It's coming. Now that the New Hampshire primary is over, the Republican State Legislature can step out into the limelight once again and go back to doing the only thing it's good at -- passing absurd laws like letting people carry weapons in the State Capitol while doing nothing to help the state's finances or the unemployed and needy.
One such bill is HB437, which would repeal the state's marriage equality law that went into effect two years ago. The legislature could vote on it at any time now, possibly on a moment's notice.
You might remember from a year ago when the bill first reared its discriminatory head, only to be tabled temporarily. As it was being debated, Craig Stowell, a former Marine and a veteran of Iraq, published an open letter (pdf) in New Hampshire's papers imploring the legislature to leave marriage equality intact. He had an important reason for doing so -- his brother:
My brother and best friend, Calvin, was tormented all the way through high school because people knew he was gay. There were nights that I worried I may wake up and he wouldn't be there any longer; crushed by the misery he was forced to endure. When New Hampshire extended marriage to gay and lesbian couples, two years ago, he finally felt accepted. He finally felt like he belonged.
Then they made a video together:
Craig, now the Republican Co-Chair of Standing Up For New Hampshire Families, has created a petition at Change.Org that you can sign too. As Craig explains at the petition site:
Today, the right to marriage is under attack in New Hampshire. If HB 437 passes, same-sex couples will no longer be allowed to marry. This mean-spirited attack is nothing more than state sponsored bullying. The bill actually goes on to allow discrimination in employment and housing based on sexuality.
When I enlisted in the Marines, I took an oath to defend freedom and liberty. In 2004, I went to Iraq to do just that. As the co-chairman for Standing Up for New Hampshire Families, I am now defending my brother's freedom here at home, and I hope you will help me by telling legislators to vote NO on HB 437.
Almost 77,000 people have already signed, including Mary Irons, a grandmother who writes:
I am a straight married (49 yrs) great-grandmother who knows many people in the GLBT community - some of whom have been together for many years. Because of marriage inequality, they may be denied basic rights that straight married people have such as insurance coverage, hospital visiting rights and a lot of other rights which are easily verified. People should not be penalized and bullied because of who they are and who they love. Using Christianity as a reason perverts the message and teaching of Jesus - "Love God and love your neighbor."
Everyone expects the legislature, willfully ignoring public outcries, editorials, and polling, to pass the bill. The real fight will come when Democratic Governor Bill John Lynch vetoes it and an override is attempted.
Fortunately, over the summer and early fall, special elections to the New Hampshire House of Representatives resulted in replacing three Republicans with marriage equality supporting Democrats, providing what just might be the necessary votes to uphold the veto. (See The Next Battle for Marriage Equality Will Be Fought in the Snows of New Hampshire. and a report on the result of one of those special elections for details.) But no one is going to be sure of a victory "until the dealings done" and the votes are tallied.
Stand with Craig and his brother Calvin. Sign the petition.