Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Fie on the Fogeys and Phobics

Up in Concord, New Hampshire, the House trashed the amendment drive that would outlaw same-sex marriage today. This clearly is in preparation for the vote, probably next Wednesday, that will likely enable civil unions. The senate in turn should pass it and the governor sign it.

Today's wasn't even close -- 233 to 124. Moreover, this was to send the matter to voters (the wheezing let the people vote plea of the anti-gay and anti-equality folk). That would have required a two-thirds majority.

The whining was predictable:
"You're not being a bigot if you say, 'I think the people have a right to vote,' and say, 'That's how to define a family,'" Windham Republican Anthony DiFruscia said in the losing fight.

Auburn Republican Dudley Dumaine warned amendment opponents they would be held accountable in the 2008 election.

"I want you on record telling the people they don't have a right to vote on this constitutional amendment," he said.

It's great to see a bunch of lawmakers not afraid to stand up to that junk.

Numerous legislators urged killing the amendment. The most powerful apparently was Carole Estes (D-Plymouth), who is Black. She said, "I could not go to a theater or a restaurant where whites were. I was 18 years old before I spoke to a white as an equal. I could not attend public college. I could not try on any article of clothing or return it when it was purchased."

She noted irony of her being asked to vote to legalize discrimination against another minority. She concluded, "For too many years, I have spent time believing I was a second-class citizen. The laws told you so. I cannot perpetuate a travesty even though the people say they should vote. They have voted in the past," resulting in discrimination.

The article reports that "the chamber broke into applause."

Unfortunately, the House was not entirely clear thinking. It sent a bill back to committee on whether it should repeal its laws not recognizing marriages that would not be legal if conducted there. That vote was a squeaker -- 171 to 169. It may not be dead.

Those who want to defeat that effort apparently are fearful of Massachusetts same-sex married couples moving there and suing for recognition. They phrased it as though they were concerned about polygamy. Oh, yeah.


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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

There is much support here in NH for civil unions even among the Republicans. I have been surprised the representatives that have told me they support CUs that I never guessed would have. The Senate bill of Bob Cleggs to give benefits to all couples is going nowhere. The legislatures have been getting heavy email but it has mostly been the mass produced type and not original. This stuff they ignor. We do not have a wacko MassResistance.com here in NH to muddy the waters with lies and halftruths. One small group took out a full page ad in the Union Leader but it was nothing out of the ordinary. Many NH Churches such as the United Church of Christ (Congregational) are lending their support. We have had little of the rancor you have seen in Mass.

massmarrier said...

Good for you. It seems the worst of yours came from the kangaroo-court style marriage hearings and report. Your clowns seem to have left center ring.

I did notice that several wingers reported they'd leave the state if Deval Patrick became governor. While I hope they did, I also hope they won't come bother you.