New Hampshire's largest paper refuses gay marriage notice
Sun. October 24, 2010 10:31 AM by GoPride.com News Staff
Chicago, IL -
New Hampshire's largest newspaper is under fire for refusing to publish marriage notices for gay couples despite that state being one of five to have legalized gay marriage.
The conservative Union Leader of Manchester refused a marriage notice for two gay men married on Saturday in Portsmouth.
"This newspaper has never published wedding or engagement announcements from homosexual couples," Publisher Joe McQuaid said in a statement to New Hampshire's WMUR. "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."
Democratic Senate candidate Paul Hodes called the paper's decision a "disgraceful policy of exclusion."
Republican opponent Kelly Ayotte told the Associated Press that government officials have no business telling a free press what to do.
The conservative Union Leader of Manchester refused a marriage notice for two gay men married on Saturday in Portsmouth.
"This newspaper has never published wedding or engagement announcements from homosexual couples," Publisher Joe McQuaid said in a statement to New Hampshire's WMUR. "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."
Democratic Senate candidate Paul Hodes called the paper's decision a "disgraceful policy of exclusion."
Republican opponent Kelly Ayotte told the Associated Press that government officials have no business telling a free press what to do.