Web reacts to Lingle’s veto of House Bill 444

Reactions to Gov. Linda Lingle’s decision to veto Hawaii’s civil unions bill burst onto the web.

The Huffington Post’s Karen Ocamb blogs about civil unions:

“Sad? How about: Are you kidding me? Civil unions? Not even the Yes on Prop 8/Protect Marriage crowd went after California’s domestic partners bill, which is akin to civil unions in other states. Now LGBTs can’t even get simple relationship protections in what many consider the most idealized romantic state in America. Even I know the Elvis song ‘Night and you, and Blue Hawaii…..’”

New York Daily News reports on the ACLU’s legal plans:

“The legislation, which was approved by the Legislature in April, would have made Hawaii one of six states—in addition to California, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington—to give the rights of marriage to same-sex couples without sanctioning marriage itself. Lingle argued that voters, not politicians, should decide on the future of same-sex civil unions.”

Hawaii blogger Ian Lind said the logic of putting civil unions up to a vote is flawed:

“I just think that all those who attribute their opposition to HB 444 to their understanding of their own particular religious affliction need to get a head-clearing civics lesson. We shouldn’t be in a position of having to appease religious leaders and their followers on civil matters.”

Hawaii blogger Joan Conrow also commented on the crowd’s reaction to the veto announcement:

“What the hell does Jesus have to do with this? And what the hell is Jesus doing in a discussion about the rights of American citizens? I think what really disturbs me about this issue—besides Lingle’s decision to keep gays in their second-class status—is how it reveals the growing political power of churches in our supposedly secular nation, and the way duplicitous politicians like Lingle pander to that crowd.”

Hawaii News Now reporter Howard Dicus looks ahead at what’s next in the civil unions debate:

“It seems clear in the wake of Linda Lingle’s decision to veto the civil unions bill that we were naive if we thought the matter would be settled, one way or another, by the governor’s decision Tuesday.”

David Shapiro also blogs that Lingle’s decision was predictable:

“She based the veto on her opinion that civil unions are same-sex marriage by another name, a view she telegraphed more than a month ago, and that the issue should be decided by voter referendum—an easy political out that shores up her standing with Republicans opponents of same-sex unions, while not bashing gay voters whose support she courted when she ran for governor.”

LezGetReal.com blogger Bridgette P. LaVictoire writes:

“Governor Lingle’s decision to push this back again and again shows that she has no stomach for taking the hard decisions, nor does she understand that the rights of a given people are not subject to the majority vote given that so many people in this country would still be living under the thumb of segregation had the Civil Rights Acts of the 1950’s through the 1970’s been put up for majority vote.

“If Governor Lingle had her druthers, Hawaii would be subject to the very lawsuits and legal actions which she claims to fear in handing down her veto. She has made it clear that her successor will have to deal with this mess again because her own prejudices came into play as well as her calculation that she had more to gain by vetoing this law than by allowing it to go into effect without her signature. Her hopes of higher office are likely dashed now as she will be torn to shreds by people on both sides.”

Mediaite.com’s Michael Triplett blogs about The Maui Time’s rush to beat the weekly deadline by preparing two separate covers beforehand on Gov. Linda Lingle’s civil unions decision:

“Facing a deadline, the Maui paper produced dueling covers with ‘Fail’ and ‘Redemption’ over the face of Lingle, a Republican in an overwhelmingly Democrat state. The covers were tweeted by the paper’s publisher, Tommy Russo.”

National Gay and Lesbian Task Force executive Director Rea Carey states:

“Governor Lingle’s veto of legislation that would protect and strengthen Hawaii’s families is beyond a disappointment: It is a disgrace. Hawaii’s lawmakers passed this bill because it was about fundamental fairness. The governor’s action today flies in the face of both common sense and common humanity. We urge the Hawaii Legislature to override this veto.”