Last night, the Durham city council joined North Carolina neighbors Chapel Hill and Carboro passing a supportive gay marriage resolution. Though non-binding, former US senate candidate Jim Neal, calls it hugely symbolic in its unanimity from an unexpected and diverse community.
Towleroad graveyard shift is a a bit short-staffed, and contrary to rumor, Andy does sleep. So via the latest citizen journalism tool, Google Voice, Jim Neal reports via text message…
(Among the notable locals mentioned are Towleroad friends and allies at Blogads and Pam Spaulding of Pam's House Blend. Spaulding's family started the largest black-owned insurance company in the country and she's got full coverage, text, and photos of the hometown win.")
TRANSCRIPT:
jim neal : Durham, NC city council passes unanimous resolution in favor gay marriage 8:16 PM
Me: Awesome. Right on. Gimme a little more and ill post righy now. 8:17 PM pm
jim neal: City Council convened tonight in packed meeting and voted unanimously topass non-binding resolution supporting gay marriage. Durham is thelargest Afric 8:31 PM
jim neal: an American metro area in NC; second largest statewide voter turnout inDurham County hugely contributed to Obama victory in NC. Vote embraced by African 8:31 pm
jim neal:American mayor Bill Bell. Though symbolic only, hugely so in opposition to conventional wisdom in "gay circles" that pits gays vs. AA religiouscommunit 8:31 pm
jim neal: yover same-sex marriage. If you compare Bay area and Research Triangle area of NC: Durham is Oakland; Chapel Hill is SFO and Carrboro isBerkeley. Now, 8:33 pm
jim neal: all three have passed similar resolutions.Personally, debunks to extent notion that "gay guy can't win" in NC….I'm surprised but not shocked by this 8:36 pm
jim neal: . Durham is vibrant community sending message around world that "you're welcome here." 8:36 PM Me: nice. i'll put something up. already twittered you. 8:40 PM
Me: I think I might just publish a series of texts fm you. Feel free to call if u like. 8:49 PM
jim neal: Goingdown for the count. I'd ask readership in rest of nation: does yourtown have a resolution: LA, NYC, Miami, Austin, Chicago, Seattle,Redmond, Taco 9:09 pm
jim neal: ma,Palo Alto, Portland, San Diego, San Jose, Mill Valley, Oakland,Sacramento, Philadelphia, Manchester? If not, why? Can you be catalyststo follow Dur 9:09 pm
jim neal: ham, NC? (We don't have state constl amendment banning gay marriage either.)Conventional wisdom be damned. 9:09 PM
jim neal: more trivia…Durham is home of Pam Spaulding & Pam's HBlend. Her familystarted country's largest black-owned life insurance company NorthCarolina Mutu 9:14 PM
jim neal: alLife. Durham once known as "the black Wall Street." Carrboro home toindy label Merge Records, Blogads, Adam & Eve and co. hosting PerezHilton site. 9:14 PM
Me: You done yet? I'm publishing as is up to the trivia 9:16 PM
jim neal: variousresponses: Gay staffer on the Hill: "wow! thanks for passing this on:-) congrats to all who are working on this. we live in amazing/inspiri 9:25 PM
jim neal: ng times"One of my straight AA peeps from Queens: "That's very cool! Now all you need is the state to recognize gay marriages. "Major Dem straight bu 9:25 pm
jim neal: ndler from CA: "Yippee!"Congressman from NY: "now look what you've started Neal. Send to Schumer? Way to go NC- raise the bar."Front-page HuffPo blog 9:25 pm
jim neal: ger: "WTF- where in carolina is durham"NYT reporter: "can we talk in the am?" 9:25 pm
jim neal: Just sent last……hodge podge of responses 9:26 pm
jim neal: NYC straight heiress, philanthropist and socialite:"Yea!" 9:30 PM
