New Hampshire Wingnuts

It's been barely a month since New Hampshire legalized gay marriage, and opponents are already asking a House committee to repeal the law and let voters amend the constitution to define marriage as between a man and a woman.

The House Judiciary Committee held hearings last Wednesday on the two measures, although many observers expect the House to reject them when they are brought to the floor in the next few weeks.

And opponents to equality know their chances of success are slim, but they are looking to next November's elections in hopes the GOP will regain control of the Statehouse and then act to repeal the law. Gay marriage opponents know that, with the Democrats in charge in the state house, they should shift the focus toward voter sympathy.

In recent weeks, opponents began a grass-roots effort to challenge the law indirectly by suggesting New Hampshire’s 400 House members and 24 senators aren’t representative of the people’s wishes.

Correct me if I'm wrong, asshat haters, but these House members and Senators were elected by the people to represent them, and I'm not seeing a great uprising against the New Hampshire government because of marriage equality. I think it's you few who wish to inflict your views on the majority.

Still, the asshat haters plan to raise the issue at town meetings this spring to pressure lawmakers to present them with an amendment that defines marriage. They also hope their effort will help elect anti-gay marriage candidates in November.

But Kevin Smith, executive director of the conservative Cornerstone Policy Research, agreed there is little or no chance the gay marriage law will be repealed this year. Though he supports repeal, Smith is focusing more on proposing constitutional change and will urge lawmakers to let voters decide the issue. “People really want an opportunity to have a say,” he said.

So, if you want them to have a say, give them the facts, don't fill their heads with the usual lies about pedophilia and indoctrination, and how next you're be legalizing polygamy or prostitution. Give.People.Facts.

Janson Wu, staff attorney for Gay and Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, argues that the size of New Hampshire’s Legislature makes it one of the most representative democratic bodies in the world, and says, “New Hampshire realizes it is just wrong to vote on people’s rights.”

And it is, because one day, perhaps it will be the rights of the asshat haters that are put to a vote.