North Carolina's Amendment One-- Among The Democrats We have Friends... And We Have Unfriendlies

Patsy & Cecil have long records supporting equality for all North Carolinians

North Carolina has already banned same sex marriage. But hate-mongering Republicans are behind another effort, Amendment One, to add that to the state constitution. Although what they really want to do is just turn out bigoted voters in November in the hope that they're come to vote against equality and stay around to vote for Republicans. Blue America has endorsed two congressional candidates running in North Carolina, Patsy Keever and Cecil Bothwell. Patsy's opponent is notorious anti-gay closet case Patrick McHenry and Cecil, who was challenging homophobic Blue Dog Heath Shuler-- who has since slinked off in the direction of K Street-- doesn't know which sociopath auditioning for the seat will be his GOP opponent in November. Some conservative Shuler staffer is in the race as well. Yesterday Cecil, whose entire career has been built as a defender of civil liberties for all, issued a statement explicitly urging North Carolina voters to oppose Amendment One.

"Republicans in the North Carolina General Assembly have decided to put one of their favorite wedge issues on the state primary ballot, May 8. The proposed amendment to our state constitution is wrong on multiple levels. It denies equal rights under the law, a mainstay of America's democracy since the beginning. It is so poorly worded that it is likely to cause real harm to women, to unmarried couples with children, to seniors living together, in addition to its stated goal of preventing same sex marriage. 

"Such an amendment will very likely impede our state's business recruitment, since forward-looking companies across the country are changing with the times and need to be able to recruit the best and brightest employees regardless of gender or sexual orientation. It will undo the efforts we have made in Asheville and other cities across the state to provide health care benefits to all of our employees. And it would add to our state constitution a provision that is almost certain to be overturned in the U.S. Supreme Court, as other lawsuits already underway work up through our federal court system. It would therefore demand expensive litigation at a time when our financial troubles are forcing cuts in schools, environmental protection, public safety and more.

"Let's not permit the GOP to divert our attention from the real issues facing our community, our state and our nation. We need a jobs program that puts people to work now, meaningful support for education, and legislation that protects Medicare and Social Security. I urge my fellow citizens to step up, get out the vote, and turn back the tide of divisiveness and fear mongering unleashed by the GOP. It is time to stand up for freedom and love."

Patsy, the more recent candidate endorsed by Blue America, is one of the most stalwart progressives in the state legislature. Before she can take on McHenry in November, she has to beta a conservative anti-gay Democrat, Terry Bellamy. Bellamy has opposed even domestic partnership arrangements on the Asheville City Council and when the Council did pass a domestic-partnership registry 5-1, she was the "one." A horrible, bigot throwback who certainly shouldn't be running for federal office as a Democrat. Patsy, on the other hand, despite having to face a fairly conservative electorate in November, is sticking by her guns. A few hours ago she told DWT that she's continuing her consistent opposition to Amendment One.

“As a person of faith, there is no way I could support Amendment One. No matter what your stance is on same sex marriage, one must acknowledge that it is poorly written, and, if passed, would have harmful and unintended consequences. It would strip legal protections from children and harm unmarried couples and seniors.”

Relatively conservative Democrats from U.S. Senator Kay Hagan and Governor Bev Perdue to Congressman Bob Etheridge have come out against it as well. If you care about marriage equality, Patsy and Cecil both have primaries against anti-gay conservative "Dems" coming right up. Please consider helping these two outstanding candidates.