Gay-rights group will name petition signers

If they don't want signers harassed, why are they disclosing their names?

In California donors to Proposition 8 have been identified and harassed. Time Magazine:

In addition to the protests, gay rights activists have begun publishing lists online exposing individuals and organizations that have donated money in support of Prop. 8. On AntiGayBlacklist.com, individuals who gave money toward Prop. 8 are publicized, and readers are urged not to patronize their businesses or services.

Scott Eckern, artistic director of the California Musical Theatre in Sacramento resigned his post after his name was posted. Was he harassed?

Here: Seattle Times Newspaper:

A gay-rights group is promising to "out" some people in a way, but in this case it won't mean exposing closeted gays.

Instead, members of Washington-based WhoSigned.org plan to shine a light on those who sign petitions for Referendum 71, an attempt by religious and conservative groups to overturn the state's 2009 Domestic Partner Expansion Bill.

When it takes effect July 26, the measure will give same-sex couples in Washington state the same rights and benefits as married couples.

Partnered with the gay-activist group KnowThyNeighbor.org, which has done the same thing in Oregon, Florida and Arkansas, WhoSigned.org plans to create a searchable database of names and addresses of people who sign petitions asking the Legislature to put the new domestic-partnership measure before voters in November.

Names on petitions are a matter of public record, but only after petitions have been certified by the secretary of state, which, in this case would be midsummer. If there aren't enough signatures, the names do not become public.

Larry Stickney of the political-action committee Protect Marriage Washington, which is behind the Referendum 71 petitions, said, "This seems to be a typical pattern developing around the country where the homosexual lobby employs hostile, undemocratic, intimidating tactics wherever their interests or intent are challenged.

"They take the politics of personal destruction to new levels. I am a personal recipient of dozens of obscene and threatening e-mails and phone calls since we filed this."

But WhoSigned.org spokesman Brian Murphy of Seattle said the purpose of making the petition names accessible isn't to incite harassment.

... "The main thing we want to have is a conversation," Murphy said.

People can talk to their neighbors without posting them on the enemies list.