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发帖数: 4174 | 1 RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina voters approved a constitutional amendment
on Tuesday defining marriage solely as a union between a man and a woman,
making it the 30th state to adopt such a ban.
With 35 percent of precincts reporting Tuesday, unofficial returns showed
the amendment passing with about 58 percent of the vote to 42 percent
against.
In the final days before the vote, members of President Barack Obama's
cabinet expressed support for gay marriage and former President Bill Clinton
recorded phone messages urging voters to reject the amendment. Opponents
also held marches, ran TV ads and gave speeches, including one by Jay Bakker
, son of televangelists Jim Bakker and the late Tammy Faye Bakker.
Meanwhile, supporters had run their own ad campaigns and church leaders
urged Sunday congregations to vote for the amendment. The Rev. Billy Graham,
who at 93 remains influential even though his last crusade was in 2005, was
featured in full-page newspaper ads supporting the amendment.
Both sides spent a combined $3 million on their campaigns.
North Carolina law already bans gay marriage, like nine other states, but an
amendment would effectively slam the door shut on same-sex marriages. The
amendment also goes beyond state law by voiding other types of domestic
unions from carrying legal status, which opponents warn could disrupt
protection orders for unmarried couples.
Six states - all in the Northeast except Iowa - and the District of Columbia
allow same sex marriages.
The North Carolina amendment was placed on the ballot after Republicans took
over control of the state Legislature after the 2010 elections, a role the
GOP hadn't enjoyed for 140 years.
Joe Easterling, who described himself as a devout Christian, voted for the
amendment at a polling place in Wake Forest.
"I know that some people may argue that the Bible may not necessarily be
applicable, or it should not be applicable, on such policy matters. But even
looking at nature itself, procreation is impossible without a man and a
woman. And because of those things, I think it is important that the state
of North Carolina's laws are compatible with the laws of nature but, more
importantly, with the laws of God."
Linda Toanone, who voted against the amendment, said people are born gay and
it is not their choice.
"We think everybody should have the same rights as everyone else. If you're
gay, lesbian, straight – whatever," she said.
North Carolina is the latest presidential swing state to weigh in on gay
marriage. Florida, Virginia and Ohio all have constitutional amendments
against gay marriage, and Obama's election-year vagueness on gay marriage
has come under fresh scrutiny.
Obama, who supports most gay rights, has stopped short of backing gay
marriage. Without clarification, he's said for the past year and a half that
his personal views on the matter are "evolving."
Education Secretary Arne Duncan broke ranks with the White House on Monday,
stating his unequivocal support for same-sex marriage one day after Vice
President Joe Biden said he is "absolutely comfortable" with same-sex
married couples getting the same rights at heterosexual married couples.
One fault line that could determine the result is generational. Older voters
, who tend to be more reliable voters, are expected to back the amendment.
State House Speaker Thom Tillis, a Republican from a Charlotte suburb, said
even if the amendment is passed, it will be reversed as today's young adults
age.
"It's a generational issue," Tillis told a student group at North Carolina
State University in March about the amendment he supports. "If it passes, I
think it will be repealed within 20 years."
The amendment also goes beyond state law by voiding other types of domestic
unions from carrying legal status, which opponents warn could disrupt
protection orders for unmarried couples.
"Also, that amendment is against women, I believe, because also underneath
the amendment, other laws are saying that people who aren't married at all,
they can't file for domestic abuse cases, if they're living with their
significant other. Which is wrong," Toanone said.
In North Carolina, more than 500,000 voters had cast their ballot before
Tuesday, which was more than the 2008 primary when Obama and Hillary Clinton
were fighting for the Democratic presidential nomination. Both sides said
that bodes well for them. | f**b
发帖数: 15 | | k*****e
发帖数: 22013 | 3 螳臂当车而已
Clinton
Bakker
【在 g********d 的大作中提到】
: RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina voters approved a constitutional amendment
: on Tuesday defining marriage solely as a union between a man and a woman,
: making it the 30th state to adopt such a ban.
: With 35 percent of precincts reporting Tuesday, unofficial returns showed
: the amendment passing with about 58 percent of the vote to 42 percent
: against.
: In the final days before the vote, members of President Barack Obama's
: cabinet expressed support for gay marriage and former President Bill Clinton
: recorded phone messages urging voters to reject the amendment. Opponents
: also held marches, ran TV ads and gave speeches, including one by Jay Bakker
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