Prominent Republicans Among New Supporters to SUFNHF Leadership Council

New Members Urge Lawmakers to Get Back to Work on the Economy in Concord

  
CONCORD, NH – Standing Up for New Hampshire Families– the coalition working to protect the freedom to marry in the state–today announced new Leadership Council members which include prominent Republicans such as Sarah Crawford Stewart, former NH State Director for Jon Huntsman, and former NH Deputy State Director for Senator John McCain and Eduardo J. Lopez-Reyes, the National Vice Chairman of the Republican Liberty Caucus.  This now brings the count to over 250 council members from across the state.
 
Working on the New Hampshire Presidential Primary campaigns for John McCain in 2000 and 2008 and Jon Huntsman in 2012, Sarah Crawford Stewart has gained a unique insight when it comes to what concerns voters.
 
“I urge the legislature not to waste any more precious time on this popular law and set a laser-like focus on jobs and the economy instead of taking away the right to marry from their fellow Granite Staters,” said Stewart.
 
“Poll after poll consistently shows that voters from across the political spectrum oppose repealing marriage equality.” She added.
 
The complete list of today’s new additions to the SUFNHF Leadership Council are:

Travis Blais, Windham - Attorney and Republican activist
 
Eduardo J. Lopez-Reyes, Portsmouth – National Vice Chairman, Republican Liberty Caucus; Management and Public Relations Consultant
 
Marie A. Lopez-Reyes, Portsmouth – Business Owner, Marie Lopez Photography; Health Care Provider
 
Frank McDougall, Hanover - VP, Government Relations at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
 
Dr. Jim Squires, Hollis - Former Republican gubernatorial candidate; Former Republican State Senator; Founding President of the Endowment for Health
 
Christopher Stewart, Manchester – Principal, b-fresh consulting, LLC
 
Sarah Crawford Stewart, Manchester – Principal, b-fresh consulting, LLC; Huntsman NH 2012 State Director; McCain NH 2008 Deputy State Director
 
Mike Whitney, Manchester - Retired Banking Executive and Business Consultant
 
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Marine veteran Craig Stowell, Co-Chair of Standing Up for NH Families and a Republican from Claremont, said he was proud to see so many people, including prominent Republicans, stand up for the freedom to marry.
 
“Our new supporters understand that focusing on a repeal of freedom and rolling back the clock on individual rights is not what the voters sent them to Concord to do," said Stowell.  "Their involvement brings new attention and prestige to defending our state’s popular marriage equality law and sends the message to lawmakers that HB437 is entirely wrong.”
 
Some other notable Republicans already on the SUFNHF Leadership Council include:
 
Irena Goddard, Hopkinton – Chairman, Hopkinton Town Republican Committee
 
Ruth Griffin, Portsmouth – Republican Former Executive Councilor and former Republican National Committeewoman
 
Chris Lawless, Hopkinton – Former Hopkinton Selectman
 
JP Marzullo, Deering – Former NHGOP Area 3 Vice-Chairman; Deering Selectman; Chairman, Contoocook Valley Republican Committee
 
Bonnie Newman  – Chancellor Emerita of the Community College System of New Hampshire; Former President of the Business and Industry Association; Former Interim President of the University of New Hampshire; Former  Executive Dean of Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government
 
Sean Owen, Manchester – Chairman of New Hampshire Republicans for Freedom and Equality PAC; Business Owner, Printer’s Square and wëdu
 
Kimon Zachos, Manchester – Republican Former NH House Majority Leader; Former Deputy Speaker of the NH House; Former Chairman of the NH House Judiciary Committee

NHforMarriage.com - Hundreds Rally for Marriage

Dear Friend,

The fight to restore traditional marriage in New Hampshire continued this week, with over 300 Granite Staters rallying in Concord on Tuesday demanding that politicians stand with the people, not with liberal social activists, and to support HB 437, legislation that restores traditional marriage, while providing for civil unions, in Hampshire.

Supporters at the rally heard from elected officials, and from strong supporters of traditional marriage, including House Speaker Bill O’Brien (R-Mont Vernon), Baptist pastor Robert Emrich, who led a successful fight in Maine to get voters to reject its gay marriage law, and Rep. David Bates (R-Windham), sponsor of HB 437.

To boisterous cheers, Rep. Bates proudly stated, "We're here to stand up for New Hampshire families who understand what marriage is - between a man and a woman.”

To hear David Bates talk about HB 437, click here.

House Speaker O’Brien said, “There are those who say it takes a village to raise a child — it doesn’t. It takes a mother and a father…this is the right debate, this is the right time, the time to return to the idea of traditional marriage.”

New Hampshire is standing up to national gay activists who forced the flawed 2009 gay marriage law on Granite Staters as part of their agenda to make gay marriage the law of the land in every state in America. 

To make sure our legislators get the message, click the link below to send your local elected official an email, or call today! http://www.nationformarriage.org/c.omL2KeN0LzH/b.7922059/k.9D17/NH_for_Marriage/siteapps/advocacy/ActionItem.aspx

With your continued support, we can tell the politicians in Concord to stand up for traditional marriage by voting YES on HB 437!

Sincerely,

Jason Rose

PS: Remember to tell your friends and neighbors to contact their local legislator to urge their support for traditional marriage in New Hampshire.

Forward this email and tell them now is the time to act!

NHDP - Ovide Puts Social Issues, Taking Away NH Citizens' Rights at Forefront of Campaign

Concord, NH - This afternoon, Republican candidate for Governor Ovide Lamontagne made his first public campaign appearance of 2012 at a sparsely attended anti-marriage equality rally at the State House. New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Ray Buckley released the following statement on Lamontagne making fringe social issues the focus of his campaign.

"It is clear Ovide's priorities lie in exactly the same place where they were 20 years ago when he began his career as a four time losing candidate - he is focused on fringe social issues and the reckless Tea Party agenda at the State House. Instead of talking about jobs, the economy, or common sense solutions to the problems facing New Hampshire, Ovide spent the day paling around with far right social conservatives and helping them force their out of touch agenda on New Hampshire."

A recent University of New Hampshire poll reported that New Hampshire remains opposed to repeal of marriage equality. "Strong opponents of repealing same-sex marriage continue to outnumber strong proponents by more than 2 to 1," said Andrew Smith, Director of the UNH Survey Center. "The New Hampshire public is not showing any strong desire to repeal this law." [10/13/2011]

"Ovide should have spent the afternoon chastising House Speaker Bill O'Brien and the other members of the Republican legislature on the stage next to him instead of trying to strip away rights from New Hampshire citizens. The legislature's reckless and irresponsible agenda is what concerns New Hampshire voters, not who their friends and relatives are marrying," continued Buckley.

When asked in the most recent UNH poll, Granite State voters are self-identifying the Republican legislature as the second most serious problem facing the state of New Hampshire. The Republican legislature has been one of the three most serious problems facing the state in four consecutive polls. [02/06/2012]

UNH Granite State Poll Confirms Freedom to Marry Law Remains Popular in NH

CONCORD, NH- Standing Up for NH Families issued the following statement from Co-Chair, Craig Stowell of Claremont in response to the WMUR/UNH Survey Center Granite State Poll released today which shows 59 percent of New Hampshire citizens’ support the freedom to marry:  

 “We've now had a full year's worth of polls on the question of repealing our marriage equality law and the result is always the same -- voters do not want the legislature messing with this law.  This is not a close call.  By a consistent margin of nearly two-to-one, voters are telling legislators to leave this popular law alone and get back to work on the economic challenges of our day.”
 
The latest UNH poll demonstrated that the solid support for marriage equality has remained strong over the past year with bipartisan backing across every single age group, despite a nationally funded campaign by the National Organization of Marriage (NOM) targeting lawmakers and voters. 
 
“We can debate this issue forever," said Republican Stowell, "but if legislators really do what they say -- which is to listen to their constituents -- they'll stop this effort to turn back the clock and allow all New Hampshire families to be treated equally under the law. It's time to listen to the people of New Hampshire.”
 
Other recent polls include the Granite State Poll conducted in October, 2011 by the UNH Survey Center and Voter Consumer Research (December 2011), a preeminent polling firm used by President George W. Bush.  Both showed nearly two-thirds of voters oppose repealing the 2009 marriage equality law.

ASMR - NH READINGS OF DUSTIN LANCE BLACK'S NEW PLAY, "8"

DON'T MISS GAVIN CREEL
http://www.advocate.com/Arts_and_Entertainment/Best_of_Broadway/Watch_Broadw
ays_Gavin_Creel_Makes_Noise_for_Equality/
AND BISHOP GENE ROBINSON AT UNH TOMORROW NIGHT!

These events link to the ongoing attempt to repeal marriage equality in
NH -- HB437.

Telephone interviews are available.

NH VENUES:
2/7 7p University of NH, MUB Theatre, 83 Main St, Durham
2/10 7:30p Palace Theater, 80 Hanover St, Manchester
2/23 7p New England College, Simon Center Great Room, 98 Bridge St,
Henniker
2/28 8p Player’s Ring Theatre, 105 Marcy St, Portsmouth
3/20 7p Keene State College, Redfern Arts Center, 229 Main St, Keene

============================================

NEW HAMPSHIRE READINGS OF DUSTIN LANCE BLACK’S NEW PLAY “8”
by Academy Award-Winning Screenwriter of Milk, J. Edgar

[Keene, NH] – The American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER) and Broadway
Impact are proud to announce five, one-night-only readings of “8” across New
Hampshire beginning February 7 at UNH and concluding March 20 at Keene State
College. “8” chronicles the historic federal constitutional trial and
challenge to California’s Proposition 8, written by AFER Founding Board
Member and Academy Award-winning writer Dustin Lance Black.

Black, who penned the Academy Award-winning feature film Milk and the
critically-acclaimed film J. Edgar, based “8” on the actual words of the
trial transcripts, first-hand observations of the courtroom drama and
interviews with the plaintiffs and their families.

“8” is an unprecedented account of the Federal District Court trial in Perry
v. Schwarzenegger (now Perry v. Brown), the case filed by AFER to overturn
Proposition 8 which stripped gay and lesbian Californians of the fundamental
right to marry when it was struck down by the Federal District Court in
August 2010. That ruling was appealed to the United States Court of Appeals
for the Ninth Circuit by the anti-marriage proponents of Proposition 8.
AFER's legal team was at the Ninth Circuit in December 2011 for a hearing to
urge that court to unseal the trial video. The American public was not
given a chance to witness the historic trial because the Proponents launched
a desperate attempt to forever hide the video recording of the trial.

“8” had its much-heralded Broadway world premiere on September 19, 2011, at
the sold-out Eugene O’Neill Theatre in New York City. The production
brought in over one million dollars to support AFER’s efforts to achieve
full federal marriage equality. The play is set for multi-city performances
in 2012, including an all-star performance in Los Angeles on March 3, 2012
featuring Academy Award-winner George Clooney.

“People need to witness what happened in the Proposition 8 trial, if for no
other reason than to see inequality and discrimination unequivocally
rejected in a court of law where truth and facts matter,” said AFER Founding
Board Member Dustin Lance Black. “The goal of ‘8’ is to show the world that
marriage equality is a basic constitutional right. The facts are on our side
and truth always finds the light. AFER and Broadway Impact are doing all we
can to help speed that process along.”

In addition to its Broadway and Los Angeles productions, AFER and Broadway
Impact are licensing “8” to colleges and community theatres nationwide in
order to spur action, dialogue and understanding. AFER and Broadway Impact
are helping produce these staged readings across the country, which includes
a talk-back panel after each performance.

A ruling on the constitutionality of Proposition 8 and the release of the
trial video is expected soon. The Perry case is widely anticipated to end
up in the United States Supreme Court.

For information about how to purchase NH venue tickets or produce “8,” visit
www.8theplay.com.

Follow “8”on Twitter: @8theplay or on Facebook.

###

ABOUT THE AMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR EQUAL RIGHTS
The American Foundation for Equal Rights is the sole sponsor of the Perry
case. After bringing together Theodore B. Olson and David Boies to lead its
legal team, AFER successfully advanced the Perry case through Federal
District Court and is now leading it through the 9th Circuit Court of
Appeals before the case is brought to the United States Supreme Court. The
Foundation is committed to achieving full federal marriage equality. AFER
Board of Directors includes Chad Griffin (President), Bruce Cohen
(Treasurer), Dustin Lance Black, Jonathan Lewis, Ken Mehlman, Michele Reiner
and Rob Reiner.
www.AFER.org

ABOUT BROADWAY IMPACT
BROADWAY IMPACT is a non-profit organization of theatre artists and fans
mobilized in support of marriage equality. Founded in 2008 by
Tony-nominated performers Rory O'Malley (Book of Mormon), Gavin Creel (HAIR)
and Production Coordinator Jenny Kanelos, BROADWAY IMPACT works to educate
and inspire the theatre community into action. Recent initiatives include
helping to staff the phone banking efforts in New York State, creating a
3,000 piece letter writing campaign, gaining the funding for 1,400
supporters to attend the National Equality March and producing a rally for
over 5,000 attendees in Midtown Manhattan where speakers included, Cynthia
Nixon, Audra McDonald, David Hyde Pierce, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and
Governor David Paterson. BROADWAY IMPACT was awarded the 2009 Human Rights
Campaign Community Award.
www.BROADWAYIMPACT.com