Proponents And Opponents Of Mobilize In New Hampshire As An Attempt To Repeal State Same Sex Marriage Law In Guise Of House Bill 437 Voted On In January, Over 80-Percent Of Polled Australian Voters Favour Allowing Conscience Vote On Same Sex Marriage, Billie Jean King And Martina Navratilova Condemn Margaret Court’s Loathsome Homophobia, Despite An Injury Matthew Mitcham Wins Nationals, Tom Daley Shirtless Beach Twitter Fun

In New Hampshire, a new cast of characters is lining up to shape the debate over that state’s same sex marriage law next year. House Bill 437, which repeals the 2009 law legalizing same sex marriage, is set for a vote by the full House when the representatives reconvene in January. A constitutional amendment has also been proposed, seeking to limit marriage to one man and one woman. The Concord Monitor reports that backing the repeal effort, Concord political strategist Michael Dennehy signed on last week as a lobbyist for the National Organization for Marriage, joining gubernatorial candidate Kevin Smith, who has also registered on behalf of the group. Meanwhile, Patrick Hynes, a communications consultant in Concord, announced his July Fourth Forum PAC is planning a strong push for repeal. "We are going to play heavily in the effort to restore traditional marriage in the Granite State," Hynes said in an e-mail. Both Dennehy and Hynes were part of John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign; Dennehy was McCain's national political director while Hynes was an online communications consultant. This time, neither are affiliated with presidential campaigns - Hynes was a Tim Pawlenty backer, Dennehy was part of Haley Barbour's exploratory team - giving them time and energy to focus on the same sex marriage issue. On the other side, Standing Up For New Hampshire Families announced additions last week to a list of more than 200 supporters, including famed New Hampshire inventor and entrepreneur Dean Kamen. The group, committed to preserving same sex marriage, is co-chaired by Lew Feldstein, former president of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation. "We're grateful to have Dean join the growing ranks of leaders and regular people who are publicly standing up for all New Hampshire families," Feldstein said in a statement. The other new names announced by the group include Steve Barba, former owner of the Balsams Resort in Dixville Notch; Don Brueggemann, manager of the Works Bakery Cafe in Concord; writer and producer Dayton Duncan, the former chief-of-staff to governor Hugh Gallen; Helen Giles-Gee, president of Keene State College; and Sara Jayne Steen, president of Plymouth State University. The group has already claimed the support of former New Hampshire chief justice John Broderick, now dean of the UNH School of Law; George Bald, commissioner of the Department of Resources and Economic Development; John Crosier, former president of the Business and Industry Association; and J.P. Marzullo, area vice-chairman of the New Hampshire Republican State Committee. Dennehy was not involved in the 2009 debate - "I don't think anyone expected that gay marriage would pass in the first place," he said. He's been in contact with Representative David Bates, the Windham Republican leading the repeal effort, and expects the issue to be "pretty straightforward,” adding, “I think most people pretty much know where they're going to be. It's about counting the votes."

In Australia, a new poll shows an overwhelming majority believes all MPs should be given a conscience vote on same sex marriage, just as Opposition Leader Tony Abbott all but ruled the option out for the Coalition. He also warned his MPs yesterday against crossing the floor to support gay marriage in defiance of party policy. The latest Sydney Morning Herald/Nielsen poll shows while support for same-sex marriage has slipped over the past month, 81-percent of voters believe MPs should vote according to their conscience rather than along party lines. The poll of 1400 voters was taken from Thursday night to Saturday night, just days after the ALP national conference. The debate on same-sex marriage dominated the conference. Labor delegates voted overwhelmingly to change party policy from opposing gay marriage to supporting it. But in line with orders from Julia Gillard, who opposes gay marriage, the conference agreed to grant MPs a conscience vote in Parliament. The poll showed support for gay marriage had fallen five percentage points to 57-percent since the last poll a month ago, before the conference. Support among Labor and Greens voters stayed steady but fell seven points to 43-percent among Coalition voters. ''It is likely that, at least for some voters, same-sex marriage became more closely associated with Labor because of the conference and, therefore, a negative,'' said the Nielsen poll director, John Stirton. Next year Labor backbencher Stephen Jones will introduce a private members bill proposing to legalize same-sex marriage. Without both major parties supporting a conscience vote, it stands no chance of passing. Several in the Coalition, including Malcolm Turnbull, have called for Abbott to allow a conscience vote. Without a conscience vote, Coalition MPs are still allowed to cross the floor without risk of expulsion, but shadow ministers must resign from the frontbench. Abbott was open to the idea a week ago, saying the position would be worked through the usual processes of the shadow cabinet and the party room. But with shadow cabinet to meet Monday, Abbott killed off any prospect of a conscience vote and made it plain he would not approve of people crossing the floor, even though it is their right. He told Sky News the Coalition promised before the last election to continue to oppose gay marriage and all his MPs should remember that, regardless of their personal views. ''We won't finalise a position until it goes before the party room in the new year but I think the decisive consideration here is the position that we took to the election,'' he said. The election promise ''has got to be an extremely powerful factor with every single member of my Coalition'', he said. ''I know that in their heart of hearts there would probably be a few of my members who would prefer it to be otherwise but that was the commitment that every single one of us took to the last election.''

Last week I posted comments made by Australian women’s tennis great Margaret Court that not only condemned same sex marriage, but gays, suggesting homosexuality was a Biblical abomination, and being gay was a choice. Now, reports Tennis Channel.com, two former tennis colleagues criticized Court. “I respectfully disagree with Margaret’s position on gay marriage,” Billie Jean King said. Out since 1981, King has long been a champion for human rights, gay rights among them. “We have to commit to eliminating homophobia because everyone is entitled to the same rights, opportunities and protection.” Martina Navratilova, another vocal advocate for gay rights since she came out in 1981, is also not having it. “Seems to me a lot of people have evolved as has the Bible, [for example regarding] slavery. Unfortunately, Margaret Court has not. Her myopic view is truly frightening as well as damaging to the thousands of children already living in same gender families.” For Court’s countrywoman, doubles great Rennae Stubbs, her words carried an added sting. "As a young Australian tennis player, I aspired to be like Margaret Court," says Stubbs, who came out publicly in 2006. "This is why it has been very difficult to understand her words of hate directed towards homosexuals. It is unfortunate that someone with her stature has chosen to propagate discrimination and I disagree with her comments wholeheartedly." This is not Court’s first foray into anti-gay public speaking, in the past campaigning against laws, passed in Western Australia, which granted some equal rights to gays and lesbians. Court also famously accused Martina Navratilova and other lesbian and bisexual tennis players of ruining the sport and setting a bad example for younger players. “I have tried to talk to Margaret,” Navratilova says, “but to say she’s completely close-minded on the issue is an understatement.” Both King and Navratilova have hopes that the rest of Australia won’t follow Court’s lead, and in fact perhaps use this as an opportunity to get educated about equal rights for all. “The more we talk openly about issues like gay marriage, the more we learn about each other,” King says. “It is a blessing the people of Australia can live freely and express their own opinions because we need open dialogue to help us move forward.” Navratilova added, “Here is hoping Australia will be on the right side of history and human rights, and become yet another democracy granting equal rights to all her citizens.” Stubbs also said, “What I love about Australia, [is] we have the freedom to voice our own opinions albeit negative or positive. I truly believe Australia will continue to move forward to eliminate discrimination, bullying and hate, no matter who is perpetuating it." With the Australian Open just over a month away, Court’s latest in a line of anti-gay statements will be fresh on the minds of those who might not be able to avoid cringing when players (gays and lesbians among them) step onto Margaret Court Arena. Tennis Channel.com ask how long can the former Show Court One, named after Court in 2003, remain a celebration of the best of tennis when it’s becoming more and more associated with a steady stream of hate speech? How long can having a stadium named after anyone continuously calling an entire group of people unhealthy, abominable, unnatural and wrong be good for business?

Matthew Mitcham took the first step towards defending his Olympic title in London by making a winning return from injury in the 10m platform at the Australian championships Sunday. The 23-year-old suffered a serious abdominal injury in April and had just two weeks' preparation for the national championships in Adelaide, his first major competition this year. Mitcham, who won the 10m platform at the Beijing Games when he posted the highest single-dive score (112.10) in Olympic history, easily won the national title, reports the AAP. He scored 480.05 points, with his nearest rival Matthew Barnard, of Queensland, on 430.30. "I am pleased with my result today after my limited preparation," Mitcham said. "I am a bit tender but not as bad after the prelims and semi-finals. This was a good test for me today. I can now continue with my final rehab, have a bit of a rest and strengthen all my muscles around the tear." The top two divers from the national titles qualify for the World Cup in London in February, which doubles as an Olympic trial and where Mitcham will face British teen Tom Daley and China's Qiu Bo and Huo Liang. Despite winning four Commonwealth silver medals in various categories, Mitcham has decided to focus solely on the 10m platform before London.

The aforementioned Tom Daley tweets a picture of himself and a trio of equally hot divers shirtless on a beach in Australia.