Voters won’t stand for an assault on marriage equality

I have been in love and have lived with the same woman for more than 30 years. We just got married. We wanted to make sure this happened before the Legislature tries to repeal the marriage equality act.

I live in Washington, N.H. It was the first town in the United States to be named for George Washington, even though he never stopped here.

When we bought our house here, many people in town knew us as a couple. I had been a home health-care nurse. I had been in many local homes, caring for the sick, being their advocate in the strange world of illness, pain, doctors, hospitals, surgery, therapy and medical insurance.

When we moved into our home, a neighbor came by to invite us, as a

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | November 1, 2011

Kevin Nix, Standing up for New Hampshire Families

(603) 731-7498 | nix@standingupfornhfamilies.org

Standing Up for NH Families Responds to Bates’ Constitutional Amendment Announcement

CONCORD – After hearing the news that Rep. David Bates (R-Windham) will not be introducing a constitutional amendment to prohibit marriage equality, Standing Up for New Hampshire Families issued this statement.

Legislators should see the writing on the wall - opposition to repealing the state’s popular marriage law is overwhelming and bipartisan. The will of the people is clear: leave the law alone and get back to focusing on economic matters. Taking away freedom and liberty does not square with New Hampshire values.

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Standing Up for New Hampshire Families (www.standingupforNHfamilies.org) is bipartisan group of citizens, business owners, people of faith, and civic leaders who oppose repealing the state’s popular marriage law.

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By Katy Burns / Monitor columnist
October 30, 2011

Anti-gay marriage bill is a disgrace

‘A masterpiece of muddled drafting,” Rep. Lucy Weber of Walpole called it. “This is the most mean-spirited piece of legislation to come before me since I’ve been in the House.”

Weber is right. It is mean-spirited. And it is a muddled mess.

“It” is the so-called repeal of gay marriage, approved by a House committee last week and destined to go before the full House in January.

Except it’s more than a repeal of what advocates prefer to describe – I think accurately – as a “marriage equality” law. The bill would also enshrine in state law what the sponsors call “civil unions.” But these “civil unions” wouldn’t be like the civil unions that our marriage equality act replaced. They wouldn’t be like any civil unions in existence anywhere in this nation, it seems.

These “civil unions” would be available to any two adults…

By TOM FAHEY
State House Bureau Chief
Published Oct 28, 2011

CONCORD— Retired state Supreme Court Chief Justice John Broderick has joined a group working to defeat repeal of the state’s gay marriage law.

Broderick is among several prominent people from both major parties who are part of the Leadership Council, organized by Standing Up for New Hampshire Families.

The House Judiciary Committee voted Wednesday to recommend passage of a repeal bill, House Bill 437, that sets up a new form of civil union in place of marriage for same-sex couples.

Broderick said, “It would be tragic to turn back the clock to the dark days of discrimination, intolerance and false stereotypes. I remain hopeful the Legislature will stay the inspired course it set.

Joining Broderick on the council are former Attorney General Philip McLaughlin; commissioner of Resources and Economic Development George Bald; former Business and Industry Association president John Crosier; state Republican Party area vice chairman…

Many thanks to Granite State Progress for filming and sharing this video.

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In the wake of a growing threat to the current marriage law, Standing Up for New Hampshire Families today announced the formation of a Leadership Council – a bipartisan group of Granite State business, faith, civic and grassroots leaders who strongly oppose the repeal of the state’s popular law. The group represents the fabric of New Hampshire: Republicans and Democrats, large and small business owners, community and religious leaders, and families.

“I applauded the legislature for doing the right thing when it voted to allow all our citizens to have the benefits, security and dignity of marriage,” said former New Hampshire Chief Justice John Broderick, a member of the Leadership Council. “It would be tragic to turn back the clock to the dark days of discrimination, intolerance and false stereotypes. I remain hopeful the legislature will stay the inspired course it set.”

More than 200 state and local leaders have signed on to the leadership team. Some prominent members of…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | October 25, 2011

Kevin Nix, Standing up for New Hampshire Families

(603) 731-7498 | nix@standingupfornhfamilies.org

New Hampshire Legislative Committee Takes Step toward Ending Popular Marriage Law

Stowell: Such a move completely ignores will of the people

CONCORD – With great disregard for what more than 60% of voters want, the House Judiciary Committee today approved a legislative proposal sponsored by Rep. David Bates (R-Windham) that repeals New Hampshire’s popular marriage law.  Today’s vote didn’t pass with even the majority necessary to override the governor’s veto, meaning this effort to undermine New Hampshire families lacks momentum as Republicans and Democrats are united in bipartisan opposition.

“The Bates proposal is bad for freedom and bad for families,” said Craig Stowell, Republican co-chair of Standing Up for New Hampshire Families. “There is no reason to overturn New Hampshire’s popular marriage law that simply protects all families and treats all loving couples equally.  This isn’t a…

End efforts to repeal same-sex marriage

New Hampshire’s political sensibilities have no doubt moderated significantly since 1973 when Gov. Meldrim Thomson threatened the University of New Hampshire to block all state funding if it didn’t “take firm, fair and positive action to rid your campuses of socially abhorrent activities.”

The “indecency and moral filth” Thomson was referring to was the “Gay Students Organization.”

Just how much the state has moderated will be determined next year when the legislature considers legislation to repeal the 2009 law legalizing same-sex marriage. New Hampshire is one of only six states to do so joining Iowa, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York. The District of Columbia also allows same- sex marriage while four other states grant civil unions the same rights as married couples.

New Hampshire legalized same-sex marriages when the Democrats had firm control of the Legislature and the governor’s office. The Republican landslide of 2010 brought numerous efforts to undo the Democratic agenda…