Stop the anti-gay amendment in North Carolina

Next week, lawmakers in North Carolina are scheduled to convene a special session in order to vote on a constitutional amendment that would put the freedom to marry up for a statewide vote in 2012. Despite a majority of North Carolinians, including prominent business leaders, opposing this harmful amendment, anti-gay legislators are fast-tracking the legislation that would make no changes to existing law (because gay and lesbian couples cannot currently marry in NC) but merely enshrine discrimination in the state's constitution.

But fair-minded North Carolinians are fighting back! Led by our friends at Equality NC, marriage advocates have collected thousands of postcards to legislators in opposition to the amendment and are holding phone banks each day across the state. The vote will be close, but you can help defeat this harmful amendment by taking action now.

If you live in North Carolina:

  • Equality NC is taking action every day to defeat the amendment. Click here to pitch in a couple hours of your time at a volunteer shift near you.
  • Contact your state representative today, tomorrow, and each day until the amendment is defeated. Click here to email your state elected officials now.
  • Plan to be in Raleigh next Tuesday (09/13) for a statewide rally against the amendment. You can find details at Equality NC's Facebook event.
Not in North Carolina? You can still help!
  • You can make calls from anywhere to help connect pro-equality North Carolina voters with their elected officials. Click here to sign up for a virtual phone banking shift with Equality NC and help defeat the amendment from the comforts of your very own living room. 

Below is an email that our National Campaign Director Marc Solomon sent to Freedom to Marry's supporters in North Carolina this afternoon:

Cameron,

We have to act quickly.

Anti-gay legislators are fast-tracking an anti-gay amendment to ban the freedom to marry in North Carolina. The Senate has already approved it and the House is convening a special session to vote on the proposed amendment as early as next week. If the amendment passes, marriage would be up for a statewide vote in 2012.

We need your help to show that most North Carolinians don’t want to discriminate against loving and committed families. The vote will be close, but you can help defeat this dangerous bill by taking action now.

Will you send your representative a message now urging them to oppose the anti-gay constitutional amendment?

http://freedomtomarry.org/DefeatNCAmendment

We’re hearing from our allies in the legislature that our opponents are bombarding them with lies about same-sex couples and their families.

But I know we won’t let them win, Cameron.

Your voice has been crucial in helping us make the case for the freedom to marry nationwide. And now we need your help to send the message loud and clear to legislators: defeat this dangerous anti-gay amendment.

http://freedomtomarry.org/DefeatNCAmendment

 

Thanks for all you do,

Marc Solomon

National Campaign Director, Freedom to Marry

PS- Next Tuesday (9/13), hundreds of fair-minded North Carolinians will gather in Raleigh to urge legislators to oppose the anti-gay amendment. Can you make it? Click here for the details