Concord Monitor: “Pass gay marriage bill and end discrimination”
April 28, 2009
The New Hampshire Senate is expected to vote on the marriage equality bill (House Bill 436) tomorrow. If passed and signed into law, New Hampshire would become the fifth state to offer marriage equality for gay and lesbian couples. Although NH Governor John Lynch (who has previously stated his opposition to gay marriage) has remained mum on whether he will ultimately veto the bill, the Concord Monitor was very forthcoming about its support of the marriage bill in a must-read editorial today:
Among the more disquieting arguments heard at the State House in recent weeks was one from Plymouth Sen. Deb Reynolds, who said New Hampshire wasn't "there yet" when it came to gay marriage. She didn't say she opposed it. She didn't explain how she knew the state wasn't ready - or when it might be ready or what the Senate might do to help New Hampshire get ready. Instead she implied that there was something fundamentally different here than in Vermont or Iowa or Connecticut or Massachusetts.If that's the best argument the chairwoman of the Senate Judiciary Committee can make, then the full Senate should have no trouble rejecting the committee's recommendation and quickly passing the gay marriage bill tomorrow. Reynolds's argument is a copout. It's an attempt to signal to gay couples and their supporters that while she doesn't necessarily oppose their efforts, neither will she do anything to help. Her words are rooted not in justice or fairness or courage but in fear. Surely New Hampshire voters can expect more from their elected officials than that.
We have listened closely to this debate since it began several months back. The arguments against gay marriage have only intensified since the House unexpectedly approved the legislation a few weeks back. Not one of them is convincing.
Read the Monitor's response to the arguments against marriage equality in the full article here. One thing is certain: momentum is on our side.
