Slog
News & ArtsThursday, October 21, 2010
Homo Gay Marriage Is Legal In New Hampshire
Posted by Dan Savage on Thu, Oct 21, 2010 at 7:50 AM
But New Hampshire's biggest daily paper—The Union Leader—refuses to print same-sex wedding announcements because that's the "policy of the newspaper." It's a policy that could have serious repercussions for one couple in particular.
Granite countertops, rainbow cupcakes, wedding announcements—you would think there wasn't a recession on with the way some business owners are turning away certain kinds of customers. Here's hoping all the bigot-owned businesses go bankrupt, each and every one.
UPDATE: Never wake up, roll over, toss something up on Slog, and then walk away from the computer. "Serious repercussions" is a bit over-the-top. I'm afraid I adopted the slightly overly-dramatic tone of an overly-dramatic wedding planner. I was more interested in this being yet another example of a private business turning down paying customers in the midst of a recession. Anyway, score one for the trolls.
1
So he wants to out himself as publicly as possible to create a backlash at home then whine that he can't go home because of the backlash?
A S S H O L E
Good work, Danny.
Do you ever even sniff this shit before you gobble it down?
.
.
(did you hear the one about the guy who murdered his parents then begged for mercy from the Court because he was an orphan? yeah, he was a faggot too....)
A S S H O L E
Good work, Danny.
Do you ever even sniff this shit before you gobble it down?
.
.
(did you hear the one about the guy who murdered his parents then begged for mercy from the Court because he was an orphan? yeah, he was a faggot too....)
3
Sloggers--the e-mail address for Letters to the Editor for the Union leader is: finan@unionleader.com
Make your voices heard.
Make your voices heard.
4
If this poor guy gets MURDERED when he goes back to Venezuela it will be the fault of the newspaper.
Totally!
Lynch the Editor NOW.
Dan, give us email addresses so we can start HARASSING people!!!
(but 'respectfully', you know...)
Man-
I can't get over how SERIOUS
the REPERCUSSIONS
will be for this poor guy....
*sniff!*
*sob!*
Totally!
Lynch the Editor NOW.
Dan, give us email addresses so we can start HARASSING people!!!
(but 'respectfully', you know...)
Man-
I can't get over how SERIOUS
the REPERCUSSIONS
will be for this poor guy....
*sniff!*
*sob!*
5
This is what I wrote:
I just read the story of Greg and Aurelio, who were denied a wedding announcement by the Union Leader on the grounds that the Union Leader has the right to print whatever it wants.
You may indeed have the right to set your own editorial policy, but you should be aware that your current policy risks brinding your paper as retrograde, bigoted and behind the times.
Your state offers legal, civil marriage to two people of the same sex. That is a fact. Same-sex couples have the same, normal desire to publicize their marriages as their straight brothers and sisters. That, too, is a fact.
There was a time in the not-too-distant past when newspapers in the south would print wedding announcements for white cpouples, but not black ones. This blatantly bigoted policy was eventually recognized as socially abhorrent, even if it was technically allowed under the first amendment.
You should amend your policy as soon as possible, and print wedding announcements for all weddings, whether you, personally, approve of them or not. It is your job to disseminate information of interest. It is not your job—outside of the editorial page—to be the moral arbiter of Manchester, New Hampshire.
I just read the story of Greg and Aurelio, who were denied a wedding announcement by the Union Leader on the grounds that the Union Leader has the right to print whatever it wants.
You may indeed have the right to set your own editorial policy, but you should be aware that your current policy risks brinding your paper as retrograde, bigoted and behind the times.
Your state offers legal, civil marriage to two people of the same sex. That is a fact. Same-sex couples have the same, normal desire to publicize their marriages as their straight brothers and sisters. That, too, is a fact.
There was a time in the not-too-distant past when newspapers in the south would print wedding announcements for white cpouples, but not black ones. This blatantly bigoted policy was eventually recognized as socially abhorrent, even if it was technically allowed under the first amendment.
You should amend your policy as soon as possible, and print wedding announcements for all weddings, whether you, personally, approve of them or not. It is your job to disseminate information of interest. It is not your job—outside of the editorial page—to be the moral arbiter of Manchester, New Hampshire.
6
I think it's good to out the paper's bigotry, but if it's important to have their wedding announced, is there any reason why it can't be announced in another paper? Surely, they're not all like that. Even a paper that's not their local paper would be better than nothing.
7
So half of the guys relatives find out he is gay by receiving a wedding invitation?
And we're going to blame the newspaper when his balls get caught in the wringer?
Really?
This is OUR CAUSE?
Danny,
you do realize there are hungry people in the world,
don't you?
And we're going to blame the newspaper when his balls get caught in the wringer?
Really?
This is OUR CAUSE?
Danny,
you do realize there are hungry people in the world,
don't you?
11
@2
Obviously you didn't read the article:
Your definition of "serious repercussions" and mine differ greatly.
Obviously you didn't read the article:
Aurelio is in the process of becoming a US citizen. He has his social security number, and his driver’s license. Venezuela is a very conservative country and many citizens don’t support gay marriage or homosexuality in general. Actually, this fact is so true, that half of Aurelio’s family just discovered he was gay when we sent their wedding invitation to them last week. Because of this fact, Greg and Aurelio wanted to make their wedding as public as possible in the US in order to plead to a judge to allow him to stay in the US for fear of his safety from his countrymen should be return to Venezuela as an openly gay man.
12
@5
Actually
"Retrograde, Bigoted and Behind the Times. Eeeha!"
is the slogan of the Union Leader.
Actually
"Retrograde, Bigoted and Behind the Times. Eeeha!"
is the slogan of the Union Leader.
13
Seriously, Dan? You guys really need to get with your IT staff. How many of these constant dickwad comments by 'anonymous' are from the same IP addresses again and again and again? If that bullshit is from some regular poster, why not out them?
14
11
Obviously he did.
Obviously you are a clueless asshole.
Pickling you head in Dan's rectum has that effect.....
Obviously he did.
Obviously you are a clueless asshole.
Pickling you head in Dan's rectum has that effect.....
16
13: Who cares about outing them. Why not either block the fucker or simply require registration to post.
17
@15 You should probably put your pants back on, your mom will be yelling down the basement stairs that breakfast is ready any minute now.
18
@13- I turned of un-registered comments months ago. Keeps me calm and serene, instead of frothing mad when I read SLOG. I'm amazed at what I don't miss.
21
16
registration?
why?
Danny loves having us here-
he is an intellectuomasochist-
he requires a stiff dose of intellectual humiliation before he can get off (it's not like Judge Judy reruns are on 24/7 after all...)
registration?
why?
Danny loves having us here-
he is an intellectuomasochist-
he requires a stiff dose of intellectual humiliation before he can get off (it's not like Judge Judy reruns are on 24/7 after all...)
24
23
HomoLiberalism can only subsist in an intellectual vacuum.
you girls are peddling Edsels in the Marketplace of Ideas....
HomoLiberalism can only subsist in an intellectual vacuum.
you girls are peddling Edsels in the Marketplace of Ideas....
25
@11 I did read the article but DID miss what you reposted, still, I'm pretty sure whether or not the local paper decides to print your marriage announcement is not the legal determinant of whether or not it is a legal US marriage and therefore get to stay in the country.
26
@25 no, it's not a determinant of the legal status of the marriage, but it IS determinant in what could clearly be a case of a refugee status. He came out and it's now unsafe, so the announcement is another piece of legal evidence for refugee status. At least that's how I read it, so them not printing the announcement is a fantastic dick move.
27
26
" He came out and it's now unsafe..."
not so fast, slick
lets run that little turd through the
HomoLiberalBullShitFilter™
to get a translation:
"He came out as publicly as possible to create the illusion that it's now unsafe..."
Trying to pin anything on the paper is a fantastic dick move.
" He came out and it's now unsafe..."
not so fast, slick
lets run that little turd through the
HomoLiberalBullShitFilter™
to get a translation:
"He came out as publicly as possible to create the illusion that it's now unsafe..."
Trying to pin anything on the paper is a fantastic dick move.
30
@Joe....where....was the other part of the article that mentions the immigration status? Is my reading comprehension really this low in the morning, or is there more to this article than I am seeing on the front page?? Shoot.
31
Two separate things, I think.
First of all the paper's policy is bigoted, regardless of the details of this particular case. Won't print same sex marriage announcements? Are you kidding me? Which century are they operating in, again? Enough reason to send them irate email, etc. for that alone.
The second issue, that of Greg & Aurelio, is infinitely more complicated. Since (federal) immigration does not recognize gay marriage, same sex partners where one is from another country do not have the option that heterosexual couples have: creating a path to citizenship via marriage. I don't know how many refugee/asylum applications are granted, but it's not many. There's no guarantee this will work, whether or not the newspaper prints their announcement. I wish them the best of luck: this is a particularly difficult road to take, and I wish I could say I've seen lots of happy outcomes, but I can't.
(I'm not a big fan of either straight or gay marriage, but this was actually the issue that changed my mind on the whole marriage issue years ago.)
First of all the paper's policy is bigoted, regardless of the details of this particular case. Won't print same sex marriage announcements? Are you kidding me? Which century are they operating in, again? Enough reason to send them irate email, etc. for that alone.
The second issue, that of Greg & Aurelio, is infinitely more complicated. Since (federal) immigration does not recognize gay marriage, same sex partners where one is from another country do not have the option that heterosexual couples have: creating a path to citizenship via marriage. I don't know how many refugee/asylum applications are granted, but it's not many. There's no guarantee this will work, whether or not the newspaper prints their announcement. I wish them the best of luck: this is a particularly difficult road to take, and I wish I could say I've seen lots of happy outcomes, but I can't.
(I'm not a big fan of either straight or gay marriage, but this was actually the issue that changed my mind on the whole marriage issue years ago.)
33
Weird, that post I linked has been edited since I posted it and removed that passage. It's still archived here:
http://www.towleroad.com/2010/10/gay-cou…
http://www.towleroad.com/2010/10/gay-cou…
34
@32 keep trying. Your responses are so convincing and lifelike someone may yet mistake you for a real boy.
35
http://images.jambase.com/fans/OFtroll/F…
Just sayin. Someone attack him with a Cockatrice with a Lure on it please.
Yeah, I went nerd on you. Deal with it.
Just sayin. Someone attack him with a Cockatrice with a Lure on it please.
Yeah, I went nerd on you. Deal with it.
38
I kind of like them unregistered. They aren't shown unless I click the little plus sign. And I don't. So I don't even see them. ( : =
39
The immigration angle should have been completely left out of this, it tarnishes the whole story and suggests Aurelio is actually trying to use the wedding announcement game the immigration system.
First, Venezuela has a more progressive record on gay rights than many other Latin America and Western Hemisphere countries. For instance, Chavez openly expresses support for the LGBT rights movement, homosexuality is no longer criminalised in Venezuela, AND, Venezuela has a employment non-discrimination law on sexual orientation (we can't even pass ENDA here in the US!!).
So any suggestions that his life would be in danger in Venezuela because of his sexuality sounds like total BS. He should be applying for permanent residency and then citizenship. If he is obviously having trouble due to some undisclosed immigration problems, he should NOT be seeking asylum saying his life is in danger in Venezuela. First of all, it doesn't even work like that. For asylum, which is what he is describing, you have to flee from persecution in your home country in the first place. It sounds like he is using the wedding and newspaper to try and drum up animosity in Venezuela so he can get residency in the US, and there is absolutely no proof or even reason he would face serious harm in Venezuela.
There ARE actually countries out there where gay men and women do need protection and asylum. Venezuela is not one of them.
Honestly, I think this whole story stinks and sounds like the types of practices that make immigration and very serious issue of asylum more difficult for everyone else.
First, Venezuela has a more progressive record on gay rights than many other Latin America and Western Hemisphere countries. For instance, Chavez openly expresses support for the LGBT rights movement, homosexuality is no longer criminalised in Venezuela, AND, Venezuela has a employment non-discrimination law on sexual orientation (we can't even pass ENDA here in the US!!).
So any suggestions that his life would be in danger in Venezuela because of his sexuality sounds like total BS. He should be applying for permanent residency and then citizenship. If he is obviously having trouble due to some undisclosed immigration problems, he should NOT be seeking asylum saying his life is in danger in Venezuela. First of all, it doesn't even work like that. For asylum, which is what he is describing, you have to flee from persecution in your home country in the first place. It sounds like he is using the wedding and newspaper to try and drum up animosity in Venezuela so he can get residency in the US, and there is absolutely no proof or even reason he would face serious harm in Venezuela.
There ARE actually countries out there where gay men and women do need protection and asylum. Venezuela is not one of them.
Honestly, I think this whole story stinks and sounds like the types of practices that make immigration and very serious issue of asylum more difficult for everyone else.
40
@5 - Thanks for posting your letter - I was able to use it to gather my thoughts and send an email of my own. My words were nowhere near as graceful as yours, though!
41
The immigration angle should have been completely left out of this, it tarnishes the whole story and suggests Aurelio is actually trying to use the wedding announcement game the immigration system.
First, Venezuela has a more progressive record on gay rights than many other Latin America and Western Hemisphere countries. For instance, Chavez openly expresses support for the LGBT rights movement, homosexuality is no longer criminalised in Venezuela, AND, Venezuela has a employment non-discrimination law on sexual orientation (we can't even pass ENDA here in the US!!).
So any suggestions that his life would be in danger in Venezuela because of his sexuality sounds like total BS. He should be applying for permanent residency and then citizenship. If he is obviously having trouble due to some undisclosed immigration problems, he should NOT be seeking asylum saying his life is in danger in Venezuela. First of all, it doesn't even work like that. For asylum, which is what he is describing, you have to flee from persecution in your home country in the first place. It sounds like he is using the wedding and newspaper to try and drum up animosity in Venezuela so he can get residency in the US, and there is absolutely no proof or even reason he would face serious harm in Venezuela.
There ARE actually countries out there where gay men and women do need protection and asylum. Venezuela is not one of them.
Honestly, I think this whole story stinks and sounds like the types of practices that make immigration and very serious issue of asylum more difficult for everyone else.
First, Venezuela has a more progressive record on gay rights than many other Latin America and Western Hemisphere countries. For instance, Chavez openly expresses support for the LGBT rights movement, homosexuality is no longer criminalised in Venezuela, AND, Venezuela has a employment non-discrimination law on sexual orientation (we can't even pass ENDA here in the US!!).
So any suggestions that his life would be in danger in Venezuela because of his sexuality sounds like total BS. He should be applying for permanent residency and then citizenship. If he is obviously having trouble due to some undisclosed immigration problems, he should NOT be seeking asylum saying his life is in danger in Venezuela. First of all, it doesn't even work like that. For asylum, which is what he is describing, you have to flee from persecution in your home country in the first place. It sounds like he is using the wedding and newspaper to try and drum up animosity in Venezuela so he can get residency in the US, and there is absolutely no proof or even reason he would face serious harm in Venezuela.
There ARE actually countries out there where gay men and women do need protection and asylum. Venezuela is not one of them.
Honestly, I think this whole story stinks and sounds like the types of practices that make immigration and very serious issue of asylum more difficult for everyone else.
43
I'm with 39.
Sorry boys, you can play all you want on Americans' ignorance of what goes on in the rest of the world, but the fact is that several latin american countries provide more legal rights and protection for gays than the US. Not to mention that the population as a whole is a lot more accepting.
This sounds like blatant manipulation of the refugee process... which I have nothing against if you can do it discreetly and get away with it, but this is likely to make it even more difficult for the true gay refugees.
Sorry boys, you can play all you want on Americans' ignorance of what goes on in the rest of the world, but the fact is that several latin american countries provide more legal rights and protection for gays than the US. Not to mention that the population as a whole is a lot more accepting.
This sounds like blatant manipulation of the refugee process... which I have nothing against if you can do it discreetly and get away with it, but this is likely to make it even more difficult for the true gay refugees.
44
Here's hoping all the bigot-owned businesses go bankrupt, each and every one.
Amen to that, Dan.
Maybe SOMEDAY when these idiots realize that the color of gay money is just as green as het money, maybe THAT might make a difference in their little pea-brains. Sheesh.
Amen to that, Dan.
Maybe SOMEDAY when these idiots realize that the color of gay money is just as green as het money, maybe THAT might make a difference in their little pea-brains. Sheesh.
45
Given what I know about immigration law (absorption from immigration-lawyer husband), it is not simple to just "get residency" and then "become a citizen". You need some sort of hook - a job, a proposed spouse - under the sort of traditional route, or some sort of threat to safety under the asylum route.
I guess, though, that I'm not sure why the wedding announcement matters for the immigration status at all, if US CIS (dicks, all) don't recognize gay marriage as a way to get US citizenship.
Not printing the announcement, though, is rotten, stupid, bigoted and will hopefully cut their advertisers and subscribers in half. Yes, I'm an optimist.
I guess, though, that I'm not sure why the wedding announcement matters for the immigration status at all, if US CIS (dicks, all) don't recognize gay marriage as a way to get US citizenship.
Not printing the announcement, though, is rotten, stupid, bigoted and will hopefully cut their advertisers and subscribers in half. Yes, I'm an optimist.
47
I honestly even wonder why they're trying to get married here, since I've heard that can severely damage a person's chances of getting residency. I seem to recall 'entering a same-sex marriage with an American resident' can hurt your chances at citizenship, since it's not federally recognized.
48
The paper can do whatever it wants... no matter how wrong it may be. What will be interesting to find out is that if the newspaper will suffer any repercussions from their ASININE & bigoted decision.
49
I grew up where The Union Leader is the local paper of record. I know people who've worked there. Their politics have been very very conservative for a long time - the most famous episode involving this paper was the ruining of the Muskie campaign with the help of their good friends in the Nixon 1972 campaign.
The good news is that Manchester, NH now has an alternative paper, the Hippo Press, which is much more representative of what the people living there actually believe.
The good news is that Manchester, NH now has an alternative paper, the Hippo Press, which is much more representative of what the people living there actually believe.
50
@49 so it's basically the Seattle Times: a paper owned by a Conservative who does his own thing, his community be damned.
51
What I don't get about Dan is that he's so compellingly smart and lucid in certain areas, but in others he raises the bar on casual arrogance, and it's really off-putting. The gay rights movement lacks a solid cadre of go-to guys/gals for the media, and Dan would be ideal, but until he learns to control his mouth and his temper, he can't be that.
He also seems to think that apologizing for mistakes is some kind of weakness.
He also seems to think that apologizing for mistakes is some kind of weakness.
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