Governor Opposes Marriage Amendment

Special Report - October 11, 2011
Late Friday afternoon, Governor Perdue announced that she plans to vote against an amendment to the State Constitution that would preserve the definition of marriage as between one man and one woman. Perdue was a Democrat legislator in the General Assembly in 1996 when she voted for the State’s current Defense of Marriage Act, which states that marriages “between individuals of the same gender are not valid in North Carolina.” In a press release issued October 7, Perdue said she continues “to support that law today,” but went on to state her opposition to the proposed constitutional amendment. She argues that the amendment, which will go to the people for a vote in the May 2012 primary, is a distraction from job creation, arguing, “my focus, the General Assembly’s focus, and North Carolina’s focus needs to be on creating jobs.” The proposed constitutional amendment reads, “marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this State.”

For a response to the Governor’s concern “that the propose constitutional amendment will harm our state’s business climate,” see our recent article published in Family North Carolina, “Protecting Marriage: Why a Marriage Protection Amendment Will Help, Not Hurt, NC’s Economy.”

“Sadly, our Governor is out of touch with the truth that is acknowledged by research, business, and voters—marriage is good for society,” said Bill Brooks, president of the North Carolina Family Policy Council. “Voters in our state do not want to sit on the sidelines and leave the definition of marriage up to judges and the legislature. Far from being a distraction to job creation, a marriage protection amendment will settle the question of marriage definition in North Carolina for years to come, allowing the executive branch and the legislature to focus on eliminating governmental roadblocks to job creation by the private sector. The threat to marriage redefinition is real in North Carolina, as most recently demonstrated by the efforts of homosexual couples to obtain marriage licenses in Asheville. If Governor Perdue is really interested in jobs for North Carolina, she should be supporting the marriage protection amendment. Companies want families with strong marriages, who raise children who are well-educated and have the moral values to be good citizens, consumers and employees.”

Related resources:
Likely Voters Support Marriage Amendment - October 6, 2011
Same-Sex Couples Seek Marriage Licenses - October 4, 2011
Marriage Debate Heats Up - September 22, 2011
Marriage Amendment Goes to Voters - September 14, 2011

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