CONCORD, N.H., Jan. 1, 2008
New Year, New Same-Sex Unions
Dozens Of Gay, Lesbian Couples Legalize Partnerships Under New N.H. Law
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Photo
Couples Gretchen Grappone, left, and Rose Wiant, second from left, both of Concord, N.H., and Wendy Waterstrat, center right, and Holly Henshaw, right, both of Brookline, N.H., hold hands during ceremonies leading to their legal civil unions, in front of the Statehouse, in Concord, N.H., early Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2008. Civil unions for same sex couples became legal in New Hampshire after the stroke of midnight Tuesday. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
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Organizers said they checked in 37 couples for an outdoor ceremony on the plaza of the New Hampshire Statehouse - the building where the law was adopted and signed in 2007. Participants bundled up against below-freezing temperatures.
"We've been together 20 years; we've been waiting for this moment for 20 years; finally the state will recognize us as we are," said Julie Bernier, who posed for photos on the Statehouse steps with partner Joan Andresen before the ceremony. Bernier and Andresen, who both work at Plymouth State University, never sought a commitment ceremony or other symbolic recognition of their relationship before Tuesday.
"I didn't believe in doing it until it meant something," Bernier said.
As ceremonies go, the outdoors event that began at 11 p.m. Monday was equal parts political rally, party and personal triumph.
"We really didn't believe that we'd be able to see this accomplished within one year but it has happened," state Rep. Jim Splaine, a sponsor of the civil unions bill, told the cheering crowd of about 200. "One thing we have to keep in mind is that there is much more to do. We have to continue the journey to make sure that we have marriage equality, full marriage equality - with the word marriage - soon."
New Hampshire's civil unions law - enacted by the Democrat-dominated Legislature early last year and signed by Democratic Gov. John Lynch in May, gives same sex couples the same rights, responsibilities and obligations of marriage without calling the union a marriage. New Hampshire is the fourth state in the nation to allow civil unions.
"We are a citizen legislature and we legislated this into being," said state Rep. Gail Morrison, a Democrat and co-organizer of the event who entered into a civil union with her longtime partner.
John Davey and Mark Brodeur brought gold wedding bands to exchange during their ceremony. Together 10 years since meeting online, Davey, 34, and Brodeur, 48, held a commitment ceremony with friends several years ago, but became the first couple to seek a civil union license in their hometown of Stratham when they became available last month.
"That was just for to say that we loved each other, that we're committed," Davey said of the commitment ceremony. "This is to show the world this is who we are, this is finally recognized in New Hampshire."
There were no protesters at the Statehouse, though one man, Michael Hein, said he drove 180 miles from Augusta, Maine, so he could "report to the people of Maine that this is going on next door." Hein also passed out statements from his group, The Christian Civil League of Maine, which denounces homosexuality.
"Without our vigilance in Maine, (civil unions are) something that could occur as soon as next year," Hein said.
After making brief group vows together, couples walked through an archway decorated with rainbow ribbons and a "just married" banner to meet officiants for individual ceremonies. As they walked through, fireworks from the city's New Year's celebration lit up the sky.
New Hampshire follows Vermont, Connecticut and New Jersey in allowing civil unions. Massachusetts is the only state that allows marriage. New Hampshire estimates that as many as 3,500 to 4,000 civil unions will be performed this first year.
© MMVIII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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See all 921 Commentshttp://blancadebree.blogspot.com
My oldest son is g*ay and a wonderful person. So is one of my step-sons and also a wonderful person.
You, on the other hand, are an as*s.
Posted by blancadebree at 11:03 AM : Jan 01, 2008
ROTFLMFAO!!!!! That was great! Oh and don''t judge all country folk by crzmeat. I''m a country boy too and most of us have much much much more tolerance, understanding and commonsense then that redneck.
Posted by crzmeat at 10:58 AM : Jan 01, 2008
If you don''t care about it, then why do you bother posting here?
Is minding your own f''in business, too difficult of a task for you?
There is not a single thing about my son or step-son that is unnatural. They''re completely normal people. Have jobs, work hard, pay their bills, pay their taxes, etc. Actually both of them lead quite boring lives. They''re as normal as anyone else, except I think my son should move out of his mothers house and that my stepson could find a better boyfriend then the one he has, but since when do parents always approve of who the kids choose? Again, that''s normal.
Posted by runningralph"
It''s a non-issue for those who are not affected by it. For those who have waited for this, it is a great day. Best wishes to all the happy couples!
I think we are all better off with love, rather than hate. If all of you who hate this, stop and start working on your own personal problems. You will find your life a much happier place.
Regards,
Posted by Nancy_Naive at 12:39 PM : Jan 01, 2008
I have little doubt that most of the more virulent anti-ga*y people are closeted ga*ys and are either in denial or terrified of the truth.
singinrick
Allot of the founding fathers were agnostic if not out right atheist. Who really can decided what is morally right or wrong. Your bible was written by a bunch of old men who had "visions". Today we have medications for that. I think we really need to ask, about allot of things. How does this harm us as a nation? I think by allowing this, it makes us a much stronger nation.
Posted by Nancy_Naive at 12:51 PM : Jan 01, 2008
I certainly second that. In his case it''s as obvious as Larry Craig.
Whatever happened to live and let live. I am glad to see that somewhere in the US finally gives the same rights and privileges to same *** couples. It''s not called a Marriage, they''re not going to be doing it in a Church. What possible harm can it do to you personally for these people to be happy? It''s not like you''re being forced to watch. All that is necessary is tolerance, from BOTH sides!
As much as you hate it, religion is dying and g ay acceptance is growing. The young generation couldn''t care less about it. You must have a pretty small concept of God if you think he thinks genitalia is more important than love.
That is such a powerful argument. Your use of inspiring ideas and observations of social trends and civil liberties is truly amazing! So much for 2008 being a year for intellectual debate.
You cannot base a society off of moral relativism otherwise you are asking for down-right chaos and lack of order.
Morals? So why do allot of Christians lack them? They seem to pick and choose. If your a reading man at all, try Scientific American. The did an interesting piece on morals, and how it is part of our brains makeup. We are born with or without. Nothing to do with superstitions. I am much happier being an atheist, than I even was being a Christian. As for lack of order. Atheist have the lowest crime rate of any group. Christians have the highest. And before you say that there are more Christians than atheist, the studies were based on percent of populations. And for what atheist base there ,morals on? It is not on some outdated opinion of someone who lived when the world was flat.
Also look up Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson. That will lead you to many more founding fathers.
.
Leviticus 18, 22-30 (NIV)
" ''Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.
" ''Do not have sexual relations with an animal and defile yourself with it. A woman must not present herself to an animal to have sexual relations with it; that is a perversion.
" ''Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, because this is how the nations that I am going to drive out before you became defiled. Even the land was defiled; so I punished it for its sin, and the land vomited out its inhabitants. But you must keep my decrees and my laws. The native-born and the aliens living among you must not do any of these detestable things, for all these things were done by the people who lived in the land before you, and the land became defiled. And if you defile the land, it will vomit you out as it vomited out the nations that were before you.
Posted by singinrick at 12:58 PM : Jan 01, 2008
How many atheists have been presidents, senators, or congressmen in this country? Virtually none - because the evangelicals would ENSURE that they were not voted into office.
On the flip side, how many politicians consider themselves "VERY" religious? Answer: most of them.
According to wikipedia: "Most U.S. citizens adhere to Christianity (78.5%)"
It seems to me that since atheists are such a tiny, tiny minority compared to the "very religious", and ALL of the major politicians are "very religious", don''t you find that it''s kind of a stretch to blame ALL of America''s problems in our society on atheists, when we have virtually no voice in our government, and all of our wishes fall on deaf ears?
By contrast, shouldn''t the 78.5% of Americans that consider themselves to be the "moral majority" shoulder 78.5% of the blame for the decline of our civilization?
Posted by NameVerified at 01:04 PM : Jan 01, 2008
There is plenty of misery to go around in Iraq. I see that thousands of Iraqi refugees are returning home now, and have no where to go because their houses are either leveled, or taken over by squatters that lost their own houses.
I guess as long as they''re homeless refugees in their own country, they''re not miserable according to you?
This nation is not and never have been Christian. Some have a problem with that but it is true. Yet for an unholy nation thay got some explaining why the killed people for health issues when they yelled whitch..They surely pushed their church on others for a nation that was/is sep of church and state..the 1692 killing of people. Today it still goes on.
Is this the same author?
Leviticus 20:13: Gay people should be stoned to death
Exodus 21:7: It''s ok to sell your daughter into slavery
Exodus 35:2: If you work on the Sabbath, you should be put to death.
Corinthians 11:14: "If a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him"(*cough, Jesus, *cough)
19:24: A Man should not go near a woman when she is on her period
Leviticus 18:20: adultery carries the same punishment as homosexuality: DEATH
This guy kinda scares me.
"I have nothing against those who engage in it, it''s there CHOICE and that choice will mean eternal suffering, unless they repent."
Which section of Sharia Law does that come from?
"The majority of Americans who disagree with that lifestyle shouldn''t have it shoved down our throats and be made to accept it as normal and proper, when it isn''t."
How is it being shoved down your throat? Are you being forced to marry someone of the same s`e`x? Or is your stinking your nose into everybody else''s private lives considered more morally acceptable than minding your own friggin'' business?
Are you sure you want to start living your life according to Leviticus?
What about section 1:9 requiring a burnt offering on the altar?
What about 25:23 prohibiting land ownership? LOTS of sinners on that one, huh?
Leviticus 25:44-46 which condones and ENCOURAGES slavery:
"Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves. You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property. You can will them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly."
How about Leviticus 11:6-8 that prohibits people from eating rabbits or pork? Had a ham sandwich or a BLT lately - SINNER?
How about Leviticus 11:10 that prohibits you from eating clams, oysters, lobster, crab, or anything else from the sea that doesn''t have scales or fins? I guess I''m a vicious sinner - I had clams AND crab legs yesterday!!
And don''t even get me started on Exodus!!
Posted by singinrick at 01:52 PM : Jan 01, 2008
Too stupid to post your own ignorant comments that don''t make any sense, so you''re forced to "BUMP" someone else''s stupid comments that don''t make any sense?
To me it does not make sense. But it doesn''t have to. Just because I don''t understand it, doesn''t make it wrong or right. All that really matters is that people be allowed to do what makes sense to them. I sure if you ask a ga*y person "Does hetros make sense to you?" you would get the same answer we get when we are asked about ga*ys. All that really matters is that we treat everyone as humans, we show everyone love and compassion, no matter how different they are. Truth be told, I''m sure you are friends with a few people who are ga*y. There is a good chance you are friends with an atheist or two. You just don''t know it.
"New Year, New acts of Sodomy"
-The decline of morals in America continues
You have said it before.
Maybe it should read.
"New Year, New acts of Understanding"
-The decline of closed minds in America continues
Exodus 21:7: It''''s ok to sell your daughter into slavery
Exodus 35:2: If you work on the Sabbath, you should be put to death.
Corinthians 11:14: "If a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him"(*cough, Jesus, *cough)
19:24: A Man should not go near a woman when she is on her period
Leviticus 18:20: adultery carries the same punishment as homosexuality: DEATH
This guy kinda scares me.
Posted by jeff-fla at 01:58 PM : Jan 01, 2008
RAmen!
Very simple. Us Atheist understand law and order based mostly on. Do no harm to others. Plus your not judging people base on man judging man, your basing it on man judging man based on what man wrote in the days the earth was flat.
In 2008, the American Psychiatric Association is considering adding bigotry to that list. But look on the bright side Singinrick, you might be able to collect disability benefits.
Happy 2008!
Do no harm is just plain human nature. If it is just biblical, than the most of the world is would be killing and raping one another. As for the world being flat. In the days the bible was written, they believed the world was flat, and you could be put to death stating other wise. Read a but of history other than the made up one you seem to read about.
Back in the day, we had the crusades, inquisition, witch burnings, and depending on who was king or queen, you was put to death for being the wrong kind of Christian. Sure some have done good, even mother Teresa had done great works. Oppss. I forgot she wrote that she had lost her faith many years before she died.
Happy New Year!
Homosexual might have the word se*x in it, but it is not about ***. It is about love. The same way heterosexual is not about se*x it is about love. I ask you? What harm does it do, and what is wrong with love?
Also degrading somone over the sexual preference does do great harm. Read about Alan Turing. To name just one. With his death the whole world was harmed.
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