Amendment One

Down here in lil ol' NC, there's an amendment being voted on today. While it is masked as an amendment concerning gay marriage, its wording has far more repercussions than that. It threatens the well being of all families in this state, no matter what color, sexual preference, or religion they may be.

After trying to calmly stand against this amendment and its harmful implications, I finally released my inner-lioness on a bunch of strangers when they started using shaky evidence to "support" their discrimination. Despite the fact it felt really good to take them down a peg, I know there is no reasoning with unreasonables, and I should maintain my intellect (and my temper) when trying to sway someone from being an asshole.

The point is, I'll be walking out my door in a few hours to go to the church where I'll vote AGAINST this amendment. I will vote against it to protect strangers across this state, to stand up to bigotry, and to protect my own relationship, as well as my sister's.

I'm in a hetero relationship. My sister is in this thing people have dubbed as a "homosexual" relationship, though I can tell you there are many more terms she and others like her would rather you use. I'm slightly luckier, but not by much, because there isn't already a law in the state constitution that could one day ban me from marrying. Yes, you read that right. There's ALREADY a law in place that makes gay marriage illegal here. It's in the NC state constitution. So why the extra discrimination? What's up with the double-up on prejudice? Your guess is honestly as good as mine.

See, the reason I'm only slightly luckier is because if this law passes, my relationship will be be just as invalid as hers under the eyes of the law. If my live-in boyfriend gets injured in our garage while working on his bike, I can't ride in the ambulance and give the EMS his medical history because we're not married. It doesn't matter that we love each other deeply. It doesn't matter that I could maybe save his life with the information I have. None of it matters if this amendment becomes law because our relationship will be, frankly, imaginary to them. Comparing our extremely real relationship to the likes of mythical creatures like unicorns because we don't have a sheet of paper validating our relationship doesn't sit well with me.

From what I've read, seen, and listened to, the people who are for this amendment have based their opinion heavily in one religion. Not only does this go against our country's entire foundation of freedom of religion, but it vastly oversteps the idea of church and state ABSOLUTELY being separate. The small group of people in this particular sect of religion are not even backed up by the majority of their brethren because most people, despite religion, call discrimination when they see it. If you're unable to realize that kind of thing, let me tell you: Amendment One is an overreaching law that is 100% discrimination. It's 2012, not 1912.

I understand how scary it is to embrace change, but some of the best things in life come from it. Most of the people who think this amendment is a good idea are so uncomfortable with the unfamiliar that they are willing to risk the lives of thousands of innocent citizens to stay protected in their "safe" little bubble. That's not right. They are not only hurting the rest of us, but severely damaging themselves. I feel sorry for them because they will never find true happiness by staying the same and hurting others. Love and compassion are where it's at.

Even if this amendment threatened only gay marriage, – it doesn't, (see the list below for other parties who will be impacted) – who is anyone to say that someone can't love who they love? Who is one person to say that another person's relationship is less valid, less "right?" One woman I came into contact with said she "believed in her own marriage, but didn't understand why 'they' needed to get married? Did the paper mean that much?" I told her to rip up her own marriage license if it didn't mean anything. It's not right for this woman to believe SHE can get married, but anyone who does things she doesn't understand or is afraid of, can't.

I'm voting against Amendment One today to protect the people who could lose everything with this amendment's passing. I am voting against to protect my own relationship. I am voting against to protect the rights of my fellows citizens, not take them away. I am voting against to give my sister a chance of one day being able to marry who she loves, because good god, why not?

We have given women the rights they deserve. We have given other cultures and races the rights they deserve. We should not hesitate to give NC children, women, elderly, and citizens of all sexual persuasions the same rights and protections. We need to move forward, not back. We need to love, not hate. We need to ensure equality for the future.


I have lost friends over this and am not afraid to lose more. Standing up for what is right is more important.