Four Yeas, 45 Nos, and a WTF?

Marriage is still only available to all in four states (MA, CT, IA, & VT), and "Say No Go" in 45 other ones.

And, then there is New Hampshire. I'll provide as clear an update as I can, but there's some kind of chicanery going down in the Granite State.

First, the NH House passed gay marriage in a bill...by one vote, I believe.

Then, the bill was submitted to the NH Senate. Here comes the foolishness. They have voted to allow gay civil marriages, but have left it up to the churches if they will issues licenses to same-sex marriages. I think they're saying that everyone is entitled to civil marriages and all the legal protections and benefits they provide. Everyone can cruise by the courthouse, and become Mr. & Mrs., Mr. & Mr. or Ms. & Ms. But, and it's a big but, churches decide if they want to recognize and conduct same-sex marriages. So, bigotry is legal when segregated to cathedrals and Mormon temples.

It's called splitting hairs. Shout out to all lawyers! It's also called shrinking balls. Shout out to gutless wonders!

Now, the bill will be re-submitted to the NH House. The House has these options: agree, kill the bill, or negotiate something different. The only way the bill goes to Governor Lynch is if the two legislative bodies agree on it. Mr. Lynch thinks marriage is defined by man and woman only. NH has already approved of civil unions (bad taste), and Lynch feels it's up to the federal government to recognize them in order to effect real change. W-H-A-T-E-V-E-R.

Trying to be objective, I can see that this could be a strategy to side-step objections of religious hardliners and pacify same-sex marriage proponents. Religious people can sleep at night knowing that gays and lesbians won't be getting married in their houses of worship. "Civil marriages" is an upgrade from "civil unions," y'all.

Harrrumph. This is what it sounds like to me: whole lotta bullshit. Think it all the way through. Gays and lesbians can "marry" each other as long as they don't do it in a church, because then it's not really marriage. They are still beneath the egotistical heterosexuals, and therefore it's not a moral crime to discriminate or perpetrate hate crimes against them.

So tricky, NH. So dicky, NH. My guess is that the bill will get killed in the NH House because those lawmakers seem to be fighting for marriage or bust. If it does pass and get past the governor, I will not recognize it as a clear victory for equality in marriage. It will be a giant WTF? for the mighty state of New Hampshire.