RALEIGH, N.C. – The North Carolina House of Representatives passed today, 75-42, a proposed anti-LGBT state constitutional amendment that would ban marriage, civil unions, domestic partnerships and other relationship recognition for same-sex couples.
The House took up the amendment after its rushed passage through the chamber’s Rules Committee earlier this afternoon. It came as another surprise move by Republican legislative leaders, who had previously announced, though sneakily, that the amendment would be heard today in a Senate committee. Sources say two GOP senators had excused absences, leaving the body without the votes for passage.
The newest version of the amendment, SB 514, moves the ballot date from November 2012 to the primary election in May 2012. Speaker of the House Thom Tillis (R-Mecklenburg) said the date change was a way to “remove politics” from the issue.
“What we’re trying to do is respect the concerns of some who felt like this was purely politically-motivated,” Tillis said at the press conference. “I decided, consulting with a number of people, and we decided that this was the most acceptable form. It was a discussion that involved both chambers. There are some members who were inclined to support the bill and did feel like political considerations were an issue that might cause them not to vote for something they would otherwise support.”
GOP leaders had come under fire for placing the amendment on the ballot during next year’s presidential elections. Critics said they were merely attempting to increase conservative voter turnout.
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Fucking rednecks. Get with the times already!
I am so ashamed of my state. What a sad day for the people of NC. :(
>.<
makes be hate being a north carolinian
Makes me wonder if I should just move. Sheesh.
:{ booooo!
I hate the effing South…always determined to be 20 years behind the rest of the country. This sucks.
What…the…fuck…. I can’t even believe this….. We have come so far and yet still the government promotes such biggotry and BS. I feel like we’re in the 60′s….way to go Republicans…way to go…..
guess a large chunk of the population is basically non-existant in the eyes of the politicians of N.C.-hope like hell everyone who can raises holy hell til the pol. hear them>no time for shyness or acting demure,GET LOUD! YOU EXIST & DESERVE EQUAL RIGHTS!
Sad that people still haven’t grown up..
It makes me want to do evil things, but my goodness must over come even though this makes me so full of hate towards those who have the most hate of all!
nothing gets me more upset than seeing people hate others…especially for no reason whatsoever. shame on you, NC.
Homophobes = faggots. Why must they attempt to ban our right to love and live?
Heart breaking
NC was always a bit backwards anyway…LOL
Time to stop being polite about this bigotry. FUCK YOU homophobes, your just as bad as the fucking racists.
Dislike.
The Bill still has a chance to die.
that’s what i am saying… i’m too tired and too old to keep being “NICE” we are eventually gonna have to get ugly and take it to the streets.
Let’s hope it does.
Try all they want. Not gonna last….
Y’know what pisses me off the most? The fact they were doing it behind the public’s back..
75 bigoted jerks presume to speak for about 6 million potential North Carolina voters? You don’t have a lot of time, but 8 months is still 8 months. As Stacey Alexander said so well above: “hope like hell everyone who can raises holy hell til the pol. hear them>no time for shyness or acting demure,GET LOUD!”
stop paying state taxes.
here we go…………
Great. All these years I had been thinking there was no way North Carolina could get shittier.
I was wrong.
Thank god I registered to vote last week.
It’s not even about being “behind” – it’s about doing what’s right!
Brian: ain’t gonna happen. Too many have been brainwashed. They grow up in padded houses, play games where “everybody wins!”, and are taken to the emergency room for a sniffle. Look at the music they grow up with now, there’s no anger, no fight, no soul.
“I’m a rebel, errr… but I don’t do drugs, I drink only in moderation, and I watch my carbs… oh, yeah, errr.”
If such laws bother people so much, MOVE OUT OF THE DAMNED STATE. And take your TAXES with you. When anti states start seeing pro states getting increased tax revenue, thing may start to change. For all their moral outrage, every politician is weakest in the pocket. [Note: if you are too poor to move, you are too poor to have an effect on the state's income. Not a judgement, just an explanation.]
This is so sad…I was hoping for more from my home state!
…big old D*I*S*L*I*K*E!!! for this…
Bigotry is alive and well in the bible belt! They are just upset because these southern politician refuse to come out of the closet! I bet at least 15% of them are LGBTQ or have at least experimented with it!
Aaaannndddd THIS is why I hate living in this state. :(
That legislation makes me very sad. <3 maria <3
We are just going to have to get out & vote! Also we need to remind our straight friends that IF they vote this in then they are agreeing that WE are only second class citizens
Fortunately, these idiots from another time will die out with their bigotry. Change is unevitable. Twenty to thirty years from now, when today’s youth will be in charge, progress will finally reach the bible belt. I’ll be an old man by then.
Cowards!
Two words to sum up their government: Douchebag fucktards.
This makes me ashamed for my home state of NC.
I agree Robin
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