same sex marriage
Responses to marriage ruling run the gamut
While equality advocates are universally celebrating today’s U.S. Supreme Court decision, critics have issued mixed responses. Not surprisingly, Equality NC hailed the decision: “Chris Sgro, Equality NC’s executive director, called this ‘a historic day’ for the United States and the state of North Carolina.’Today’s ruling granting loving, same-sex couples the freedom to marry across our […]
Charlotte Observer editor wants in on Senate Bill 2 law; What about you?
Now that North Carolina has made it state law that magistrates and registers of deeds can get out of doing parts of their sworn duties due to “sincere religious beliefs,” Charlotte Observer editorial page editor Taylor Batten has a long list of duties he would like to be excused from in his job. For instance, […]
Condemnations of new marriage discrimination law continue to pour in
Today, on the 48th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s landmark decision striking down state laws banning interracial marriage in the case of Loving v. Virginia, condemnations continue to pour in from across the country for North Carolina’s absurd and offensive new marriage discrimination law. Here are just a few: From Raleigh’s News & Observer: “Senate […]
Today’s marriage discrimination vote: Four cowardly minutes
Today’s vote in the North Carolina House of Representatives to override Gov. Pat McCrory’s veto of Senate Bill 2 — lawmakers’ latest effort to preserve some precious shreds of hate and discrimination in state marriage law — was absurd and offensive for a number of reasons. There was the substance of the new law that […]
NC lawmakers: Standing in the courthouse door on an apt anniversary
The decision of North Carolina House to override Gov. Pat McCrory’s veto of Senate Bill 2 this morning comes on an appropriate anniversary in American history. As the Jackson Mississippi Clarion-Ledger reminds us this morning: “June 11, 1963: Alabama Governor George Wallace stood in front of a schoolhouse door at the University of Alabama in […]
Equality advocates condemn House’s decision to override Governor’s veto on anti-gay marriage bill (SB 2)
The state House wasted little time on Thursday in voting (69-41 ) to override Governor Pat McCrory’s veto of Senate Bill 2. The legislation allows magistrates and registers of deeds to opt-out of performing same-sex weddings. The Senate overrode the governor’s veto on June 1st, meaning the measure now becomes law despite McCrory’s objections. “The […]
Professor explains why Franklin Graham’s boycott is silly…and futile
The responses are pouring into the Rev. Franklin Graham’s latest homophobic rant. The son of famed evangelist Billy Graham and head of North Carolina-based Samaritan’s Purse is calling for a boycott of Wells Fargo Bank and Tiffany & Co., because the companies have acknowledged and celebrated same sex married couples in advertisements. One of the […]
New polling: Marriage equality reaches a tipping point in NC
Even as lawmakers move to override Governor McCrory’s veto of Senate Bill 2 — the proposal to allow magistrates, registers of deeds and assistant registers of deeds opt out of performing same sex marriages — North Carolina public opinion continues to move rapidly in the direction of tolerance. One of the nation’s most accurate polling […]
How the Senate could fail to override the Governor’s veto of the magistrates bill tonight
It’s almost assuredly not going to happen, but if there was a way for the motion to override the Governor’s veto of Senate Bill 2 to fail tonight, here’s how it might conceivably happen: It takes a 3/5 vote of those present to override. Assuming everyone shows up that means 30 votes are necessary to […]
Lt. Gov. Forest: NC should change basics of marriage law now that gays can wed
[This post has been updated — the original version had an incorrect link]. Remember that kid on the grade school playground who hated losing so much that he’d grab the ball and go home when the game stopped going his way? It’s seems a safe bet that North Carolina Lt. Governor Dan Forest was such […]
Now that McCrory has found his veto stamp…
It’s been great to see Gov. McCrory veto two major pieces of legislation in as many days. His rejection of the absurd bill to re-institute marriage discrimination and the overly-broad proposal to limit free speech by employees who witness objectionable things in their workplaces (aka the “Ag Gag” bill) constitutes a welcome departure from his […]
McCrory to veto magistrates bill; math on override vote could be complicated
Good for Gov. Pat McCrory. He announced this afternoon that he would veto the bill passed by the House today that would allow magistrates to opt out of their duty to officiate at marriages due to their “religious beliefs.” Now, the question is: Can he make a veto stick or will he just get rolled […]