gay marriage were posted, Seattle now has WhoSigned.org, a site which catalogues those who sign Referendum 71, legislation that opposes bill SB 5688 to give all the benefits of marriage to homsexual couples except the name.

According to state law it’s illegal to intimidate voters, so how do such sites exist? Spokesman for the secretary of state Dave Ammons says it’s a matter for the courts since they don’t police such action. The goal is to have the lists fully searchable so that everyone will know who opposes these privileges and where they live.

Enough people see the illegality and hypocrisy of these measures that it seems unlikely they will gather much strength, at least for now. But they are useful for understanding the nature of the gay rights movement and these expressions of it. It has nothing to do with equality or fairness any more than George Tiller’s killer was motivated by principles to protect life.