I have sent an email to the governor to urge him to sign the marriage equality bill. As a non-NH resident, I wrote brief arguments from law, prudence, moral principles and economic incentive, and also that Civil Unions are like the discredited "separate but equal" principles. I want to share it with you and urge you to contact the governor. Feel free to modify the email to suit your needs.
As a note, the governor has not indicated whether he will sign or veto the bill (he could also allow the bill to become law without his signature), but his statement yesterday suggests an opposition to marriage equality:
"I recognize that the issue of same-sex marriage is intensely passionate and personal, and raises strong emotions on all sides.
"I still believe the fundamental issue is about providing the same rights and protections to same-sex couples as are available to heterosexual couples. This was accomplished through the passage of the civil unions law two years ago. To achieve further real progress, the federal government would need to take action to recognize New Hampshire civil unions."
Dear Governor,
I urge you to uphold the promise of equal protection in both the New Hampshire and U.S. constitutions by signing into law the marriage-equality bill that will soon be before you. By extending equal civil marriage rights to same- and opposite-sex couples, while protecting the rights of religious organizations to perform only those marriages they wish, this bill advances both equality and freedom of religion. Civil unions are not enough -- they rest on a "separate but equal" premise that has been discredited and proven unworkable.
I hope soon to be able to visit your beautiful state again and look forward to spending my tourist dollars in a state that supports equality and freedom in name and in law.
You can email the governor here:
http://www4.egov.nh.gov/...
Or fax or call him at:
(603)271-2121
(603)271-7680 (fax)
Thank you, fellow Kossacks, for supporting equality and freedom.