Gov. John Lynch's announcement yesterday took personal and political courage. For that, New Hampshire owes him a debt of gratitude.

If legislators agree to amend the same-sex marriage bill to include further protections for religious institutions, Lynch will sign it. Those protections, similar to the ones approved in Connecticut and Vermont, should meet with quick approval. If so, New Hampshire will soon be the sixth state in the nation to legalize gay marriage.

How far we have come. And how quickly.

It was not so long ago that some New Hampshire legislators felt comfortable making vile remarks about homosexuals on the floor of the House and Senate - and were reelected without trouble. It was not so long ago that gay people in New Hampshire were denied the right to adopt children. It was not so long ago that enacting civil unions for gay couples felt like a radical act - indeed, some lawmakers said they would vote for civil unions but drew the line at gay marriage.

And it was not so long ago that Lynch himself made clear how uncomfortable he was with the notion of gay marriage. Indeed, some political observers assumed he would work hard to keep the legislation from his desk and, failing that, veto it.

This, more than anything else, is what made the governor's announcement yesterday so remarkable, and so heartening.

"My personal views on the subject of marriage have been shaped by my own experience, tradition and upbringing. But as governor of New Hampshire, I recognize that I have a responsibility to consider this issue through a broader lens," Lynch said yesterday.

"I have heard, and I understand, the very real feelings of same-sex couples that a separate system is not an equal system. That a civil law that differentiates between their committed relationships and those of heterosexual couples undermines both their dignity and the legitimacy of their families."

Was there political calculation involved? Of course.

Were religious institutions truly imperiled by the language of the existing bill? We're skeptical - but willing to leave that to the lawyers.

Will there be a political price to pay - for Lynch and for lawmakers who have embraced the legislation? No doubt.

But the upshot is this: Assuming legislative leaders can rally yet another positive vote, gay couples and families will no longer be treated as second-class citizens by New Hampshire law. That's not true of federal statutes, of course, but the growing number of states and courts to come to this conclusion will surely get Washington's attention.

Even if he hadn't wanted to veto the gay marriage bill, Lynch could have let it become law without his signature. Instead, he has chosen to get out front. History will surely show that he was on the side of justice. He has made a powerful statement in support of individual liberties and nondiscrimination.

Thank you, Governor.