Anti-Gay Marriage Amendment Filed in North Carolina Senate
Legislation related to an anti-gay marriage amendment has been filed in the North Carolina senate.
Gaston County Sen. James Forrester filed on Tuesday his anti-LGBT constitutional amendment on marriage.
The text of the proposed amendment, which has not yet been filed in the House, would ban any recognition of any “domestic legal union” other than a marriage between an opposite-sex couple. If approved by the legislature, the amendment would appear on the November 2012 ballot. Three-fifths of both the House and Senate must approve the amendment before it can appear on the ballot; the governor has no veto authority on amendments.
Forrester was joined as sponsor by "Jerry W. Tillman (R-Montgomery, Randolph) and Dan Soucek (R-Alexander, Ashe, Watauga, Wilkes). Twenty other senators, all Republican, are co-sponsoring the bill."
Equality North Carolina tweets that "Anti-gay SB 106 is most extreme version possible. Could even prevent businesses from offering partner health coverage!"
Pam Spaulding, whose home state is North Carolina, has vowed to expose the hypocrites.
Let's be clear that one of the big motivations behind this measure at this particular point in time, aside from anti-gay bigotry, is a desire to turn out the Republican vote in an electorally important state which narrowly went for the President in 2008. This worked very well for the Republicans in Ohio and other places in 2006 and no doubt they'll do whatever it takes to make sure that all their crazies show up at the polls in swing states next year. They may not be motivated to turn out for, say, Mitt Romney but, if this measure gets them to the polls, they'll vote for him over the President while they're there.
It will be interesting to see if the tide has turned sufficiently that our side can start to use these measures not only to advance the cause of equality but also to motivate progressive voters to get to the polls. Let's see if, depending on what happens in the Prop 8 case, Oregon, Washington or California could be a test of that in 2012.
Posted by: Patric | Feb 23, 2011 12:58:39 PM
Why is it that everyone who proposes these hate-filled amendments is always an ancient white numbskull? Sad.
This passes, I'm keeping my business out of the state. There are plenty of other places to spend my money.
Posted by: BartB | Feb 23, 2011 4:22:04 PM
Hey old man, go play some golf in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean...
And stop being the marriage police...
Cheers, from New England, the land of the Puritans, who grew up, and maybe NC can too?
Onward,
Joe Mustich, CT Justice of the Peace,
Washington, CT USA
Posted by: Joseph A. Mustich, JP | Feb 24, 2011 7:44:25 AM
I'm a North Carolinian - born and raised. Me and my friends (and most of the people I know) are T-TOTALLY against this kind of anti-gay, discriminatory legislative. Even my parents - (aged 83 and 77 again both born and raised in NC) have told me that they believe everyone should have the right to get married - gay or straight. These dudes have issues - serious issues. I'm always very suspicious of these types that are so outspoken about homosexuality. More than likely they are "acting out" because they are afraid of their own sexuality. I really don't think the majority of North Carolinians would support this.
Posted by: Samantha | Feb 24, 2011 10:51:47 AM
This bill is anti-American. Read the Declaration of Independence. It states "ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL." If anyone wants to nullify the Declaration of Independence wants to relinquish the government back to England.
Posted by: Garst | Feb 25, 2011 10:42:21 PM
" An anti-gay constitutional amendment that could strip away marriage rights for same-sex couples was filed Wednesday in the North Carolina House of Representatives.
A similar amendment was introduced to the Senate in late February. The House version, filed by two Republicans and two Democrats, contains different wording that could slightly narrow the impact of the amendment.
“Marriage is the union of one man and one woman at one time. No other relationship shall be recognized as a valid marriage by the State,” the House amendment reads. The Senate’s version says no other “domestic legal union” will be recognized.
LGBT advocates with the statewide group Equality North Carolina say marriage — already denied to same-sex couples by state statute — isn’t the only right that could be banned by the proposed Senate version. Civil unions and domestic partner benefits could also be subject to prohibition. Several municipalities across the state offer health and other benefits to same-sex partners of their employees; those include Durham, Mecklenburg and Orange Counties, as well as the cities or towns of Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Durham and Greensboro. Private companies, including global giants like Charlotte’s Bank of America, also offer such benefits and could be subject to the Senate amendment.
“I think it is a step in the right direction that they didn’t introduce as extreme a version as the Senate did,” Equality North Carolina Executive Director Ian Palmquist told qnotes. “The fact remains it is still an attempt to write discrimination into our state constitution.”"
Posted by: tim viec lam | Oct 18, 2011 2:50:15 AM