No one is surprised that supporters of gay rights want Oregon to vote again, in 2012, to try to repeal the 2004 constitutional amendment defining state-approved marriage as between a man and a woman. They won't give up until their goal is reached, so the issue will never go away.

If voters affirm their 2004 decision in 2012 - the way Maine just did on the same subject - activists will shoot for bringing it back maybe in 2020 or 2022. And if it goes the other way in any of those elections, you can bet that those who won the case in 2004 will have enough energy and conviction to get something on the ballot to try to repeal the repeal.

Let's just remember that in our system, nothing is ever settled for all time.

Nobody who already has an opinion is likely to change his views on something as fundamental as the definition of marriage.

But as long as activists with a different view can get petitions signed in sufficient numbers, we'll be voting on that issue again and again. (hh)