Raleigh Opposes Marriage Amendment

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Raleigh Opposes Marriage Amendment

Special Report - December 7, 2011
At its meeting on Tuesday, December 6, the City of Raleigh publicly denounced the Marriage Protection Amendment, becoming the first municipality to express such opposition since the September vote by the State Legislature to allow the citizens of North Carolina to vote on the proposal next year. By a 6–2 vote, the members of the Raleigh City Council approved a recommendation by the City of Raleigh Human Relations Commission to “make a public pronouncement against the ‘anti-gay’ marriage amendment recently passed by the General Assembly and which is scheduled to appear on the May, 2012 ballot.” Raleigh’s newly sworn-in Mayor Nancy McFarlane joined the majority in opposing the Marriage Protection Amendment. Councilmen John Odom and Bonner Gaylord both opposed the resolution.

According to the Raleigh News & Observer, the Raleigh Human Rights Commission made the suggestion in October, along with suggestions to study whether the city should offer domestic partner benefits and ways in which the city can “become more involved with LGBT issues.” While Carrboro, Chapel Hill, and Durham all passed similar resolutions earlier this year, Raleigh is the first city to make such a pronouncement since the General Assembly voted to put the Marriage Protection Amendment on the 2012 May primary ballot. On September 11, leaders from seven jurisdictions in North Carolina that offer domestic partner benefits wrote a letter to legislators urging them to oppose any efforts to approve the Marriage Protection Amendment bill that would place the question of protecting the definition of marriage in the State’s Constitution on the ballot for the people to decide.

“Raleigh’s mayor and city council are out of touch with their constituents,” said Bill Brooks, president of the North Carolina Family Policy Council. “Poll after poll shows that North Carolinians oppose the radical effort to redefine marriage, and are especially keen to place the time-honored definition of marriage beyond the prying hands of activists by preserving this most vital and basic institution in the State’s Constitution. Raleigh leaders should be focused on developing policies that will support and build up the institution of the family as society’s most foundational building block.”

Related resources:
Polls Find NC Supports Marriage - October 14, 2011
Governor Opposes Marriage Amendment - October 11, 2011
Likely Voters Support the 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
Marriage Scores on Survey - June 20, 2011
Elon Poll Shows Question Bias - March 2, 2011
Marriage Amendment Support Continues - January 3, 2011