Neil Abercrombie, the governor Hawaii, made history yesterday when he approved a measure to legalize same-sex civil unions in the state – the seventh state in the country to do so and the first bill signing of his career!
He explains:
“For me, this bill represents equal rights for everyone in Hawaii — everyone who comes here. This is, to me, the essence of the aloha spirit.”
Rep. Blake Oshiro elaborates:
“I think it’s amazing that we’ve joined a small, but ever-growing group of states that are recognizing equality. I’m proud that we’ve taken that major step forward.”
Although it’s not marriage, the new law allows same-sex couples the legal status with all of the rights and benefits of one!
Equality Hawaii’s co-chairman, Alan Spector, says:
“Civil unions are not marriage, but they at least provide — on a state level — the concrete, tangible, legal rights and responsibilities of marriage. We still don’t have the social significance and the social meaning of marriage … but getting us to civil unions — psychologically and legally — is such a major barrier to cross.”
Hawaii won’t last 5 years now…it’ll either be on fire or flooded before 2015.
wow