The Vermont legislature made it official today! By a 23-5 margin in the Senate, and a 100-49 margin in the House, legislators overturned Governor Jim Douglas’ veto this morning, making Vermont the 4th state to legalize gay marriage.

Perhaps the comment below from a reader of the Burlington Free Press sums up the feelings of gay marriage opponents…

A sad, sad day for the state of Vermont. I am so ashamed of Vermont I never want to admit I grew up and lived there for over 50 years. I moved out of Vermont for economic reasons several years ago, always knowing I’d be back. But NEVER to that liberal cesspool ! The filthy perverts and leftist fools that run the state are welcome to it.

I think Vermont will be just fine without you.

Republican Vermont governor James Douglas has vetoed the gay marriage bill that recently passed both legislative houses. From his office…

“This legislation does not address the inequalities espoused by proponents. Regardless of whether the term marriage is applied , federal benefits will still be denied to same sex couples in Vermont. And states that do not recognize same sex marriage or civil unions will also deny state rights and responsibilities to same sex couples married in Vermont. This bill will not change that fact.

Vermont’s civil union law has afforded the same state rights, responsibilities and benefits of marriage to same sex couples. Our civil union law serves Vermont well and I would support congressional action to extend those benefits at the federal level to states that recognize same sex unions. But I believe that marriage should remain between a man and a woman.”

From WCAX in Vermont…

The Senate is expected to override the veto tomorrow morning. It is unclear what the House will do, and is currently shy the two thirds majority required to override the veto. The 11 Democrats who originally voted against the bill now support it, unhappy that the governor announced his intent to veto the bill before they had passed it.

Lot’s happening on the marriage equality front, not all of it bad…

As reported yesterday, Vermont Governor Jim Douglas held a press conference indicating he would not support a marriage equality bill passed overwhelming by the state Senate, citing that the current economic crisis took precedence over such legislation. Watch the press conference below:

Also yesterday, same-sex civil union legislation was effectively killed in Hawaii, despite a majority of Senators supporting the measure, falling three short of the nine members required to bring it up for a full vote.

But there was good news in New Hampshire today as their House of Representatives voted to send their same-sex marriage bill to the Senate by a slim margin of 186-179.

The Rev. V. Gene Robinson, who delivered the invocation at President Obama’s inaugural celebration said this about the House vote…

“I am delighted, because it’s clear to me that New Hampshire values one class of citizenship and not two … And I’m delighted that (the bill) threatens people of faith in no way.”

Unfortunately New Hampshire governor John Lynch, a Democrat, does not support the measure, and will likely veto the legislation if it reaches his desk.

First civil unions. Now gay marriage. Progress.

Backed by 59 legislators, Vermont state Reps. Mark Larson and David Zuckerman introduced legislation today to legalize gay marriage.

The bill will likely be opposed by Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas, who previously said he would not support same-sex marrage.

“I think the current civil union law is sufficient. It accords equality of rights to Vermonters in terms of their relationships and I think we should leave the law as it is.”

Vermont was the first state to legalize civil unions in 2000. And the world didn’t end then. And it won’t end because of gay marriage either.

More from the Burlington Free Press.