There are many people against this amendment. Plenty of the ones you would expect:

• The Democratic Party, including Gov. Bev Perdue, Sen. Kay Hagan, and Attorney General Roy Cooper, who called it “unclear, unwise, and unnecessary.”
• The Libertarian Party
• Church leaders, congregations, and organizations such as Unitarian Universalists, United Church of Christ, North Carolina Council of Churches, Bishops of the NC Episcopal Dioceses, and several Baptist organizations.

There are also some folks against the amendment that you might not expect:

• Business people such as Bob Page, founder of Replacements, Ltd., and Jim Rogers, CEO of Duke Energy.
• Republicans such as Richard Vinroot, former mayor of Charlotte and GOP gubernatorial candidate.
• Not Right NC (a Republican organization against the amendment).

Then there are the VERY unexpected voices against Amendment One:

Rep. James Crawford (D – Granville/Vance) was one of the original sponsors of the amendment. He has stated, “I will definitely vote against it because I think it goes too far.”

Even the Institute for American Values, the pro-marriage think tank, thinks this amendment goes too far. You may remember they were strong supporters and expert witnesses that advocated for Prop 8 (the 2008 California amendment that stated only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized). From their opinion piece in the N&O (4/11/12):

“The proposed amendment…goes well beyond the issue of same-sex marriage.

“For one thing, it means that North Carolina could not, now or ever, take any step or devise any policy to extend legal recognition and protection to same-sex couples. No domestic partnership laws. No civil unions. Nothing.

“That’s mighty cold. If you disdain gay and lesbian person, and don’t care whether they and their families remain permanently outside of the protection of our laws, such a policy might be your cup of tea. But it’s not our view, and we doubt that it’s the view of most North Carolinians.”

Wow. Strong words from anti-same-sex marriage advocates.

Vote AGAINST Amendment One

Regardless what you think of allowing same-sex couples to marry, this amendment goes too far. It’s unnecessary and unclear. It causes harm, and it has the potential for great harm through unintended consequences. Many people—gay and straight, conservative and liberal—agree.

But our Yale law professor, Stephen Carter, in speaking of integrity, also said that people of good faith can look at the same issue and come to different conclusions.

I encourage you to vote AGAINST the amendment to the NC constitution on May 8. But regardless of your position, I encourage you to vote.