Last week, we observed our 13th wedding anniversary, and we breathed a sigh of relief. We didn’t actually get married on May 30, 2009 – that was the day we celebrated our civil union, surrounded by friends and family in our Hancock backyard.
Four days later, then-Gov. John Lynch signed a gay marriage bill, making New Hampshire the first state to offer marriage protection by an act of the legislature rather than the courts. We got the “upgrade” to marriage when the law went into effect Jan. 1, 2010.
That sigh of relief? Because our marriage is codified into state law, it can’t be nullified by any decision of the current Supreme Court. The court reportedly plans to overturn Roe v. Wade, meaning other rights guaranteed by the 14th Amendment could be its next targets – including gay marriage (and interracial marriage and contraception.).
This highlights the importance of electing Democratic officials at the state level. At a time when more and more already-established civil rights may be relegated back to the states, all New Hampshire residents need to feel secure in the state having their back even if the federal government doesn’t.
The best way to protect our civil rights is to put Democrats back in charge in the governor’s office, in the Executive Council, in the State Senate and in the state House of Representatives. Please vote in the midterms.
Jane Eklund and Sarah Bauhan
Hancock