US--Tolerance is on the march: 6 states now back gay marriage

[New Hampshire is a very conservative state, while its neighbor Vermont is known for being extremely liberal. I certainly never expected New Hampshire to allow marriage equality for everyone. The difference between civil unions, a feature of state law, and marriage, which gives access to about a thousand distinct rights on the federal level, is significant. That New England, a largely conservative region, and Iowa, in the Republican farm belt, find themselves able to live with marriage equality is both astonishing and encouraging. This development probably owes a lot to savvy lawyers and decades of demonstrations organized by gay activists, as well as the fact that several years of gay weddings in Massachusetts have not led to a general social breakdown. Lesbians have made a significant contribution by being model spouses. There are few things more impressive than lesbian couples that have been together for a couple of decades, raising a child and providing a healthy, loving, home life. So mazl tov, "congratulations," to everyone who helped prepare the ground for this advance in democratic rights. The next big struggle for tolerance will mean doing something about the heartbreaking suicide rate among gay youth, who face violence not just at school, but, in many cases, at home. -- Yosef M ]

New Hampshire governor backs gay marriage

By NORMA LOVE, Associated Press Writer Norma Love, Associated Press Writer – Thu May 14, 5:57 pm ET

CONCORD, N.H. – Gov. John Lynch said Thursday he will sign a bill to make his state the sixth to legalize gay marriage as soon as the Legislature makes some changes, which legislative leaders immediately said they would back.

Lynch asked that the already-approved legislation be revised to better protect churches and their employees against lawsuits if their beliefs preclude them from marrying gays. Gay marriage supporters said they do not object....

Lynch said he personally opposes gay marriage, but decided to view the issue "through a broader lens."

A gay marriage bill and companion legislation were adopted last week, but had yet to make it the governor's desk. Now, they will be held until the changes proposed by Lynch are approved, said Senate President Sylvia Larsen.

Larsen and House Speaker Terie Norelli predicted the Legislature would act quickly to adopt the changes, perhaps as early as next week....

The bill's main sponsor, state Rep. Jim Splaine, said the bottom line is that Lynch supports marriage equality for gays.

Mo Baxley, executive director of New Hampshire Freedom to Marry Coalition, a group supporting gay marriage, approved of Lynch's proposed changes....

Four other New England states — Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts and Vermont — recognize same-sex marriage. Iowa is the other state to legalize gay marriage.

Lynch said he wanted the law modeled on Connecticut's, which he said contains better protections than the proposal adopted by the New Hampshire Legislature. For example, Lynch wants to be sure an organist employed by a church opposed to gay marriage could legally refuse to perform at a gay wedding....