N.C. Lawmaker's "Personal Difficulty" with Anti-Marriage Equality Amendment

[William769]

Boone, N.C. - When North Carolina's House Speaker Thom Tillis visited Appalachian State University on Monday for a Student Government Association-sponsored town hall event, he faced questions from crowds composed mostly of students and local residents, criticizing Republican majority decisions, including adding the anti-LGBT amendment to the May ballot. In response to questions of how the amendment, which would write discrimination into our state's founding document, would in any way defend the constitutional mandate of "liberty and justice for all," the Republican leader admitted he has difficulty with the amendment to the "extent to which government imposes its will on personal lives."

According to the political blog, WataugaWatch, Tillis admitted he has "a personal difficulty with constitutional amendment because I don’t believe government should be telling us what to do...".

Others in the Boone audience used the platform to denounce the discriminatory measure altogether, including one audience member who called the amendment simply “shameful." She continued, “Loving people should have the same rights as I do, a heterosexual person and an ordained minister.”

To which Speaker Tillis responded, “This is not an issue that I completely disregard some of the arguments you make."

http://equalitync.org/news1/ncs-republican-house-leader-admits-personal-difficulty-with-anti-lgbt-constitutional-amendment

[HockeyMom]

1. They don't necessarily need an ordained minister

A Court Clerk will do.

[yardwork]

2. I believe that the person was saying that she herself is an ordained minister.

It's a little hard to tell, but I read it that way.

[William769]

3. Thats how I read it also.

[yardwork]

4. The legislator who pushed this amendment died a few weeks ago. God rest his soul.

We're watching the Republicans in North Carolina run away from this as fast as they can. It appears to have backfired on them. I predict that the amendment will fail this May. The collateral damage to the Republicans is not insignificant.

We still won't have equal marriage in North Carolina.

edit for clarity

[struggle4progress]

5. Since the issue is on the ballot for the primary election, it really matters who shows at the polls

2010 Primary Election turnout 14%
2008 Primary Election turnout 37%

[yardwork]

6. No Democrats will be running in this primary.

[RKP5637]

7. The republicans are indeed a strange breed, they talk of small gov., no gov this/that, etc., and

yet at the same time they want to run and "rule" what should be peoples personal lives and decisions ... in many areas. They are so damn regressive, repressive and depressing.