Some additional coverage by NY Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/14/us/north-carolina-voters-to-decide-on-same-sex-marriage.html?_r=1

Quote :

"It could also call into question domestic partnership benefits offered by public institutions and the application of domestic violence laws, said Holning Lau, an associate professor of law at the University of North Carolina. The proposal also would bar the state from sanctioning civil unions."

Quote :

"Originally, backers wanted the issue on the ballot in November 2012, where it might help attract voters more likely to vote against President Obama and Gov. Bev Perdue, a Democrat. To quell accusations that the ballot initiative was driven solely by politics, the date was moved to the state’s primary election in May. Instead, the timing may help ensure passage of the measure, as it will probably receive significant support from those drawn to the polls by the main event: the Republican presidential primary. "

Additionally, this editorial was written by A Heterosexual, Married, North Carolinian Father Of Three Cares About LGBT Equality.
http://www.defshepherd.com/2011/09/why-heterosexual-married-north.html



[Edited on September 16, 2011 at 11:05 AM. Reason : Additional Image]

9/16/2011 10:43:55 AM

the bump this thing gets from the republican presidential primary is pretty fucking shady

we just have to fight that much harder against it

i'm going all in

9/16/2011 10:55:31 AM

BREAKING NEWS: NC unemployment rate jumps to 10.4 percent in August

I find it pathetic that this purported issue is even being debated at all by our legislature at this time.

9/16/2011 10:57:21 AM

Quote :

"thegoodlife3 the "reason" behind the amendment is that some "crazy liberal" judge could overturn NCGS 51.1-2 due to it being against the NC Constitution. However instead of just stating "Marriage is defined as one man joined with one woman" they will dissolve all forms of domestic partnerships due to the poor wording of this amendment."

my post wasn't asking why people are afraid of this amendment, I'm 100% against it

it was asking why people are so afraid of gay marriage

9/16/2011 12:11:23 PM

What can I do if I'm out of state at the time of the vote? Absentee ballot?

9/16/2011 12:35:30 PM

Quote :

"it was asking why people are so afraid of gay marriage"

religion

9/16/2011 12:48:09 PM

If my tax dollars are going towards promoting a theocracy, can I at least get a state tax deduction as charitable contributions?

9/16/2011 12:48:51 PM

obviously

9/16/2011 12:49:05 PM

The unemployment rate jumps to 10.4% and all the NC GOP worried about was gay marriage before taking the next few months off. Come November 2012 they might be getting more time off than they bargained for.

9/16/2011 1:04:29 PM

I thought this was LBGT... WTF is Q? cam someone please explain the definition of Queer versus Gay?


I do not support the wast of my tax dollhairs on this ammendment anyways. The article posted above is almost exactly in line with my beliefs.

9/16/2011 1:30:08 PM

^http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queer#Linguistic_reappropriation

Quote :

"It can be preferred because of its ambiguity, which allows "queer"-identifying people to avoid the sometimes strict boundaries that surround other labels. In this context, "queer" is not a synonym for LGBT as it creates a space for "queer" heterosexuals as well as "non-queer" homosexuals."

9/16/2011 1:33:14 PM

got sen. wesley meredith's newsletter touting giving the people the voice for this bill.

he heard from me about this bullshit

9/16/2011 4:41:13 PM

It still fries my eggs that they wasted so much time and money on this when there are much bigger issues to deal with right now.

9/16/2011 4:59:43 PM

Quote :

"Additionally, it isn't JUST domestic violence, it is the BROAD reaching impact of dissolving ANY type of domestic partnership."

still waiting for sources to show how domestic partnerships will all be dissolved. again, I hear hysteria with no facts to back it up.

Quote :

"the bump this thing gets from the republican presidential primary is pretty fucking shady"

liberals would have bitched about the timing no matter when it was put in the polls. The NYT piece above fucking shows that.

9/16/2011 5:52:17 PM

If it had been during the general election I don't think they would have been right to bitch. But having during the primary when voter turnout is notoriously low just looked underhanded and everyone in the legislature damn well knows that. They just don't care.

9/16/2011 5:56:50 PM

^ but that's precisely when it was originally scheduled! and the liberals bitched and moaned about it! look at the top of this page!

[Edited on September 16, 2011 at 6:07 PM. Reason : ]

9/16/2011 6:07:18 PM

Yes, and no one bitched about the timing.

9/16/2011 7:00:46 PM

the piece above sure suggests otherwise. or, do you think that "To quell accusations that the ballot initiative was driven solely by politics, the date was moved to the state’s primary election in May." does not indicate some kind of bitching occurring?

[Edited on September 16, 2011 at 7:05 PM. Reason : ]

9/16/2011 7:04:48 PM

aaronburro some examples:

Quote :

"In the past, North Carolina courts have extended N.C.G.S. 50B domestic violence protections to members of same-sex couples. If the proposed amendment passes, the protections to members of these unmarried couples may be rendered unconstitutional as witnessed in Ohio following passage of an amendment less restrictive than that being considered in North Carolina. See State v. Adams, 2005 Ohio 6333 (Ohio App. 5 Dist. 2005) (holding that the domestic violence law was not unconstitutional despite the Ohio Marriage Amendment, upholding Adams’ conviction for domestic violence); State v. Ward, --- N.E.2d ----, 2006 WL 758540 (Ohio App. 2 Dist. March 24, 2006) (holding that the domestic violence law is unconstitutional as applied to unmarried domestic violence victims because of the Ohio Marriage Amendment, overturning Ward’s felony domestic violence convictio"

Quote :

"Dallas McKinley was convicted of a felony because he had hit, pushed, and thrown things at his girlfriend while he was on a drinking binge, but he got the conviction overturned because they weren’t married. See State v. McKinley, 2006 WL 1381635, at *4 (Ohio App. 3 Dist. May 22, 2006) (holding that the state’s domestic violence law is “unconstitutional as it applies to one man and one woman who cohabit and have not parented children together,” reversing McKinley’s conviction for domestic violence). See also Greg Sowinksi, 3rd District strikes down domestic violence law for unmarried couples, Lima News (OH), May 24, 2006, available at http://www.limaohio.com/story.php?IDnum=26000."

Quote :

"Donald Steineman was originally convicted of two felony counts after abusing his live-in girlfriend and three-year-old adopted son. The court ultimately upheld his conviction for abusing his son but had to overturn the conviction for abusing his girlfriend. State v. Steineman, 2006 WL 925166 (Ohio App. 2 Dist. April 7, 2006)."

Quote :

"David McIntosh had been sentenced to a year in prison after violating a protective order and beating his girlfriend. He successfully got the conviction and sentence overturned. State v. McIntosh, 2006 WL 925179 (Ohio App. 2 Dist. April 7, 2006)."

Quote :

"North Carolina Courts will not be able to make a choice as to whether to apply the anti-gay constitutional amendment to domestic violence scenarios. A constitution, whether federal or state, is supreme law. If a court thinks that there is a conflict with a law, the Constitution controls and the court will limit the reach of statutes accordingly. State v. Ward, 2006 WL 758540, at *2. See, e.g., Marbury v. Madison, 5 U.S. (1 Cranch.) 137 (1803) (“a law repugnant to the constitution is void”)."

Quote :

"At present the North Carolina General Statutes authorizes these localities to extend benefits to their employees’ domestic partners. The Amendment would strip these local governments of this authority, such as those currently offered in the City of Asheville, Town of Carrboro, Town of Chapel Hill, City of Durham, County of Orange, County of Durham, City of Greensboro, and County of Mecklenburg Maxine Eichner,et al., “Potential Legal Impact of the Proposed Same-Sex Marriage Amendment to the North Carolina Constitution,” 37, (2011)"

Samwise16 yes, you can vote via absentee ballot to my knowledge.

9/19/2011 2:44:55 PM

^Assault and battery will still be illegal, regardless of who it is against, right?

Those convictions were overturned because the person was charged under domestic violence laws. If they had been charged on another basis, wouldn't the convictions be unaffected?

Let's not frame this like beatings within a gay household will be immune from prosecution.

9/19/2011 3:04:08 PM

TULIPlovr yes these could have been charged as assault and battery, however the results of such a charge are vastly different.
The point of those examples were for STRAIGHT couples losing out because of the proposed amendment, hence why I also included the information about benefits as well.

9/20/2011 4:51:50 PM

I'm in the same boat as Sam. I'm going to be living in Florida in May 2012, but I'd like to vote against this. Since I'm too lazy to do the research, is there anyone who knows how to vote absentee in NC off the top of their head?

9/25/2011 4:43:23 PM

It appears that if you vote no to this amendment, you're against anything good and holy...

[Edited on September 25, 2011 at 7:44 PM. Reason : a]

9/25/2011 7:42:11 PM

^^This might help:

http://www.sboe.state.nc.us/content.aspx?id=16

Quote :

"Absentee Voting Absentee voting is comprised of two methods by which registered voters may cast ballots other than the traditional method of appearing in person and casting a ballot on the day of the election. These methods are absentee by mail (civilian absentee voting and military and overseas citizens absentee voting) and absentee in-person (one-stop absentee voting)."

This is probably what you're looking for:

Quote :

"Civilian Absentee Voting by Mail Any registered North Carolina voter can request an absentee ballot from his/her respective county board of elections no later than the last Tuesday before the election. To request an absentee ballot, voters or a near relative* may send a letter or note to the county board of elections with the following information: • Request Statement ("I am requesting an absentee ballot for the _______ Election.") • Name of voter • Residential address of voter • Address where ballot should be mailed (if different from residential address) • Date of birth of voter • Telephone number • Signature of voter or near relative* (indicate relationship with voter) *A near relative is a: spouse, brother, sister, parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, mother-in-law, father-in-law, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, stepparent, or stepchild. The Relative Request should also include the relative's name, address, phone number, and relationship to the voter. The signed request may be mailed, faxed, delivered in person, or scanned and emailed to your: County Board of Elections (click the link to find your county contact info). The request must be received by the county board of elections no later than 5:00 p.m. on the last Tuesday prior to the election. If the voter is qualified, the absentee balloting materials will be mailed to the voter after the receipt of a valid written request. Absentee voters must return their voted ballot to the board of elections by 5:00 p.m. on the day before the election. At any time, registered voters may check their voter registration status and/or the status of their absentee ballot request or ballot receipt online: What is the Status of My Absentee Ballot?"

One other thing married couples can do, assist on ballot requests.

Or if you find yourself in NC during any of the early voting period:

Quote :

"One-Stop Absentee Voting In the County Board of Elections Office Any registered North Carolina voter may choose to vote in person using One-Stop Absentee Voting which begins the third Thursday before the election and ends the Saturday prior to the election. North Carolina voters are able to vote by Absentee One-Stop at all county boards of elections offices during regular office hours. For more information regarding One-Stop locations, consult our website or contact your county board of elections."

But I believe less early voting has been authorized this time around so I don't know how convenient that would be.

9/25/2011 10:31:50 PM

Wow, if you've not heard some of the arguments for the amendment... just listen to this...
Gay men die 20 years earlier.

NC Senator James Forrester, Sponsor of Anti-Gay Marriage Amendment, Exposed as Ignorant Liar
http://www.towleroad.com/2011/09/forrester-1.html

He can't answer the simplest of questions "How does a gay marriage harm your marriage?"\

Great quote:

Quote :

""I’ve got a few homosexual patients and I treat them just the same as anybody else. I love them perhaps even more because I know they are going to die at least 20 years earlier and it’s something I have no control over and we need to reach out to them to try to get them to change their lifestyle and back to the normal lifestyle which we can accept.""

[Edited on September 28, 2011 at 2:42 PM. Reason : Adding Quote]

9/28/2011 2:40:55 PM

Quote :

"to get them to change their lifestyle and back to the normal lifestyle which we can accept."

9/28/2011 3:45:33 PM

That senator is a fucking joke

If you'd like to write a letter, call, or email him:

http://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/members/viewMember.pl?sChamber=S&nUserID=28

[Edited on September 28, 2011 at 3:58 PM. Reason : Hopefully this is his last term]

9/28/2011 3:55:21 PM

Yet he'll probably be re-elected until he dies...

9/28/2011 3:56:32 PM

http://www.wral.com/news/state/nccapitol/blogpost/10204092/

Quote :

"State Senator Jim Forrester (R-Gaston), lead proponent of the anti-same-sex-union amendment set to appear on NC ballots next spring, may have padded the resume he's been running on for many years. On both his campaign website and the Gaston County GOP website, Forrester claims to be a Fellow of the American College of Preventive Medicine. But Michael Barry, the executive director of the American College of Preventive Medicine, says Forrester is not and has never been a Fellow of the College. “A Fellow is kind of our highest designation of membership,” Barry explained. “We don’t know Dr. Forrester, so I can’t speak to his motives."

9/29/2011 11:40:27 PM

Lol... that is great. I had to comment on that story...

9/30/2011 12:38:03 PM

lol liked your comment.

9/30/2011 1:07:59 PM

Quote :

"self pwnt yourself."

awesome

9/30/2011 1:16:27 PM

http://www.wral.com/news/state/nccapitol/story/10206010/

Quote :

"Poll: Majority in NC oppose same-sex marriage amendment Elon, N.C. — Fifty-six percent of North Carolina residents oppose a proposed amendment to the state constitution that would ban same-sex marriages, according to a poll released Friday. The Elon University Poll, which surveyed 594 adults statewide between Sunday and Thursday, found support for recognizing gay marriages growing in North Carolina. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. Forty-four percent of respondents to a March 2009 Elon poll opposed any legal recognition of gay marriage in the state, but that stance was down to 34 percent in the latest poll. Meanwhile, a third of those polled this week back full marriage rights for same-sex couples, up from 21 percent in March 2009. Thirty-nine percent of respondents to the latest poll back the proposed amendment, which will appear on the ballot next May after lawmakers passed it this month. Two years ago, 43 percent of respondents supported an amendment. “The ballot referendum that would ban same-sex marriage will be the issue to watch this year,” Mileah Kromer, assistant director of the Elon University Poll, said in a statement. “With North Carolinians so divided on this issue, expect a tough battle over the next few months as both sides attempt to sway public opinion in their favor." The new poll also found that a majority of state residents disapprove of Gov. Beverly Perdue's job performance, including her handling of the state economy. Forty-seven percent of those polled said the state has gotten off track, compared with 38 percent who said North Carolina is headed in the right direction. Thirty-one percent fear the state economy will get worse in the coming year, while only 17 percent said they think the economy will improve. More than half of respondents said economic conditions would remain the same over the next 12 months. Perdue's handling of the economy drew a 51 percent disapproval rating, compared with 36 percent who said she is doing a good job. Likewise, 51 percent of respondents disapprove of her overall job performance, compared with 41 percent who approve. Respondents were split on the performance of the General Assembly, with 39 percent approving of the job lawmakers are doing and 41 percent disapproving. The Republican Party got higher marks in the poll, with a third of those surveyed saying the GOP is doing a better job handling North Carolina's economy, compared with 23 percent who said the Democrats are doing a better job. Twenty-seven percent said neither party is doing a good job."

it'd be damn awesome if the same results showed after the election

[Edited on September 30, 2011 at 3:13 PM. Reason : article ]

9/30/2011 3:12:07 PM

Haha. That's exactly what I yelled out this morning when I heard it on the radio. "Then get your collective asses out there and vote against this!!! "

9/30/2011 3:39:09 PM

it would be a very large national story if it happened

9/30/2011 3:43:29 PM

I'd like to think that 60-70% of people actually think this amendment is stupid. It is just the other ~30% are more vocal and into politics.

9/30/2011 4:05:58 PM

Or religious nuts like this person:

Quote :

"If you were to put to homosexual men, OR two homosexual women on a deserted island and they were given the right to live life as they choose, it would end. How so? Tell them to procreate as they were naturally made. It won't happen. They would eventually die. I guess God was right all along! Marriage = 1 man to 1 woman! Side Note: Closing your heart and denying God does not make Him go away He WILL NOT be mocked! We are living in a world that always wants PROOF! Well, if your breathing isn't enough, God will show you better than I can tell you! TO GOD BE THE GLORY, IN THE NAME OF JESUS!"

I REALLY hope religion fades away in the next few generations of Americans.

9/30/2011 4:30:45 PM

I guess that ignorant fuck thinks sterile people shouldn't marry either. Or people that don't intend to have children. Or people too old to have children.

God damn it people.

9/30/2011 5:07:02 PM

"Dome: Amendment is too broad to get Ellmers' vote"
http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/10/02/1532832/amendment-is-too-broad-to-get.html

Quote :

"U.S. Rep. Renee Ellmers says that she opposes same-sex marriages but that she intends to vote against a proposed constitutional amendment banning them that will be on the North Carolina ballot in May because it would also ban civil unions."

Quote :

"Her spokesman, Tom Doheny, confirmed that she planned to vote against the constitutional ban that was adopted by the legislature in September because it is too broadly drawn."

Wow. Even the new congresswoman who ran in North Carolina on the platform that Muslims building a church in New York too close to the world trade center is bad, is voting No on One.

10/2/2011 1:29:17 PM

Quote :

"Wow. Even the new congresswoman who ran in North Carolina on the platform that Muslims building a church in New York too close to the world trade center is bad, is voting No on One."

What does one thing have to do with the other? I think she is probably in line with the majority of Americans that don't think a large Mosque should be built so close to WTC, and who don't oppose Civil Unions.

and I think they are building a mosque...

10/2/2011 7:54:52 PM

^ I like to think that the majority of Americans don't give a flying fuck about what gets built in lower Manhattan. I venture to guess anyone opposed to the Muslim Cultural Center they're building hasn't bothered to actually go inside it. It's been open to the public for awhile now.

And good on Ellmers. I still think she's loony but I'm glad she recognizes this amendment is ridiculously broad.

10/3/2011 8:30:04 AM

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/07/bev-perdue-north-carolina-gay-marriage-_n_1000638.html?ir=Gay%20Voices

North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue, a Democrat, signaled on Friday that she'll oppose passage of a proposed constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.

Quote :

"My top priority is creating jobs," said Perdue in a statement. "Too many people are out of work and I’ve heard from several business leaders who’ve told me that the proposed constitutional amendment will harm our state’s business climate and make it harder to grow jobs here."

I really hope she keeps a backbone about this.

10/10/2011 11:11:55 AM

The NCSU GLBT Community Alliance had their I <3 Diversity t-shirt give away today for National Coming Out Day. They've got stuff going on all week it looks like including a forum on this amendment tomorrow. They even painted the tunnel:

10/11/2011 8:13:26 PM

I support gay marriage.. I mean.. Why shouldn't the gays be just as miserable as the rest of us.

10/11/2011 8:18:45 PM

^Exactly!

10/11/2011 8:29:37 PM

I have yet to be presented with a sound argument against gay marriage. They nearly all are just smokescreens for pushing religious dogma. Quit trying to understand why.

10/12/2011 1:23:05 AM

legalized hate? come on. GTFO with that bullshit. you really push people away with such hyperbole and hysterical statements. it's not "legalized hate." if the amendment said "we'll round up all the homos and kill them," then it would be.

10/12/2011 10:48:59 PM

who is the you you're referring to?

and honestly, do you really believe someone is going to walk by that part of the tunnel that the ncsu glbt student group painted, see their list of events, their hand tree, and their message against the amendment and think, before this i was probably going vote against this amendment, but now i'm totally vote for to amend the constitution.

i think you're getting too caught up in the purism of message board arguments, and forgetting that in practice no one is going to walk by the tunnel, and think that's soooo hysterical that i'm going to cast a punishment vote.

[Edited on October 13, 2011 at 12:26 AM. Reason : .]

10/13/2011 12:18:16 AM

http://www.technicianonline.com/news/forum-held-to-educate-students-on-glbt-marriage-ban-1.2651605?pagereq=2#.TppQ9t5V2rs

Quote :

"A common misconception Eichner said people have is that the amendment would only ban same-sex marriage. However, Eichner said many more rights would be limited or completely eliminated should the amendment pass, including rights to family hospital visitation, to make medical decisions for an incapacitated partner, to make funeral and burial arrangements, to inherit from one another and to be named guardian or conservator if one partner becomes incapacitated. Eichner also said the list of rights infringement goes on—and she acknowledged that her list likely doesn't include all of the effects, especially those that would affect N.C. State students on campus—to include the denial of domestic violence protection for unmarried couples as well as the denial of the current child custody rights for domestic partners."

10/16/2011 11:12:00 AM

Bump!

10/25/2011 11:09:37 AM