NC Marriage Amendment

[mori]

Today, citizens from North Carolina are voting on an amendment to add the following language to their state constitution:

Sec. 6. Marriage.
Marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this State. This section does not prohibit a private party from entering into contracts with another private party; nor does this section prohibit courts from adjudicating the rights of private parties pursuant to such contracts.

This amendment is admittedly aimed at stopping gay marriage in NC, but it also does prevent any sort of domestic partnerships among gay or straight couples, etc. At the same time, it prevents recognition of any marriages or civil unions that might have been performed elsewhere. I should note that gay marriage is already illegal in NC.

Christians have been very vocal in their support of the amendment; e.g. more than 3,000 formed a rally in Raleigh to show their support and raise money for the measure. Two Roman Catholic bishops have come out in support of this. While other faith groups have been involved, this measure is supported and funded primarily by Christian groups.

A minority are against the measure and would prefer an amendment with the possibility of domestic partnerships, but it appears as though it will pass in its current form. In a poll taken between April 27th-29th, 55% were in favor of the measure, 41% against. Others estimate the measure will pass with a 16% margin.

 

[jonathanbchristian]

I hope it passes. I like the part that says marriages elsewhere are also illegal.

 

[FrankensteinGirls]

How unfortunate. I have faith that equality will one day happen.

 

[athwart]

I think we have to admit to ourselves that the nation is on the cusp of declining to engage in the notion of sin

 

[mori]

It seems appropriate to post a Psalm:

Do you rulers indeed speak justly?
Do you judge people with equity?

No, in your heart you devise injustice,
and your hands mete out violence on the earth.

Even from birth the wicked go astray;
from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies.

Their venom is like the venom of a snake,
like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears,
that will not heed the tune of the charmer,
however skillful the enchanter may be.

Break the teeth in their mouths, O God;
Lord, tear out the fangs of those lions!

Let them vanish like water that flows away;
when they draw the bow, let their arrows fall short.

May they be like a slug that melts away as it moves along,
like a stillborn child that never sees the sun.

Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns —
whether they be green or dry—the wicked will be swept away.

The righteous will be glad when they are avenged,
when they dip their feet in the blood of the wicked.

Then people will say,
“Surely the righteous still are rewarded;
surely there is a God who judges the earth.”

When God asks why they spent more than a million dollars on this when it was already illegal, their answers will surely be interesting.

 

[SkinnyGuy]

If this passes it's going to be a sad day for the United States.

 

[djness]

If this passes it's going to be a sad day for the United States.

it passsssssed

 

[SkinnyGuy]

it passsssssed

And North Carolina went one step back in the process of equality.

 

[oldman]

And North Carolina went one step back in the process of equality.

One step backward from apostasy - one step closer to repentance.

 

[SkinnyGuy]

One step backward from apostasy - one step closer to repentance.

And one giant leap in the wrong direction for a country that is suppose to be built on freedom and justice for all, not freedom and justice for the people who agree with what you believe in.

 

[suriturbo]

One step backward from apostasy - one step closer to repentance.

Amen to that.Satan has deceived so many people.There are actually people on this thread,disappointed that it passed.God,calls homosexuality an Abomination.Which if any one were to look up the defention they will find this,Abomination-To detest thoroughly;abhor.Here is the defenition to detest-To dislike intensely.And if any1 would like,go ahead and look up the defention for abhor.The bottom line is God dislike intensely the homosexual behavior/lifestyle.He doesn't hate the person.But he sure does hate the sin.So no matter what anyone saids,to get people to think homosexuality is good and something to be proud of.It won't change the very real truth,that the only one who matters,which is God.Calls homosexuality an Abomination.God's word is final.God won't ever change his view of homosexuality being an Abomination.But the homosexual can change,repent.Turn away from your sinful life.

 

[jimmydiggs]

And one giant leap in the wrong direction for a country that is suppose to be built on freedom and justice for all, not freedom and justice for the people who agree with what you believe in.

I think you are presupposing definitions of freedom and justice. Please demonstrate that these definitions are 1) correct for the legal usage in America, and 2) The objectively moral thing to do

 

[SkinnyGuy]

I think you are presupposing definitions of freedom and justice. Please demonstrate that these definitions are 1) correct for the legal usage in America, and 2) The objectively moral thing to do

Are trying to insinuate freedom and justice aren't moral qualities in America?

 

[SantoSubito]

If this passes it's going to be a sad day for the United States.

It's hardly the first time a state has placed a ban on gay marriage. Here in Oklahoma it's part of the state constitution, which also bans polygamy. Which means if gay rights groups ever wanted to change it here they'd have to get 75% of Oklahomans on board to change it.

And that will never happen since this is Oklahoma.

 

[SantoSubito]

And one giant leap in the wrong direction for a country that is suppose to be built on freedom and justice for all, not freedom and justice for the people who agree with what you believe in.

Then I would put to you the classic polygamy argument. If we are supposed to let people do whatever they want, in regards to marriage, how then is it justifiable to approve gay marriage but ban polygamy?

 

[FrankensteinGirls]

I find it sadly funny that you can marry your first cousin in more states than you can marry the same sex.

 

[rainacorn]

Marriage was already defined as being between one man and one woman in North Carolina.

This really only affects common law marriages, I think.

 

[mori]

Marriage was already defined as being between one man and one woman in North Carolina.

This really only affects common law marriages, I think.

The real point of it was to prevent any sort of domestic partnership or civil union, so that gay couples can now never receive any legal protections as such. This means no visitation or default inheritance rights, no shared insurance, they can be compelled in court to testify against each other, etc.

Common law marriages are still legal as long as a man and woman have cohabited for a while. The amendment doesn't in any way change how the man and woman are married, so cohabitation is still sufficient.

 

[rainacorn]

The real point of it was to prevent any sort of domestic partnership or civil union, so that gay couples can now never receive any legal protections as such. This means no visitation or default inheritance rights, no shared insurance, they can be compelled in court to testify against each other, etc.

Common law marriages are still legal as long as a man and woman have cohabited for a while. The amendment doesn't in any way change how the man and woman are married, so cohabitation is still sufficient.

In the bit you quoted in the OP, it said heterosexual marriage is the only is the only domestic legal union that is valid.

While that doesn't change absolutely anything regarding gay marriage (it was already illegal in NC), it seemed to me that the phrasing was requiring a formalization of more casual relationships if they are to be seen as valid by the state. If that's not the case then this is beyond pointless.

Which it probably is.

 

[AnandaHya]

I just wish people on both sides get their facts straight.

North Carolina General Assembly - NC Constitution

North Carolina General Assembly - Senate Bill 514 Information/History (2011-2012 Session)

http://www.ncleg.net/Applications/B...nt.aspx?SessionCode=2011&DocNum=1478&SeqNum=0

personally I believe the point is not the defense of marriage but the distraction tactic and waste of time, money and resources having people debate it and using the dissatifaction of the fact that Obama supports Gay marriage to overshadow the fact that the Republican candidate is a Mormon.