Time to either support these dudes . . . or plan to remove them

Okay, we did it for our state senators, all Republican, so it's only fair to go after these sad representatives who call themselves Democrats: Walt Church, Bob England, and Ray Warren have signed up to co-sponsor a bill to amend the North Carolina constitution to discriminate against gays.

Do Church, England, and Warren really feel that it's important to spend their time adding to the existing laws that already discriminate against our neighbors, family members, and friends? Or, is it that they consider themselves so unsupported by their local Democratic parties that they feel the need to cave in to ridiculously obvious fundamentalist wedge tactics?

Hey folks, it's up to us (yes, you and me) to let them know they don't need to play these sick games. Either we support them, that is, we do the phone calling and door-to-door canvassing that wins elections. Or, we find candidates who have more courage and/or higher standards.

Don't be afraid to let them know how you feel. On the other hand, don't hold back from committing to either support or replace them when the next election cycle comes around.

Walt Church - (Burke) Email: Waltc@ncleg.net

Dr. Bob England (Cleveland, Rutherford) Email: Bobe@ncleg.net

Ray Warren (Catawba, Alexander) Email: Rayw@ncleg.net

Here's some of the Charlotte Observer's write-up of the situation:

Buoyed by the recent passage of similar legislation in seven states, several thousand people rallied Tuesday to urge lawmakers to let them vote on a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. . . .

Supporters of the idea said citizens shouldn't be denied a chance to vote to change the N.C. Constitution to allow marriage only between a man and a woman.

Democratic leaders have declined to take up similar questions over the past three years, saying no changes in state law are needed and that more important issues should take precedence.
State law says that a valid marriage is one "created by the consent of a male and female person." A 1996 law also states that North Carolina doesn't recognize gay marriages performed in other states.

Given the conservative makeup of both the state Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court, judicial action to overturn North Carolina's marriage laws is unlikely, said William Marshall, a professor at the UNC Chapel Hill law school.

Senate leader Marc Basnight and House Speaker Joe Hackney, D-Orange, say no changes are needed to current law. "I don't know why we would spend time on that," Hackney said Tuesday.