.north
& sout
CAROLIN
Serving the Carolina^ for 18 yenr*t!
AlanisMorrisetisiafks
about hernew CD and
same-sex marriage 29
Alabama drag (fiieens
arresMl fyr multiple
carjackings
Images from
Charlotte Pnde 2004
Who will Kerry pick for
his running make?
North Carolina:
New Lite MCC honors
Shirley Stowe t1
South Carolina:
Aiken to form
PFLAG chapter 13
jP ra To os
Massachusetts podra celebrar
bodasgays
noted . notable . noteworthy GLBT issues
Rosie (yOonnell at work on
new TV movie
VOLUME ±9 . ISSUE 01
SINCE
WWW. Q-NOTES. COM
Hoy 22.2004
Will N.C. turn its back on gays with marriage ban?
Gaston County Senator seeks to
amend state constitution and ban
gay marriages
by Donald Miller
Sen. Jim Forrester (R-Gaston), the newly-
chosen Senate Minority Leader, filed a bill
May 11 that seeks to amend the North
Carolina Constitution to discriminate against
the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
community.
in order to become part of the
Constitution, the amendment would first
need to pass the North Carolina House and
Senate by a three-fifths margin and be put to
a vote by the people.
A state law in place since 1996 says North
Carolina does not recognize gay marriages
performed in other states, but Forrester, who
sponsored the 1996 law, says expanding the
ban to the constitution would prevent litiga
tion from same-sex couples married in other
states who come to North Carolina and
argue that the statute is unconstitutional.
“We ought to let the people decide and let,
them vote on it,” Forrester said. “That’will
insulate North Carolina from legal challenges
in state courts.
“I think the vast majority of people would
be voting as marriage as between one man
and one woman.”
The bill would ask voters statewide to
check yes or no to the following statement:
“Constitutional amendment to provide that
marriage is the union of one man and one
woman at one time, and this is the only
marriage that shall be recognized as valid in
this state.”
About 20 fellow senators have signed up.
as co-sponsors, he said, including two
N ★ e
Democrats, “it’s not a partisan bill, it’s a fam
ily issue bill,” Forrester said.
LGBT political action groups in North
Carolina were quick to respond to the pro
posed amendment.
“Our state legislators have important
issues to consider this session: taxation, edu
cation, health care, and others. Yet, the
minority leader is focusing his
efforts on trying to write big
otry into our State
Constitution,” said Ian
Palmquist, Equality NC exec
utive director of programs.
“This is nothing more than an
election-year ploy to mobilize
radical right voters, and we
cannot allow it to pass.”
“North Carolina already
discriminates against same-
sex couples by denying us the
right to marry, but Sen.
Forrester’s bill would elevate
that discrimination to the
constitutional level,” said
Equality NC executive director of develop
ment. “The bill also seeks to deny recognition
of same-sex domestic partnerships, civil
unions, or other similar relationships recog
nized in other states, i'am appalled that the
leader of the Republican Party in the North
Carolina Senate is spending his valuable time
on an issue that does not improve the lives of
the citizens of our state.”
Religious supporters of same-sex marriage
announced at a press conference May 12 that
the proposed constitutional amendment ban
ning the practice amounts to “codifying into
law” one particular biblical interpretation.
About 50 people attended the news con
ference held in front of the Legislative
Building in Raleigh that was sponsored by
the North Carolina Religious Coalition for
Marriage Equality (NCRCME). Many held
signs declaring “i’m Baptist,” “i’m Jewish,”
i’m Methodist.”
“The debate over marriage equality in our
society is a power struggle,” said the Rev.
Gaston G>unty Sen. Jim Forrester wants to codify into the
N.C. G>nstituion a ban on same-sex marriage.
Farthing,
Jack McKinney from Raleigh’s Pullen
Memorial Baptist Church. “Like all other jus
tice struggles, the majority is unwilling to give
up its sense of privilege easily.”
McKinney, Rabbi Lucy H.F. Dinner from
Temple Beth Or in Raleigh and other clergy
cited Bible scripture that calls for justice and
noted the Bible’s teaching that people are cre
ated “in the divine image.” NCRCME is rejx)rt-
edly circulating a petition in support of gay
marriage that they say has been signed by 137
religious leaders from ardund the state.
In the event the amendment does in fact
pass the House and Senate, it will be placed
before the voters on the November ballot,
where a simple majority is required for passage.
Charlotte coalition puts
gay marriage in the
spotlight
Male couple applies for
marriage license;
organization holds rally
by David Stout
Q-Notes staff
CHARLOTTE. N.C. —
Sprouting from an idea plant
ed at a house partv just six (left) and Gene Hinson's request
month ago. the Coalition for for a marriage license was denied.
Marriage Equality of Charlotte-Mecklenburg County has rapidly
grown into an ambitious social justice organization dedicated to bring
ing the same-sex marriage battle to this typically button-down
metropolis.
The group began its advocacy work in
earnest this month by sponsoring two high- see COALITION on 4
Controversy surrounds
death of Durham
County man
Three men on trial for beating death of
Sean Ethan Owen
by Donald Miller
DURHAM COUNTY, N.C. — A growing con
troversy is surrounding the surprising lack of
coverage of the impending murder trial for three
African-American men accused of murdering
23-year-old Sean Ethan Owen, who was openly
gay and Caucasian.
Many in the LGBT community see the lack of
concern by the media for the proceedings as a
lack of interest in minority on minority crimes,
while others feel that some more liberal news outlets are turning away
from the story in an effort to prevent a wedge
from developing between the LGBT and African- see MEDIA on 6
Matthew Lawrence
Taylor is accused
of being the trigger
man in the murder
of Sean Ethan
Owen.