Thursday, February 19, 2009 — For the past five years, proponents of traditional marriage have introduced legislation to amend our state constitution and allow you, the people of North Carolina, the opportunity to prevent same-sex marriage from being legalized in state court.
Unfortunately, in spite of a 2008 Civitas survey showing 71 percent of NC voters support a marriage amendment, the leadership in both the House and Senate (without protest from our state senator, Bill Purcell) have killed those bills and refused to let your voice be heard.
Traditional marriage is under attack all across this country. Same-sex marriage is already legal in Massachusetts and Connecticut, and similar legislation is pending in other states. And since North Carolina is the only state in the southeast without a marriage amendment, we are vulnerable to such attacks.
Now, you might be thinking, so what? What’s the harm if homosexuals want to get married? First, our public school children will be taught, without parental consent, that same-sex behavior and marriage is normal (this is already happening in Massachusetts). Second, same-sex marriage will lead to higher taxes and insurance premiums for all North Carolinians. Also, it is entirely possible that merely speaking out against homosexual behavior could be outlawed as hate speech. This would prohibit your right or the right of a pastor to cite Scriptural passages about homosexuality, as we have already seen in Sweden and Canada. Finally, the increase in homosexual behavior that will result from the legalization of same-sex marriage will likely lead to increases in the rates of sexually transmitted diseases, divorce, domestic violence and illegitimacy.
Therefore, as a fellow resident of NC Senate District 25, I’m asking everyone who wants to protect traditional marriage to contact our state senator, Bill Purcell, and make your voice heard. Currently, Sen. Purcell does not support a marriage amendment and believes his view represents you.
So, if you believe otherwise, you must tell him so. You can call Sen. Purcell at his Raleigh office at (919) 733-5953 or his home office at (910) 276-7328. To learn more and get involved, please go to www.nc4marriage.org.
Jason Phibbs
Albemarle
