BlueNC: To all of you who fought so hard against Amendment One

[Bolo Boffin]

http://www.bluenc.com/all-you-who-fought-so-hard-against-amendment-one

I want to thank you for showing the world that North Carolina is more than just a backward southern state. I want to thank you for standing up for the rights of others. I want to thank you for giving my 14-year old daughter and her friends something to care about, something that has made them all think about the world they will soon inherit. And I want to thank you for accomplishing something I never thought I would see in my lifetime: you awoke hundreds of thousands of people and created a coalition that crosses geographic, ideological and racial boundaries. Though you lost this battle, by uniting North Carolina against prejudice and fear, you have made it possible for us to win the war. If we stay united, I am convinced we can stop the conservative far right in our state and move North Carolina forward again.

I know that many of you poured your heart and soul into the fight. And I know that, for many of you, it was a very personal issue. I fear that you may feel abandoned and disenfranchised by the outcome. I apologize to you all for the misguided actions of my fellow North Carolinians and I ask that instead of wasting energy hating them for their ignorance and their fear, that you pour that energy into making sure that this awful amendment is their final stand. Here are just a few of the things you can do with your anger and your time. I hope you will add your ideas to the list:

Vote them out of office...

Close North Carolina's borders to the national far right...

Hold them accountable...

Keep fighting for your rights...

Boycott unsupportive businesses...

Keep religion out of government...

Fight their dollars with your grassroots strength...

Stay visible...

Return the favor...

I’m sad tonight and I know it was a sad day for many North Carolinians. When the sun rises tomorrow morning, it is a certainty that no one's marriage will be any stronger or safer because of today’s vote. That is a bizarre, delusional concept clung to by frightened, ignorant people and the leaders who manipulate their emotions. But it is also a certainty that hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians will wake up feeling insulted, attacked, disenfranchised and alone. Let them know they are not alone. We fought this fight together and, if we stay together, we can absolutely win the war.

[physioex]

1. I am also upset about the situation....

I have learnt that I am mearly a transition between my parents and the next generation. Get on the right side of history or get out of the way.

[freshwest]

2. Good OP and great solutions. This is not the future!

[Tarheel_Dem]

3. Excellent read. We have to take back our state legislature! NC is no liberal hotbed, by any....

stretch, but we were moving in the right direction until the midterms. I hope we can get that back, and the convention may help us do it.

[radhika]

4. My state is CA - we also succumbed to hate and bias in 2008

And we didn't have the excuse of being Southern and Fundie.

[NC_Nurse]

5. I think this was a good wake up call for some. My daughter lives in Chapel Hill.

She didn't get her registration changed in time to vote because she couldn't imagine this piece of shit hate amendment passing. When you live in the bluest part of the state, you forget the legions of bible-thumping rural folks out there (she wasn't old enough to be aware of the Helms years). I think to a lot of young folks, this is a non-issue and they just can't wrap their head around such bigotry and ignorance. She knows now. I talked to her last night and she felt really bad. Of course, all of the signs in Chapel Hill were against Amendment One...sigh.

I don't think she'll take her vote for granted after this.

[mnhtnbb]

7. Orange County led with almost 79% AGAINST the amendment. Also voting against: Durham, Wake,

Chatham, Mecklenburg, Buncombe, and Watauga Counties.

[CRK7376]

11. The Helms years

were painful and embarrassing. Unfortunately those of us outside the blue of Durham and Chapel Hill we are surrounded by the ignorant, small minded people. These are trying times for those of us in rural NC that want equality for all.

[JoePhilly]

6. Yesterday was my 18 year old son's first opportunity to vote.

Which means there were three AGAINST votes from our family here in Wake County.

In a positive note, Wake County voted 56.76% AGAINST Amendment 1.

We'll turn this state blue yet.

[FSogol]

8. K & R. n/t

[SidDithers]

9. K&R...nt

Sid

[mmonk]

10. I plan to shame my state through bumper stickers.

When I come up with them, I will post them. I have a Cafe Press account.