For all my NC peeps who believe in equality, read this:
If you live in North Carolina, or know someone who does, and you believe in equality for all US citizens, then you should know about what’s going on.
On Septemeber 13, 2011, the NC Legistlature passed an amendment to the Constitution reading:
“Marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this state.”
This amendment would:
- prohibit North Carolina from ever passing legislation that would grant civil unions;
- bar the state from instituting domestic partnership rights;
- strip the domestic partner insurance benefits currently offered to employees by a number of local governments, including Chapel Hill, Durham, Greensboro, and Mecklenburg and Orange Counties.
- invalidate domestic violence protections for all unmarried partners;
- undercut existing child custody and visitation rights that are designed to protect the best interests of children;
- prevent the state from giving committed couples rights to allow them to order their relationships, including threatening their ability to determine the disposition of their deceased partner’s remains; to make medical decisions if their partner is incapacitated; and to allow second-parent adoptions in order to ensure that both partners have a legal tie to, and financial responsibilities for, the children they are raising.
- invalidate trusts, wills, and end-of-life directives by one partner in favor of the other.
For the amendment to become part of the NC Constitution, NC citizens have to vote to approve it, and the Republican majority decided to have the vote on May 8 — the NC Presidential primary. Why? Because Republicans will already be going to the polls to vote for the Republican nominee for President (and thus will presumably vote for the amendment), while Democrats (who would mostly likely vote against) will have little incentive to go to the polls since President Obama is essentially already the Democrats’ nominee.
The Vote Against Project is working tirelessly to raise awareness across North Carolina about the amendment and “create a portrait of North Carolina unity — connected by a common bond to defeat discrimination.”
Participants are photographed in shirts that boldly read “Vote Against,” providing North Carolina voters a creative outlet for sharing their opposition to the amendment. All images are posted on the website and participants are encouraged to share their image with everyone they know.
The response and excitement around the Vote Against Project has been amazing, and their hard work has already been recognized by The Advocate, GLADD, and Queerty, among others!
Please follow follow Vote Against on Tumblr, spread the word about the amendment, and VOTE AGAINST on May 8th!
