Monday, May 7, 2012

Battle of North Carolina


I know I haven't been active on my blog in some time, but this is a topic that I think cannot be ignored.  Tomorrow the Battle of North Carolina begins.  What is this, you ask?  It is my title for the primary voting that will take place tomorrow statewide.  And not only voting for people to represent us in the community, but also a piece of legislation that could forever alter the future of the state.  I am talking about the controversial Amendment One, which will define marriage between one man and one woman.  This would ban any chance of legal same-sex marriage, or any civil unions or partnerships.  This has created verbal warefare between everyone living in this state.  And it has shown where established institutions stand such as religious congregations and state representatives.  But people are speaking out agains this, fearing that if this would bring more consequences than planned. 

Millions of dollars on each side have been spent to express their views.  And the exposure of this debate has created a nationwide question, "Are we ready to accept Same-Sex couples as a legal form of marriage?" 

Of course you know my views on this, and how I will be voting tomorrow, basing it on my past posts.  In modern society, marriage doesn't need to be defined between one man and one woman.  I have taken a Sociology course, and people go against Same-Sex marriage because it interferes with the Funcionalism theory, which is the belief that parts such as reproduction, marriage, parenting, schools, governments, and religion are the organs to our functioning society.  And many claim that gay marriage remove the reproduction and marriage, therefore destroying our society.  But I highly disagree with this.  While Same-Sex couples cannot reproduce in a conventional way, they use methods that are popular not only with them, but also with heterosexual couples.  And if they were granted marriage, they could carry out their intended role in society just as well as if they were straight. 

This isn't the first time this debate has come about.  This has been a heated topic for years, but opinions finally turning now in favor of these couples that deserve the right to marry as much as anyone else.  States are finally getting their act together and making marriage legal.  But the south is harder to make this a reality.  But North Carolina is the first state with the opprotunity to really send a message and oppose the discrimination that the other states have been stubborn about.  And members of this state, no matter the gender or age, has come out in opposition of this law, making the outcome anyones guess. 

This law has many consequences if passed, which should make many of you question which is the right decision.  The law is so broad that it could "deny health insurance for the children of domestic partners and endanger domestic violence survivors who are not married to their abusers."  And not only would this effect gay couples, but straight as well.  Who would want someone to vote for something that is so dangerous to our community? 

While there are some huge supporters of this law, including Newt Gingrich, and the iconic religious Graham family, there are way more people that are opposed to this.  First of all, our President of the United States opposes this.  And the list goes down from Governor Bev Purdue to leaders of Bank of America and Duke Energy.  With highly influencial figures such as these opposing this, I don't see how many people can ignore this. 

And here is something interesting about what people think about when it comes to voting about this.  According to Advocate.com, "A Public Policy Polling survey released last week showed that 55% of respondents favor the amendment and 41% oppose it. However, when respondents were informed about the broad reach of the amendment, only 38% supported it, compared to 46% opposed."  So that is why it is so important for people to really know what they are voting for, and really search their souls before voting, and hopefully be able to sleep with their decision. 

I'm sure many of you have already made your mind up about this.  And that is fine, no matter what your view is on this.  But I do ask that you be completely aware of what you are voting for.  And imagine that this was your lifestyle that is being voted on.  How would you want the outcome to be, and determining how you spend your time with your spouses and children.  The Battle of North Carolina is going to be a big one, and I hope that you join the fight. 

-Tyler

1 comment:

  1. What?!?

    "And if they were granted marriage, they could carry out their intended role in society just as well as if they were straight."

    Thank you for supporting marriage equality, but marriage is NOT simply for or about procreation, and it is NOT every person's 'intended role in society' to procreate.

    Some people's role is to NOT procreate and to be able to adopt and be loving committed parents to orphaned children.

    Some people's role is to not raise children at all and be able to contribute to society in a variety of other ways (and with 7 billion and rapidly growing numbers of people on this planet using resources at an even faster rate seriously damaging the very ecosystem that sustains the very existence of humanity, I don't think procreation is one of the more critical 'intended roles' in society).

    Either way, marriage is fundamentally good for the two people who choose to make that legal commitment to each other. It has been shown to result in people who are on average happier, healthier, more stable, more secure, more productive, and less likely to ever become a burden to the State. It also, in the event the couple chooses, makes for a more solid, stable, and secure platform from which to raise children.

    Marriage is very good for children being raised, but it is ALSO very good for the couple themselves and society, regardless of whether the couple raises children. So your premise that marriage is simply about or for raising children is incorrect.

    ReplyDelete