Quote: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.

"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.

So people get married just to have children?
WTF is that?

Very sad that it can't just be the same around for everybody. Why can't people just let whoever get married NO MATTER their sexual orientation?

It is disheartening to see people denied legal rights because of their sexual preference.

encephaloid  Wrote:

"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.

So people get married just to have children?
WTF is that?

No, you don't get married to just have children. But, unfortunately the rhetoric to nullify this amendment was just too over the top unfortunately. It pushed to hard for ....hmmmm...."acceptance"(???) that homosexuality is "normal". A better way to have approached it would have been simply as the statement bolded above.

It is disheartening to see people denied legal rights because of their sexual preference.

This thread is going to get ugly....

We will see the ugly side of some...

Smilin Eyes  Wrote:

encephaloid  Wrote:

"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.

So people get married just to have children?
WTF is that?

No, you don't get married to just have children. But, unfortunately the rhetoric to nullify this amendment was just too over the top unfortunately. It pushed to hard for ....hmmmm...."acceptance"(???) that homosexuality is "normal". A better way to have approached it would have been simply as the statement bolded above.

It is disheartening to see people denied legal rights because of their sexual preference.

We are in a backwards state of affairs. We vote to restrict the constitutional rights of others in issues and not to promote the constitutional rights of the whole. Polarization and division.