So as I opened the news today and read this I realized that although most of us like to move forward in life and evolve for the betterment of humankind, a bunch of us are just plain f*cking backwards.
I wish I weren’t writing about this because it truly does make me angry! Ironic how a few months ago a certain population of the U.S. was granted legal marital status, and now another population in the same f*cking country (!!!) is faced with an upcoming ballot of an amendment officially stating that the only domestic legal union to be recognized would be that of a marriage between a man and a woman.
The outcome of the referendum (to be held May 8th 2012), will determine whether or not the bill will become part of the North Carolina state constitution.
“Opponents in the House who spoke — nearly all of them Democrats (…) said it was an awful idea that would send the state backward and likened the question to instituting Jim Crow restrictions that prevented interracial marriage.” Rep. Deborah Ross, D-Wake, said approving this proposal would run counter to changing attitudes about same-sex relationships.
“We’ve put discrimination in our constitution before and if you vote for this amendment … you will be doing it against the tide of history and against future generations,” Ross said.
The house approved the measure on Monday, and won’t budge. The motion was passed without public discussion, which just pissed a lot of people off.
“This is no way to conduct constitutional business for the state of North Carolina,” House Minority Leader Joe Hackney, D-Orange. “It ought not to be done this way. There ought to be a fair hearing.”
Damn straight (ha!), that’s just cheating. How can this even be allowed?
Other not so happy folks included Alex Miller, a member of a gay rights group, Equality North Carolina:
“I was disappointed that so many legislators regardless of party chose to discriminate (against people) who pose no threat other than wanting to live their lives with honesty, openness and with dignity”.
Sadly it seems that the future is looking rather grim what with the majority being supporters of said amendment. In fact they even rallied up on Monday and “urged lawmakers to let the people vote on the gay marriage question after several years in which Democrats in charge of the Legislature blocked votes”.
“We’re excited that the people of North Carolina are one step closer to having to vote on this,” Tami Fitzgerald, executive director of the North Carolina Values Coalition, said after the vote.
In the headlines:
AP, Angolan beauty is crowned Miss Universe 2011, Emirates247.com (Tuesday September 13th, 2011)
Josef Kuhn, Walter C. Righter dies; Episcopal bishop played role in gay rights in church, Washingtonpost.com, (Monday September 12th, 2011)
Winston Gieseke, Missing South African Lesbian Found in Trash Bin, Advocate.com, (Monday September 12th 2011)
Dale Smith, Queering the liberal party , Xtra.ca, (Monday September 12th 2011)
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