Amendment One

If you live anywhere near NC then you probably know that there was this tiny little vote on an amendment yesterday.  It affectionately became called "Amendment One".  This amendment outline marriage as the only legal domestic union that would be recognized by the state of NC.  For months there have been debates and propaganda on both sides of the argument.  And as the weeks led up to the big vote the propaganda became louder and more hate filled on both sides. 

I am very pro-marriage as it exists between one man and one woman at one time(and hopefully for one lifetime).  I voted for the amendment and was very excited that it passed.  I knew from day one how I felt about this amendment and how I would vote for it.  And I am so thankful that I was allowed to participate in the voting process.

Here's the point of my vent today.

The amendment passed.  Roughly 61% of the voters that voted(and if you didn't, shame on you, you have no right to an argument) voted that marriage should be defined as above.  That means around 39% disagreed and strongly felt that same-sex couples and other domestic unions should be recognized by the state as legal.  These statistics mean that more than half of NC voters felt that this amendment should pass.  That my friends is a democracy(such as we have it now).  If we are supposedly governed by the people and their representatives, then the people have NC have spoken their opinion.

This brings me to my point.  I am an educated person.  I research politicians, amendments, and whatever I may be voting on prior to stepping in the voting booth.  I am allowed as a free citizen of the USA and of NC to vote my opinion and belief on any matter.  Because I am not a felon or illegal citizen this is a right that I an very privileged to keep.  Why then am I now being labeled by some(not all, but some) as a bigot, backward, and unlearned?  Why is my opinion less important than another persons?  Why is my belief system skewed? 

Yes, my belief system is very strongly grounded in my faith, my personal beliefs that have been handed down to me by my parents, and my particular life experiences.  And regardless of what people would say, most everyone develops their beliefs from their parents in one form or another.  Why now is my belief system and the things that I hold very important to me being called in to question?  That is why we as a democratic people were allowed to vote on such an important people.  We vote what we deeply believe in.  We vote for the things that we hold very dear to our hearts.

My point is(rambling though it may be, I worked 24 yesterday don't judge), I and others that believe the way that I do, voted how we believed is best for our families, just as people that voted against the amendment voted how they felt best.  The democratic union spoke yesterday.  As it has previously in 30 other states.  NC was the very last southern state to place such an amendment in to law.  Now that the decision has been made we should not be belittling others on the opposite side of our opinion.  We should not be gloating that our opinion won the majority.  We should be thankful, but we are commanded to be thankful in(not for, in) all things.  Even if the amendment had not passed we should still be thankful for the privilege to vote our beliefs.

Please stop this backlash, name calling, and redundant arguing that will accomplish nothing.  Belittling those that believe differently that you do achieves nothing but hatred.  Is that the point?  I am not closed minded, redneck, ignorant, or "backwood" for voting my opinion.  I am intelligent, imaginative, and thoughtful for getting to the polls.