Co-Sponsor Of Iowa Bill To Repeal Same Sex Marriage Says Homosexuality A Public Health Crisis Akin To Smoking, New Survey Reveals Majority Of New Hampshire Residents “Strongly Oppose” Repeal Of State Same Sex Marriage Law, Sponsor Of Rhode Island Bill To Legalize Same Sex Marriage Says Issue A Simple Matter Of Equality

According to ThinkProgress.org, Iowa State Representative Dwayne Alons (Republican), who is a co-sponsor of the state’s measure to repeal same sex marriage, agrees with the agenda promoting by the anti-gay The Family Leader, the conservative group led by three-time losing gubernatorial candidate Bob Vander Platts that homosexuality is in fact a public health crisis, similar to smoking, and also endorses medically discredited reparative therapy. In an interview, Alons says “I think that whole lifestyle has brought a lot of problems to society and I kind of go back to what Rich Anderson, Rep. Anderson, said about responsible procreation and the state does have a part to play in public health and the proper direction that will boost society as far as longevity and a lot of factors related to better situations in the home [...] For the most part when you look at some of the issues that have been brought up by homosexuals lifestyle there are a lot of negatives that have been brought into society and I think government is trying to deal with that and should be dealing with.” When asked what kind of negatives he was referring to, Alons answered “Well, look at all that has been spent, you know, with the AIDS and with the issues related to the dying at an early age. I think life, longevity, of a lot of these folks is below 50, when you know, the normal people that do not enter into that kind of relationship, their either late into their 70s or early 80s for longevity. A lot more actual productive years and contributing to society.”

Reuters reports on a new survey released Wednesday that reveals a majority of New Hampshire residents support keeping same sex marriage legal in the state, a WMUR Granite State Poll showing 62-percent of survey respondents opposing repeal of the 2009 law legalizing same sex marriage. That law took effect January 1st, 2010, making New Hampshire the fifth state, plus the District of Columbia to allow same sex marriage. However, when Republicans took control of the state legislature in November, 2010 conservative anti-gay groups like the National Organization for Marriage, vowed to repeal the same sex marriage law. However, 51-percent of the respondents to the poll said that they “strongly oppose” repeal compared to 21-percent to who “strongly supported” repeal. "Strong opponents of repealing same-sex marriage outnumber strong proponents by a factor of two to one," said Andrew Smith, director of the University of New Hampshire Survey Center, which interviewed 520 New Hampshire adults for the poll, adding that "Politically, this represents powerful resistance to changing the current law."

The Associated Press reports that the sponsor of a bill to legalize same sex marriage in Rhode Island told the House Judiciary Committee that gay couples who wish to marry are simply seeking equality under the law. Hundreds gathered at the Statehouse Wednesday to testify or hear opponents and proponents of the bill, the sponsor, Representative Art Handy, telling the committee considering his bill that the legalization of same sex marriage in neighbouring Massachusetts has made relationships there stronger. Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee sent a letter to the committee, in part saying that allowing same sex marriage is a matter of “fundamental fairness.”