N.H. Town Manager Quits Over Gay Acceptance Pressure

(ConservativeSense.com) – A row about homosexuality broke out in a small New Hampshire town, following a clash between town board members. The culture of Littleton, in the White Mountains, is changing, with a younger demographic embracing art and elements of gay culture. One of the town’s board members is unhappy about this, and expressed her displeasure by describing homosexuality as an “abomination,” prompting disgust from other members, particularly Jim Gleason, whose late son was gay.

During a committee meeting, Mr. Gleason stood up to state that his son was not an abomination, receiving a standing ovation from local people. Carrie Gendreau, who made the anti-gay remarks last year, has not filed for re-election after Gleason accused her of creating a “toxic environment,” while announcing his resignation from the board.

The argument began when LGBTQ murals appeared in the town, which Gendreau denounced as “demonic.” It intensified when a local resident complained to the board about a production of the play La Cage aux Folles, which stars a gay couple. While protesting against the play, the resident reportedly said that Mr. Gleason’s son, who died from cancer at 35, was “in hell with the devil where he belongs.”

During his resignation speech, Mr. Gleason, who has held the position of town manager since 2021, said he could not tolerate such hurtful comments, and would no longer participate on the board.

Gendreau, who said she believed the murals had a hidden “demonic message,” stood by her remarks, adding that she viewed the issue from a biblical perspective.

Following Mr. Gleason’s resignation, a package arrived at his home containing a photo of him from a local paper with the words “queer bastard” scrawled across it. The resident who allegedly said she was glad Gleason’s son was in hell, admitted to police that she had sent the package, and a court granted a restraining order against her.

Cathryn Oakley, of the Human Rights Campaign, said the controversy was part of a troubling pattern developing across the US.