Let's Save Marriage

Many proponents of Amendment One on Tuesday’s ballot see it as a way to support traditional marriage.  I’m wondering why all their efforts are focusing on how to prevent certain marriages (same sex, which are already against the law, btw), how to invalidate other stable, long-term relationships (non-married heterosexual couples), and how to undermine the structure and support of children of any of the couples listed above.

Prevent, invalidate, undermine.  These are all words designed to exclude or weaken.  Why not find ways to support marriage in a positive way?  Why not make divorce illegal?  If that seems a bit extreme, how about the legislature using some of the money taken from schools this year (and that being used to pay to put this amendment on the ballot) to pay for marriage counseling sessions?  Or pay for more job counseling and transitional housing for domestic violence victims?  

Let’s be a state that builds instead of destroys.  Let’s vote Tuesday to not write discrimination and narrow definitions into our constitution.  Let’s not concern ourselves with the private lives of our fellow citizens; instead let’s look to all North Carolinians to contribute to a healthy economy where children get a great education, where a history of discrimination is one we’ve learned from. 

As Americans, we all know what it’s like to be hated by some for who we are.  Why would we turn that inward on our fellow countrymen?  The savviest way to spend your vote this Tuesday is to vote no on Amendment One.  

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Everything Changes Next Week...Unless We Stop Amendment One

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Closing Arguments Against Amendment One

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Defeating Discrimination

I spent part of last evening in a room overflowing with good will.  It was in a Chapel Hill home and the wine was flowing, the food and conversation excellent but what made it truly grand for me was the aforementioned good will. Why is the conviviality so notable?  One would think amid the wine […]

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