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Newspaper won't print gay marriage announcements
Greg Gould and Aurelio Tine say they just wanted to share their wedding plans.
So they went one of the largest papers in New Hampshire, where gay marriage is legal and generally accepted, to work up a wedding announcement.
But the New Hampshire Union Leader, the Manchester paper known for its conservative viewpoints, refused to print it, a decision that has sparked anger from the couple and lit up the Twittersphere and the Web.
"I was really disappointed because the Union Leader is a big voice in the state of New Hampshire, and they seem to be so out of touch," Gould told CNN affiliate WMUR-TV in Manchester.
The newspaper, however, issued a statement saying that printing the announcement would be "hypocritical" given its previous practices.
“This newspaper has never published wedding or engagement announcements from homosexual couples," Publisher Joe McQuaid said. "It would be hypocritical of us to do so, given our belief that marriage is and needs to remain a social and civil structure between men and women and our opposition to the recent state law legalizing gay marriage.”
In its full statement, printed online, the paper said firmly that it is not "anti-gay" and because of press freedoms can choose to print - or not print - whatever it wants.
Still, that move hasn't stopped the matter from becoming a controversy, with Democratic Senate candidate Paul Hodes, making it an election issue as well.
Hodes wrote a letter to the paper that read in part: "Mr. Gould and Mr. Tine will become legally married this weekend and they should have the same opportunities as everyone in New Hampshire to have their marriage publicized and recognized. The Union Leader's disgraceful policy of exclusion harkens to a different time in this country when people were denied opportunity because of their race, religion and ethnic origin."
What do you think? Should the paper give gay couples the same chance to announce their weddings? Or does freedom of the press override that, and allow the newspaper to make the decision it did? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
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The paper has the right to print what they choose. If you don't like it don't subscribe.
Not too long ago, a radio station made anit-GLBT comments on the air. The LGBT community went into action and soon after many of their major sponsers dropped them. They very quickly posted both a writen and verbal retraction and appoligy. So finding out who the major sponsers are and working with them to drop their support with the Nespaaper WILL cause a response.
The LGBTQ community holds over $800 BILLION dollars in wealth in this country. We are single, many of us childless, and RICH. When you throw our money around, mountains move. That's why you see change so quickly. Money talks.
Boycott the paper and it's advertisers. If the advertisers leave the paper, that ought to change the paper's mind.
How sad this is!
Does the paper realize by making this refusal that they have announced to the world the wedding announcement!?
I say the couple should thank them for world wide recognition of their impending vows!
Gays have no other sustance to contribute to society. Sitting at home waiting for their buddy, another societal reject, to bring home the beer and poppers so they can get sloughished and forget their miserable existance. Misery loves company.
Excuse me, but my partner is an internationally-known Gregorian Chant and liturgy scholar; his transcriptions of medieval and renaissance music are well-known; his articles are well-respected.
Ever heard of Alexander the Great? Tschaikovsy? Oscar Wilde? Leonard Bernstein?
It doesn't pay to generalize when you don't know what you're talking about.
@CN...ummm, perhaps you forgot that the Roman Catholic church allows gay "marriage".
@ PHIL,
Hummm....yes your right....some religions are accepting this SIN OF A LIFESTYLE. BEING GAY IS WRONG!!! Anyway my point is this....have you read the book of Revelation? In this book God addresses the seven churches....you will also know in reading it that Man...in all his errored ways doesn't always follow what God says....that is the reason for this SIN IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCHES. It will be addressed....your right....it is a SIN....thanks for pointing that out.
Yours is not the only religion in the world, cw. There are plenty of fantasies to go around.
I don't support gay marriage. I have nothing against someone being gay–that's their right. I won't discriminate or be rude. I have gay friends, but that doesn't mean I have to agree with it. However, under the first amendment, the newspaper does have the right to refuse to print the announcement. If they are right wing then their advertisers already know this, and more than likely the entire state of new hampshire knows it too. So ask yourself, why did an openly gay couple choose an obviously right wing newspaper to print their wedding announcement? They knew their marriage is left wing, so why choose a historically right wing newspaper? Don't say the malarky of it's the biggest newspaper–bull. It caused a stir, and that was the point. Look, like I said if you're gay, then fine, be gay. I'm not here to judge–the Bible says "Thou shalt not judge, lest ye be judged." It's God's right to judge everyone when they reach those pearly gates. So if you're gay, ok, just why flaunt it? What's the purpose?
Why do you flaunt your ignorance? What's the purpose?
Gay boys think women are smart. So they fantasize that they are women- they fantasize that they are smart. So out of the mire of their ignorance they are stimulated by joining conversations to get off fantasizing they are a woman. Wake up!
I see you received your psychology degree from Glenn Beck U. It shows.
Oh and to the idiots that think AIDS is a "gay" disease, you're stupid. Go read a medical dictionary. Look it up. Before you post online be sure you have the knowledge and proof to back it up. AIDS is a tragic disease that anyone can get by the exchange of bodily fluids when one person is a carrier.
@cw....the New Testament boldly speaks out against gays. "they have left the natural use of their females and have become violently inflamed with lust for one another" and "they (sodomites) will recieve full recompense for their error" are two scathing denunciations to be found in the NT. and let's not forget that one of Jesus' end-time prophesies : "men marrying"
@ know your bible,
Your right....preach on....I have to admit...I don't have it memorized.....I'm working to stay in the word though.....THANKS FOR THE CORRECTION!!! PREACH ON...PLEASE PREACH ON!!!!
But I never had any "natural use for females" in the first place, so obviously, this does not apply to me.
And where in your bible did Jesus prophesy about "men marrying"?
Ahhh the ole Romans Ch 1 bit. Wasn't St Paul himself rumoured to be gay? I do believe he was.
The paper has the right to print or not print whatever they choose as they see fit, that's their right. However, advertisers are free to stop placing ads and people are free to stop buying a paper published by bigots. The best way to make a business reconsider their practices is to hit them in their pocketbook.
How can they state they are blatantly opposed to gay marriage and then claim to be not anti-gay? Hypocrisy.
@cw...you are very welcome. and i'm not a preacher. just a simple bible student trying to find my way through this god-forsaken (seemingly) world.
@smedley...simple! "you are to hate what is bad in the eyes of the lord". Nowhere does the bible condone hating sodomites...in fact we are commanded to love them, and we do! But we don't love the way they flaunt their callous disregard for their creators word, the bible.
@ Know your bible,
AMEN BROTHER OR SISTER!!!! AMEN....All these people are using the word HATE ON all christian postings that post against a gay lifestyle or GAY MARRIAGE. Its not hate...we just want all people to turn from their sinful ways and follow what THE BIBLE AND OUR LORD SAYS. Its simple....make the choice to follow GOD'S perfect ways..or...don't. One day you'll get your chance to stand before GOD and state why you made the decision you made....as for me....John 3:16 says it all.
And others hate the way you self-righteous "christians" (lower-case on purpose) flaunt your 2,000 year-old mythology as if you understood anything about it. But you don't. You must rely on your preacher to "interpret" your book for you, and he is only interested in maintaining power over his ignorant flock via mind-control. Ergo critical thinking and multi-societal consciousness are forbidden. Thanks for the demo.
How do I subscribe to this newspaper, I like it.
Easy! Just search for "bigots" in Facebook, then sign on to be their special friend.
@ Mark – That's what is interesting about you "illuminated" liberals: everybody else is either bigot or ignorant. Really?