Opponents of Same Sex Marriage Law in NH Firing up at Town Meetings

On January 1st, 2010, New Hampshire became the 5th state in the Union to legally recognize and permit same sex marriage. This action re-energizes the state’s motto, “Live Free or Die” by standing up for the civil rights of a minority of people who continue to be attacked both virtually and literally throughout the world. Same sex equality has more emotional opponents than any issue aside from abortion, and generally the same like-minded group finds coherent agreement on both subjects.

Opponents are now gearing up to petition opposition to same sex marriage at upcoming town meetings to change the state constitution, so gay and lesbian citizens can forever have their civil rights denied and banned. Live free or die seems to be going the way of the Old Man, but not without a fight.

At least the NH state legislature is firmly in favor of same sex civil rights. This body has been criticized for being too much democracy- a very inefficient group and the country’s largest state legislature- originally set at one representative for every 100 families, today is capped at 400 members. My hat goes off to them for taking the high ground on civil rights and for being prepared to defend their position against the inevitable opposition that will follow.

Our attempts to provide equal rights to all citizens are more challenged than ever by an ever-growing conservative religious right wing fired up and prodded on by their media demagogs. If traditional family values are the opponents main thrust for opposition to same sex marriage, maybe we should start petitions for town warrants to ban divorce. If children are to be raised in a home defined by one man and one woman, then why not mandate the process? If a traditional marriage petition gets on my town warrant, maybe I’ll push for a “no divorce” petition to help their cause. It seems equally reasonable to me, and of course equally absurd.