Gay rights, yes; intimidation, no

THIS page has long supported full same-sex marriage, and still does. We hope our readers don't sign the petitions to put the new civil-unions law on the November ballot. But we condemn tactics to make citizens personally fearful to sign this or any other petition.

Fear is the essence of what one gay-rights group is encouraging. You can see their Web page at www.whosigned.org. It announces an intention to offer a computer-searchable list of everyone who signed the petition for Referendum 71. The Web site says innocuously that this is to let voters have "a way to check that the public record of their advocacy is correct." And that, of course, is not why they are doing it.

A Seattle Times' story makes it clear why they are doing it. They want to make signers afraid that some zealot will look up their name and address, knock on their door and confront them about why they signed.

A threat to "out" one's political opponents is an ironic move coming from homosexuals, who have a deep understanding of the tactic because it has often been used on them. It is especially obnoxious in this state, where citizens are private in their politics, and register to vote without publicly declaring a political affiliation.

Of course this announcement is just a threat. The point is not actually to knock on doors of any of the 120,000-plus people who might sign a successful petition — at least, not now. Such an effort would be difficult and could begin only after the signature drive succeeded.

This is a new tactic in Washington politics, and a disgusting one. Intimidation needs to be condemned, and particularly by those who would immediately benefit from it.