VIDEO: Vermont Residents Question Marriage Equality Protestors from Westboro Baptist Church

On Tuesday, the first day that marriage equality was legal in Vermont, extreme wingnuts from Westboro Baptist Church trudged their way up to the state to protest. Local Vermont residents questioned their philosophy.



Read the accompanying article at Burlington Free Press.

Meet the First Gay Couple to Marry in Vermont!

Bill Slimback and Bob Sullivan waited 17 years to get married. But after Vermont's marriage equality law took effect early this morning at midnight, they couldn't wait any longer to tie the knot.

Literally. At 12:01am, Bill and Bob said "I Do."

“It feels wonderful,” said Slimback, 38, an out-of-work Teamster who is taking Sullivan’s last name as his own. “It’s a day I’ve been long waiting for, and a day I truly honestly thought would never come.”

The AP reports that the couple "dressed in suits, saying their vows under a large wall-mounted moose head, the two Whitehall, N.Y., men promised their love, exchanged rings and held hands during a modest 17-minute ceremony. Moose Meadow Lodge co-owner Greg Trulson, who’s also a Justice of the Peace, presided."

“We’ve waited a long time to do this - basically, our whole lives,” Slimback said Monday. “We’ve been waiting for a chance to actually solidify it,” he said. He and Sullivan said they never wanted to obtain a civil union because they believe that’s a kind of second-class recognition.

Congratulations to the Sullivans!

CONGRATULATIONS VERMONT! Marriage Equality Kicks In At Midnight

Sometimes it gets depressing writing this blog. And I get readers telling me it can be depressing reading it. Why? Because it's either news from the opposition attempting to take us down, or it's about more work we need to accomplish in order to gain or protect the rights we should already have.

But this post is different. I get to report:

LGBT VERMONTERS CAN BEGIN MARRYING AT MIDNIGHT TONIGHT!

Congratulations to all of you in Vermont!

Back in April, the state legislature made history by not only passing a marriage equality bill, being the first state to legalize marriage equality without being ordered to by a court, but they also conquered the governor's veto of the bill by garnering enough votes to overturn it.

Reports have stated that many couples are not rushing to the altar, but given that Vermont was the first to enact civil unions almost ten years ago, many couples may not feel the need to rush but wait until their anniversary rolls around. On top of that, it's been five months since the passage of the marriage equality bill and the fervor for an immediate wedding has past, as well as Vermont's wedding season, which is in the summer.

This, in my opinion, just undermines the opposition's arguments that marriage equality will destroy the institution of marriage and ruin heterosexual unions - we're not a massive "homosexual contingent" flooding the clerk offices to flaunt our love lives. We take getting married seriously and don't rush the altar at the first chance we get.

And if we do, WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO! The 18,000 couples who got married in California took no time to tie the knot when it was legal. They deserved it. And those of us who can't now because of Prop 8 - we deserve it too!

As do those in Vermont. And they're definitely celebrating.

CELEBRATIONS!

The 30-member Vermont Gay Tourism Association is hosting "Small State, Big Heart" marriage equality wedding reception and dance party Tuesday night at The Essex resort in Essex, offering hors d'oeuvres, wedding cake and DJ dancing for $34 per person.

Vermont-based Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream is sweetly celebrating by renaming their "Chubby Hubby" flavor "Hubby Hubby" for the month.

Vermont Freedom to Marry is hosting county booths throughout the state to thank and celebrate with fellow Vermonters over the new marriage equality law set to go into effect on September 1st. (H/T Queers United)

Upcoming opportunities:

* Aug. 29-Sep. 7 Champlain Valley Fair (Essex Junction)

* September 4-13 Vermont State Fair (Rutland)

* September 17-20 Tunbridge

For more information contact:
Sheryl Rapee-Adams, Field Director (802-353-7286 / Sheryl@vtfreetomarry.org)

It's Just Another Day in Vermont as Few Same-Sex Couples Apply for Civil Marriage Licenses

Unlike fellow New England state Maine, the issue of marriage equality in Vermont has caused very little upheaval as the state's new marriage law goes into effect on September 1.

This month, Vermont town clerks began offering civil marriage license applications to gay and lesbians couples, but little fanfare has accompanied the historical moment.

TimeArgus.com reports very few same-sex couples have lined up for the applications, although the new law becomes active in as little as two weeks.

"I picked up mine today," said Jace Sheppard of Colchester who plans to marry his civil union partner Michael Sheppard on Sept. 1 after the two get out of work for the day. "We're going to sign it soon and probably return it tomorrow."

The city of Rutland reports that only one couple had picked up an application, and in the capital of Montpelier, the battleground site for the marriage equality law passage just a few months ago, no couples have applied, said City Clerk Charlotte Hoyt.

"We had one phone call, but we never heard back after that," she said.

Vermont was the first state to offer civil unions, so it could be that civil marriage isn't that big of a deal, something the far right-wing doesn't want people to believe.

Recap for the Week of April 6-10

Just like last week, this week was full of historical moments and surprises. For many, it was almost too much to keep up with, or at the very least, keep it straight in the head (no pun intended).

So I'd like to help with a basic recap.

VERMONT

Emily Nelson of the Burlington Free Press showed the face of LGBT Vermont with a beautiful piece, but Gov. Jim Douglas didn't empathize and responded with a veto of the state's same-sex marriage bill instead, placing him on the wrong side of history. But not to be deterred, the Vermont legislature refused to lag behind its stellar civil rights record, and showed the governor where he could stick it with a veto override. Keeping true to its nature, Vermont is now the first state in history to legalize same-sex marriage through the legislative process.

The anti-gays were not happy. More on that below.

IOWA

It didn't take long for pundits to predict the future of Iowa's 2012 marriage amendment since the state's Supreme Court essentially legalized same-sex marriage the week prior, but anti-gay groups didn't care about 2012 because they began to push for an emergency legislative session to amend the state's constitution NOW, the whole while the governor remained silent on his stance. Senate Majority Leader Michael Gronstal told them to shut up and go away. To make the anti-gays even madder, the Gov. Chet Culver finally spoke up and said, "Nah, I won't support any discriminatory amendment". This sent the anti-gays into a tizzy, so about 400 showed up at the capitol in protest when the legislatures began to meet, calling out rudely for an amendment from the session's gallery seating. Luckily, the legislatures followed the Senate Majority Leader's example and told them once again, "Shut up!". I have a feeling that's not the last we'll hear of them though.

WASHINGTON D.C.

The District's council members, on their own but judiciously picking a great week, voted that the nation's capitol would recongize same-sex marriage legally performed else where. It still needs to be approved by the nation's congress. (Their way of governing is a bit difficult to explain) They hope to introduce legislation so that the district itself can perform same-sex marriages. Go D.C.!

NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MARRIAGE (NOM)

NOM, the group that funded lots of Yes on Prop 8 ads in California (and from what I hear, are funded themselves by the Mormons), reacted to all this equality spreading throughout the country by releasing early a $1.5 million ad in battleground states. The media and bloggers (including myself) immediately reacted by talking about it, interviewing everyone and mocking the ad. Even Maggie Gallagher of NOM, and Joe Solmonese of HRC, had it out. Results pending. Unfortunately, Rhode Island Governor Donald Carcieri decided to join the dark side by allying himself with NOM. Thankfully LGBT community stepped into the fray more than once.

Of course, other things happened during the week, like calls to action (you can see those by clicking on the "action" tag at the bottom of the post) and events, but this is the main run-down. To see older recaps, click on the "recap" tag.

If you liked this recap, let me know, and I'll keep doing this each Saturday. But you got to let me know. This takes a lot of time!

But stay tuned. New Hampshire, Maine and New Jersey are gearing up for another equal rights showing. Next week is gearing up to be another wild ride!

Vermont Same-Sex Marriage Bill Conquers Governor's Veto!

MARRIAGE EQUALITY WINS IN VERMONT!

With the Senate's vote to override 23-5 and now the House with a vote 100-49, there is now officially same-sex marriage in Vermont! It now joins Massachusetts, Connecticut and Iowa, becoming the fourth state in the country to allow same-sex marriage. (Four states! That's double the number in less than a week!)

Struggling to keep his voice from cracking with joy, Vermont House Speaker, Shap Smith, proudly announced that Gov. Jim Douglas' veto to keep same-sex marriage out of Vermont had been overridden.

This override is historical for many reasons, but one major reason is that this is the first time in history that marriage equality has come to existence in a state not through the courts, but through the legislature. And not only that, but survived a veto.

Vermont yet again stands by its history of progress and civil rights legislation.

Rep. Don Turner, R-Milton voted not to override because he believed that this bill doesn't "radically helps the lives of same-sex couples" or their families. He said he extended courtesy to those who were on the other side of the issue, but he said he didn't receive the same treatment in return.

"I am tired of being told how to vote either way," said Rep. Scott Wheeler, R-Derby, "Serving the Vermont House does not define who I am." He went on to focus on the economy and that the state needed to reunite to take care of these pressing issues and move on past the marriage debate.

Rep. Greg Clark, R-Vergennes "Anyone who is disrespectful in their comments to me, or what I thought was disrespectful, I could easily but those aside. I will remember the sincerity. I will remember the sincere passion on both sides of the issues. Those. . . are goods thing for a country boy like me to remember."

In the end, the vote was 100-49 to kill the veto. Let's go celebrate with some maple syrup!

Much thanks to Burlington Free Press for their amazing live coverage and pictures.

Vermont Senate Votes to Override Governor's Veto 23-5

Next in the veto process will be the House and its vote to override. Unlike for the senate, it is not clear whether or not there are enough votes.

Their vote begins 10:30am EST/7:30am PST. Watch for live coverage at the Burlington Free Press.

Live Video of Vermont Senate Vote to Override Same-Sex Marriage Bill Veto

Provided by Burlington Free Press here.

Vermont Governor Jim Douglas Vetoes Same-Sex Marriage Bill

As expected, Governor Jim Douglas vetoed Vermont's same-sex marriage bill. His full statement:

Gov. Jim Douglas Veto Statement

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Don't get me started on how angry this statement makes me. The argument that even if the bill were to become law, federal benefits would still be denied to same-sex couples in Vermont (and state benefits would be denied in other states that don't recognize such marriages) and as a result, no point to the bill, is such a cop out.

Isn't the governor responsible for only Vermont? He needs to fix his own state before being concerned about what's outside his borders. But like so many who oppose same-sex marriage, the governor hides behind children and grandchildren, in the last paragraph of his statement, to mask his prejudice. I feel badly for those children.

Tomorrow, both the Senate and House are expected to vote on overriding the veto. Though the Senate should easily do so, it is unclear whether or not the House has enough votes.

Many House Democrats have expressed their intention to vote to override the veto because of the disrespectful actions of Governor Douglas with regards to this bill. That could mean that all eleven of those who voted against the initial bills will vote to override Douglas’ veto. Opponents of same-sex marriage have been lobbying hard for the six Republicans who voted in support of the bill.

See a quick video of the governor making a statement at NG Blog about his faith and religion being the factor in his veto.

Vermont Freedom to Marry is urging people to contact Vermont representatives to urge them to override the veto.

Also, they are planning to rally at the statehouse tomorrow morning.

The veto override vote is expected at 9am EST/6am PST for the Senate and 10:30am EST/7:30am PST for the House.

A Face of Vermont Marriage Equality

Emily Nelson of the Burlington Free Press has put together a beautiful article and audio slide show about Bobbi Whitacre and Sandi Cote of Milton, VT. They have been together for 41 years. They want to be married.

Those of us fighting hard for marriage equality sometimes get so wrapped up in the politics and the strategy to counter those who oppose equality, that we forget the faces behind the struggle. Let alone our own.

Take a moment to read the article and view the audio slide show. If you've been needing a fresh dose of motivation, this will help.

Then take action for Vermont.

Picture taken by Emily Nelson of the FREE PRESS.

Vermont's Gov. To Veto Same-Sex Marriage Bill Monday?

From Gay Rights Watch:

Gov. Jim Douglas could veto Vermont’s civil marriage bill as early as Monday night.

State lawmakers said they will try to override the governor, but no one knows if House leaders have the votes needed to do so.

On Friday, the Vermont House gave final approval to a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage starting in September. The Senate will hold a vote Tuesday morning, followed by the House.

“Everyone should have the same rights for who they want to marry,” said Moira Adams, who supports the bill. “It doesn’t matter who they want to marry. If they’re in love, they should be able to marry.”

“If he vetoes it, yes, they definitely should override him, absolutely,” said Sean Tymecki, who supports the bill. “Vermont’s always been the first — first to abolish slavery and first to have civil unions — and we should keep going with it.”

URGENT ACTION is needed to encourage the legislature to override the governor's veto. Go to Unite the Fight's earlier post on action information.

Check out this great post on Lez Get Real on the chances of a veto override.

More Work to Do in Vermont

Marty Rouse, National Field Director of the HRC, has issued a call to action to thank Vermont legislatures who shared their stories to help move the vote in favor of same-sex marriage, but to also urge them to override Governor Douglas' impending veto. Here's a section of his action alert.

Governor Jim Douglas has said he intends to veto the [Vermont same-sex marriage] bill. The bill heads into final technical passage in the House tomorrow and then returns to the state Senate for concurrence (remember last week's overwhelming 26-4 vote there). The bill should land on Governor Douglas' desk next Tuesday; he'll likely immediately veto and then the House will likely try to override on Tues, Wed, or Thurs of next week.

Since some Democrats who voted against the bill tonight may vote with their party to override (and some Rs who voted for the bill may not want to vote to override their Governor), it is not completely clear how close the votes are to override. If all 150 members show up, 100 votes are needed for override. Advocates believe they are very close to having the votes to override. We could very well be only 5 votes short of an override, and we have less than a week to get them. Vermont could very well be the first state in our nation to enact marriage equality by the legislature....or not. One vote could make the difference.

Vermont Freedom to Marry has done an amazing job in getting us to this place today. We owe Beth Robinson everything. We should all crack open a pint of Vermont maple syrup in her honor.

What can we do to help get this bill over the finish line and enacted? Email, post on Facebook, call everyone you know who lives in Vermont and urge them to call their state Representative and ask them to vote to override the Governor on the marriage bill. This really may come down to one vote. So please take action today.

You can send a note to Vermont legislators here at the HRC Action Center.

Tonight we are all Vermonters.

There's still more that you can do.

More...

You can help make the veto override happen. Scott Gortikov, Executive Director of MassEquality, tells how:

The Vermont House voted with overwhelming support (95-52) last night to pass a marriage equality bill. Now, Governor Douglas is set to veto the bill.

It is critical that we do everything we can to override the Governor's veto. We are just votes away from overriding the veto and securing marriage equality in Vermont.

Your help can make the difference. How?

Join us for an emergency phonebank to Vermont. You can phone from home using our remote calling system or you can join us at our office in Boston.

To phone from home please call Samantha at (617) 878-2325 or email SamanthaKing@MassEquality.org.

To make calls from our Boston office Friday, Saturday, Sunday, or Monday: SIGN UP HERE.

With your help, Vermont can become the fourth state in the nation to recognize marriage equality!

To listen to the bill's amendment debates, go to VPR.net.

Vermont Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passes House 95/52

Steve Adams, R-Hartland presented the third amendment, saying bill offers no relief to federal laws hindering full benefits of marriage. (See UTF post on first half of the debate) This amendment would call for Congress to acknowledge civil unions and provide federal benefits to couples. Instead of same-sex marriage. It was a strike-all amendment (meaning, it would kill everything.)

Rep. Floyd Nease, D-Johnson liked the idea of asking the federal government for benefits, but not voiding the whole bill in the process and offered substitute amendment. His amendment would add to end of bill an urging of Congress to erase legal barriers to benefits for same-sex couples.

Both amendments were withdrawn until tomorrow for further discussion in the judiciary subcommittee.

Rep. Bill Aswad (D-Burlington) I rise in support of bill - I was a strong supporter of civil union bill on April 25, 2000 and recites the lyrics to "Nature Boy" from a song by Nat King Cole.

After giving a history of marriage throughout the ages, especially referring to King Solomon's 200+ wives, Rep. Donovan said, "We now have serial traditional marriages given 50% end up in divorce." She continued, "There's only one thing truly equal to marriage and that is marriage."

"My husband died 3 years ago. Is my grief any greater than my friend who lost her partner of 40 years?" she asked. "I don't think so . . . It doesn't matter the way you love, but that you do. Give civil unions respectful burial."

Rep. Suzi Wizowaty (D-Burlington) told of her 30 year long committed relationship with another woman and asked everyone to imagine to kneel in the center of the floor and supplicate for rights that others already have and take for granted.

Rep. Jason Lorber, who started to cry, bravely told his story. "I don't particularly like asking my co-workers permission to marry. But I do."

The same-sex marriage bill PASSES 95/52!

This is enough for approval but not enough to override a promised veto by Republican Gov. Jim Douglas.

It goes up Friday for final approval, a largely procedural step before being sent to the governor.

Thanks to Burlington Press for live feed and photos.

Update on the Vermont Same-Sex Marriage House Debate

Sen. Bill Lippert opened the debate by going point by point over the same-sex marriage bill, reminding everyone on the floor what exactly the bill said in order to save time debating over issues that are already spelled out in the language of the measure. For example, that religious institutions that own public property are exempt from hosting any marriages on said property that they object to based on their faith, a point of contention for those opposing same-sex marriage.

Republican Anne Donahue introduced the first amendment by reciting testimonies from those who believed that marriage should remain between one man and one woman, saying that the current bill confuses the freedom of religion and that its language needs to be clearer about the civil institution of marriage. There should be a "brighter line" between the civil rite versus the religious rites of marriage, she said.

She submitted an amendment to the bill to remove "clergy" from the statute completely and only have civil language in the bill. (You can see the original bill at the bottom of this post.)

The amendment was supported by the committee 10-1 and the floor approved the amendment unanimously.

Rep. Robert Helm, Republican, submitted a referendum amendment which supported that the same-sex marriage bill should go to the people for a vote. The issue with this bill was that Vermont traditionally does not hold referendums and left it to the legislature to decide on such statutes. "One year is not a long time to wait," he said, referring to the March 2, 2010 advisory vote, a town meeting.

More...

The judiciary committee had voted against this 7-3. Rep. Lippert, chair of committee, said lawmakers have an ongoing referendum - "we go home every day" - stating they are not distant from our constituents.

Rep. Carolyn Branagan (R-Georgia) countered non-binding referendums had been used at least 30 times in Vermont history.

Rep. Greg Clark (R-Vergennes) quipped that he's "suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome trying to answer emails" from those who support a referendum. Just because civil unions had been around for a decade, people at home haven't been chewing on this for 10 years. "Let them have the debate." Referendum will promote better understanding. Rep. Clark said amendment is not a political ploy, but way to come to better understanding

Rep. Mike Mrowicki, D-Putney said a referendums have not proven good in California and that he wanted to keep it simple - "like Vermonters do it." Robo-calls in Vermont last night is a "sign of things to come" if statewide referendums entered Vermont.

"Let's not fool ourselves here. Out-of-state money is already influencing us here on both sides." Rep. Patti Komline, R-Dorset countered.

Rep. Kurt Wright (R-Burlington) noted Vermont will not become California or any other binding referendum state, but that the vote would be "advisory only."

Rep. Willem Jewett made the point that the discussion has been going on for a long time.

Rep. Eldred French,D-Shrewsbury asked if the 1964 Alabama desegregation ruling went to referendum, "How would that have turned out?" This is a civil rights issue, he said. And the minority has to live in fear of tyranny from the majority. "I was elected to represent ALL of my constituents, sometimes the majority sometimes not."

The referendum amendment failed 52-96.

Currently, the House is taking an hour dinner break and will reconvene at 7:15 EST/4:15PST.

UPDATE: Vermont House to Vote on Same-Sex Marriage Bill Today

UPDATE 12:31 PM: The debate is about to begin. Watch it live here at Burlington Press!

What will the outcome be? Will they have enough votes to squash any veto threat from Republican Governor Jim Douglas?

From The Burlington Press:

The bill is expected to pass by a wide margin, but with a promised veto from the governor, the big question is whether supporters have the 100 votes needed for an override. Predicting the outcome is complicated by the fact that some Democrats who plan to vote against the bill say they would change course and challenge the governor’s veto, meaning that even if today’s vote falls short of 100 in support, an override might be possible.

The paper also reported that state residents have complained about automated calls telling them to contact their legislatures and urge them not to vote for the bill. The paper did some investigating into the number that showed up on caller-ID. Guess what? It was the National Organization for Marriage. Shock!

This organization, which some say is a front for the LDS church, have also released ads on the radio warning residents of the fall of civilization if same-sex marriage were made legal. You can hear that ad at NG Blog.

You can hear today's House debates at VPR.net or watch the debates live on Burlington Press. It's expected to begin at 3pm EST/12pm PST.

Check out the House's session calendar below. S 115 is on page 821.

hc090402

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UPDATE 4/1/09: Vermont House Takes Up Same-Sex Marriage Bill

UPDATE 4/1/09: The Vermont House of Representatives is scheduled to debate and vote on the same-sex marriage bill S. 115 TOMORROW. Vermont Freedom to Marry is calling for numerous action steps to do overnight and tomorrow. Check it out!

UPDATE: With an 8-2 vote, Vermont's same-sex marriage bill moves through the House Judiciary Committee and will now go to the floor for a vote this Thursday.
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Earlier this week, Vermont's senate passed the same-sex marriage bill, and today the state's House takes up their version.

FROM TIMESARGUS.COM:

MONTPELIER – There was a sense of déjà vu as former Rep. Tom Little testified before the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday afternoon on the same-sex marriage bill quickly moving through the Vermont Legislature.

Little, a Shelburne Republican, was chairman of that committee nine years ago when it passed the first-in-the-nation civil union law.

Now, Little was back before the panel as the 11-member body kicked off its deliberations on the same-sex marriage bill, which was easily approved by the Vermont Senate in a 26-4 vote on Monday.

"I've learned a lot in the last eight-and-a-half years," Little told the committee. "I think that gay and lesbian couples, under Act 91, have been more open and received more legal recognition in Vermont."

Read the rest of the article here.

Many Rallies Held in Vermont Over the Weekend

According to Vermont Freedom to Marry, over a thousand protesters showed up over the weekend in towns such as Burlington, Montpelier, Rutland, White River Junction, and Brattleboro, with over three hundred showing up in Middlebury.

At Burlington's Unitarian Universalist Church, Karen Pike of Outright Vermont, the organization of which the now famous James Neiley is a part of, spoke about her pain of having her family called "inappropriate."



Elsewhere at Green Mountain College, roughly 200 protesters greeted Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas and his wife when they showed up there for a maple sugaring event Saturday. The crowd watched quietly, sang or chanted while Douglas used a hand-cranked drill to tap a tree in an arboretum decorated with rainbow ribbons.

Douglas did not address the crowd or respond to the protesters. But he has been getting a lot of mail. Since his veto threat, he's received over 1,500 letters and emails, 60% of them urging him not to veto the same-sex marriage bill while 40% are supporting him. Prior to his announcement, 70% were against the bill.

"Being ahead of one's time is what brought slavery and racial discrimination to an end ... please support the Freedom to Marry bill," wrote a Putney man.

Others were supportive of the governor.

"Our children, grand children will be harmed by this bill," wrote a Milton woman. "I've seen what their teaching can do to a impressionistic teenage (sic) like my nephew, who is very confused. Please, please, please veto this bill."

Released today, an unscientific survey taken by state. Sen. William Doyle shows that 55 percent of Vermonters support gay marriage, 38 percent oppose it and 7 percent are undecided. The data is embedded below.

Doyle Poll March 2009

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New England Marriage Equality Recap

A lot has happened this past week in New England and its race towards marriage equality. So much that it's a bit confusing - which state did what? What's the status? Who voted for which bill?

It's all a bit hard to keep track. If you missed a story, you'd be in the dark. If you were busy this week and didn't hear any news stories and are now catching up, it's like trying to watch "Lost" after missing a season. "What the hell is going on?!"

And I don't blame you. I report on it, and I still have a hard time keeping track of all of it in my head.

Luckily for me, Michael James over at Change.org has sorted some out already. Well, at least from the perspective of how each state's governor is going to react to the same-sex marriage bills flying through their respective legislatures.

But so much more lies in the details.

For instance, in Vermont, 17 year old James Neiley gives an already historic testimony to Vermont's legislature to urge them to pass the same-sex marriage bill there, the senate passed it, the House intends to hear it soon, the out-of-touch Republican governor promises a veto, tries badly to explain why, so protests were held at the statehouse last Friday and more throughout this weekend against his veto threat. And that was just this past week!

In New Hampshire, another same-sex marriage bill passes the house, the Senate will soon take it up, but Gov. John Lynch hasn't voiced his stance on it either way, in the pass saying he favors civil unions.

And then there's Maine, with the Marriage bill looking promising and amazing support pouring in for it this week.

That's a whole lot of good drama in a nutshell. So you may want to prepare for this week by reviewing last week. Because Monday promises to be the start of another wild, historical ride.

ACTION: Vigils Planned in Support of Vermont's Same-Sex Marriage Bill

Vermont is on fire!

With their governor's veto threat of a state same-sex marriage bill that's already been passed by the senate and making headway through the House, the LGBT community and allies intend to hold rallies and vigils over the weekend.

Organizing the vigils, Vermont Freedom to Marry's website states, "It is absolutely critical that we have a strong showing of support at every one [of the vigils]."

Go here for a full list of all the events and information.

There's even more you can do. The organization has also constructed a list of action points. Check it out! (It's located in the left sidebar)

Today's rally at the statehouse was a success with over 300 people showing up. Here's video of the rally and press conference:



On top of all this event and action planning, Vermont Freedom to Marry has also released a new ad, urging citizens to contact the governor and tell him not to veto the bill.

UPDATE: ACTION: Urge Vermont Governor NOT to Veto Same-Sex Marriage Bill

UPDATE: Vermont Freedom to Marry is also calling for action. There will be a protest at the state house this Friday at 8:45am EST. Check it out!
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From WCAX.com:

Gov. Jim Douglas, R-Vermont, says he will veto the same-sex marriage bill if it passes the legislature. He made the public announcement this afternoon.

The Vt. Senate gave its final stamp of approval Tuesday to a bill that would allow same-sex couples to marry in Vermont. Passage came on a voice vote with no debate, one day after the Senate gave the bill preliminary approval on a 26-4 roll call vote. Now the issue moves to the House, where the Judiciary Committee has scheduled a week's worth of testimony on the issue. It is expected to pass.

Governor Douglas has said that he opposes the bill, and this afternoon he announced he plans to veto it. He said he made the announcement to stop speculation and to focus attention on economy.

From the Burlington Press, the Governor is quoted:

"I believe our civil union law serves Vermont well ...I believe that marriage should remain between a man and a woman. ... I'm announcing that I intend to veto this legislation when it reaches my desk."

"The speculation about my decision has added to the anxiety of the moment, and further diverts attention from our most pressing issues, and I cannot allow that to happen. On such an intensely divisive issue as this, I expect all members will vote as their individual conscience dictates and in the best interest of their districts, and not as political leadership requires. That said, I'm sure that legislative leaders would not have advanced this bill if they didn't have the votes to override a veto. I will accept the outcome of their vote, either way.

"In the meantime, I'll turn my attention and energy away from this issue and back to the issue that matters most to Vermonters: Growing our economy and creating more jobs. I respect the passion and opinions of individuals on both sides of this debate, and hope that when the Legislature makes its decision, whatever the outcome may be, we can move our state forward and provide a bright future for our children and our grandchildren," he said.

It is unclear if the 100 votes to override his veto are available.

ACTION: Contact the Governor and tell him NOT to veto the bill. With most of the state congress supporting the bill, to veto it will be acting irresponsibly and abusing his power to advance his view that's held only by the minority.

Phone: 802 828-3333
Email the Governor