At the Deerfield Deliberative Session (town meeting without teeth), the article that elicited the most discussion was the last on the ballot. Article 18: “To see if the Town will vote to approve the following resolution to be forwarded to our State Representative(s), our State Senator, the Speaker of the House, and the Senate President: Resolved: The citizens of New Hampshire should be allowed to vote on an amendment to the New Hampshire Constitution that defines “marriage”.
A bunch of folks had quite a lot to say on the article and the proposed amendment, to revise the article to read “To see ... ” and that’s all. At Deliberative Sessions under SB2, folks don’t get to vote on the articles, but can amend them by vote. So on the ballot in March, Deerfield residents will have to vote yea or nay on, “To see ...”
A highlight of the discussion came when Rebecca Hutchinson rose to speak in favor of the amendment. She introduced herself, gave her address for the record, talked about why she favored the amendment, then said that though she favored the rights of homosexuals to marry, she didn’t really understand homosexual attraction. Adding: “I don’t really understand heterosexual attraction either,” to which the Moderator, Jack Hutchinson, Rebecca’s husband, said, “Ouch!”
A good moderator can cool hot discussion with a good laugh, which Jack did with enormous grace on several occasions.
In the photo, three nice ladies of Deerfield supervise the checklist: Meredith Briggs, Diane Valade, and Cherie Sanborn. Turns our Cherie and Meredith are related, sort of. Cherie said: "I married her cousin. She married my brother."
A bunch of folks had quite a lot to say on the article and the proposed amendment, to revise the article to read “To see ... ” and that’s all. At Deliberative Sessions under SB2, folks don’t get to vote on the articles, but can amend them by vote. So on the ballot in March, Deerfield residents will have to vote yea or nay on, “To see ...”
A highlight of the discussion came when Rebecca Hutchinson rose to speak in favor of the amendment. She introduced herself, gave her address for the record, talked about why she favored the amendment, then said that though she favored the rights of homosexuals to marry, she didn’t really understand homosexual attraction. Adding: “I don’t really understand heterosexual attraction either,” to which the Moderator, Jack Hutchinson, Rebecca’s husband, said, “Ouch!”
A good moderator can cool hot discussion with a good laugh, which Jack did with enormous grace on several occasions.
In the photo, three nice ladies of Deerfield supervise the checklist: Meredith Briggs, Diane Valade, and Cherie Sanborn. Turns our Cherie and Meredith are related, sort of. Cherie said: "I married her cousin. She married my brother."
Becky,
I loved your story about Article 18. I live in Littleton and last night ours was also changed to "To see". The "live free or die" reigned last night after all the bantering back and forth.
Janice
Posted by: Janice Mercieri | February 02, 2010 at 07:05 PM
Looks like a trend! Live free and eat pie!
Becky
Posted by: Rebecca Rule | February 03, 2010 at 09:33 AM