New Hampshire Governor Signs Civil Union Bill

New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch made history yesterday as his state became the first in the country to sign legislation to extend civil unions to same-sex couples without legal proceedings or the threat of judicial intervention. Civil unions remain unequal to full marriage for same-sex couples. This blogger, however, remains immensely proud of lawmakers in his home state who did the right thing for their gay and lesbian constituents.

Granite Staters take immense pride in their 'Live Free or Die' mentality which places immense value in limited government interference in their personal lives. Social conservatives will certainly use this mantra to challenge the law in the public square. The Union Leader will almost certainly run sensational editorials that mourn the collapse of so-called traditional marriage before the law takes effect on January 1, 2008. Gays and lesbians in New Hampshire, at least, now have a seat closer to the table than they did before Lynch signed the bill.