north carolina

Shameful

/ Toastie

I’ll just record some thought for posterity.

North Carolina IS the backwards, ignorant cess pool of stupidity that people from more civilized places have always said it is.

I’ve never been ashamed to live in this state. I am tonight.

Most of the people who voted for the amendment have no idea what they’ve just done. And that’s not my fault or your fault for not educating them. At some point, we have to have some faith in each other. At least, I would like to think that. But that’s incredibly ignorant and stupid, isn’t it?

I truly admire activists who never give up the fight for progressive change. I cannot be such an activist. That requires a speck of optimism in humanity.

Am I being a bit harsh?

Nope, this is what I want to say for posterity, which is no less harsh than what the majority of voters of North Carolina just did today. They will be far more embarrassed in the years to come than I will be by anything I write tonight.

And this doesn’t even directly impact me. I can’t imagine what it feels like to have your fellow citizens decide that you do not have the right to the family you want.

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Why You Should Vote AGAINST Amendment One

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I should have done this during early voting. But if you haven’t voted yet, and you either don’t plan to vote today or don’t know why you should be voting AGAINST Amendment One, here’s why:

  • The rights of ALL UNMARRIED COUPLES will be restricted
  • Discrimination will be embedded in the state constitution, reminiscent of the 1875 amendment that passed to ban interracial marriage
  • Health insurance access to unmarried couples and their children will be restricted
  • Domestic violence protections for unmarried couples for will jeopardized
  • No civil unions will not be a possibility; again, domestic partnerships other than heterosexual marriages will have zero recognition under state law
  • The state’s economy will suffer; businesses that value diversity and equal rights for employees will not relocate to N.C.
AND
I have friends who have been happily partnered for many years. They long to be parents. They are in the process of adopting. North Carolina will allow them to adopt, and they’ll be terrific parents. However, if the amendment passed, only one of them will have the right to legally be the child’s parent. This is ridiculous, it’s terrible for children, and it will be the law, unless a majority of voters vote against the amendment tomorrow.
I’ve said my peace. May my state do the right thing tomorrow.

Vote AGAINST N.C. Amendment 1

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Amendment One is not merely “the gay marriage amendment”. But the impetus for the amendment, its sponsors will tell you, is the word of God, and God’s condemnation of homosexuality.

I don’t study the Bible. Fortunately, President Bartlet does.

For the four people reading this who aren’t voting AGAINST N.C. Amendment 1

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That’s just an arbitrary number. It may be somewhere between zero and five. And you may not necessarily be planning to vote for Amendment 1. You may just not be planning to vote. (And I’m just referring to those reading this who live in North Carolina.) This post may not change your mind. I’ll post something else later that might. But I saw this and thought this guy Zach Wahls is a great spokesperson for why The Amendment is bad. It is NOT “the marriage amendment”, by the way. Remember, same-sex marriage is already illegal in North Carolina. The Amendment will potentially deny all unmarried couples rights that they may currently enjoy. Well, more on that in another post. Just watch this.

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c
Zach Wahls
www.thedailyshow.com
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N.C. Senate Primary

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Someone help me out. June 22 is an important date in North Carolina politics for registered Democrats We have to choose a candidate in a primary runoff between Cal Cunningham and Elaine Marshall. I voted for the third-place finisher Ken Lewis.

Ken Lewis has endorsed Elaine Marshall.


In 2008, I voted for Jim Neal over the eventual-winner Kay Hagan.

Jim Neal has endorsed Cal Cunningham.

I haven’t followed the race too closely. I haven’t gotten beyond the platitudes and the generic warnings.

Who can be the best Senator?

Who’s got the best chance of beating Richard Burr in November?

UPDATE – A Facebook friend with media ties sent me these useful links:
Marshall: http://wunc.org/programs/news/Isaac-Hunters-Tavern/blogaudio/SEN_MARSHALL.mp3/view
Cunningham: http://wunc.org/programs/news/Isaac-Hunters-Tavern/blogaudio/SEN_CUNNINGHAM.mp3/view

Why I Like Where I Live #12: Employment

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I stumbled upon Google’s Public Data area. Pretty neat stuff.

And it’s really neat to see how Durham County compares to the rest of the state in unemployment data, particularly during this recession.

And it’s extra-neat to see how Durham County, after lagging behind Wake in employment figures for most of the past two decades, has been faring just a little bit better during the recession.

I think this graph is a nice illustration of how Durham has been great place to live, particularly in the past decade.

(However, mouseover to Wake County in December 1999…1.3% unemployment…holy crap.)

N.C. Stupid

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I can’t find a link, but I heard on WUNC that Public Policy Polling, the nonpartisan Raleigh, N.C.-based polling firm, found that roughly half of North Carolina residents either don’t think or don’t know if President Obama was born in the United States.

I’m not sure if anything since the tenure of Senator Jesse Helms has made me more embarrassed to be a resident of the Tarheel State.

I can’t stand this much stupid.