Disturb us, Lord, when
with the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst
For the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision
Of the new Heaven to dim.

Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,
To venture on wilder seas
Where storms will show Your mastery;
Where losing sight of land,
We shall find the stars.

We ask you to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push back the future
In strength, courage, hope, and love.

This we ask in the name of our Captain,
Who is Jesus Christ.

-Attributed to Sir Francis Drake

via An annual re-post: Sir Francis Drake’s Prayer 1577. “Disturb, us, Lord…” – Maggie’s Farm.

The one man, one woman description of marriage is the natural institution definition of marriage which already exists.  This is so because of the unique nature of marriage, which is, in principle, the joining of the two sexes to become a mother and a father.

This is not a case of the Constitution creating or defining marriage but rather limiting our State from saying it is something else.  And it binds the State to recognize and protect the natural institution.  The Constitution is not the State.  The Constitution belongs to the people and as such it protects the people and limits the State.

“State-defined” marriage will come when the courts and judges step in and define marriage as something else.  Then the State, via laws and regulations, will enforce the State definition and by extension the schools will teach the State definition.  Only one definition of marriage can stand.  If we fail to protect the natural institution of marriage, the State will take it.  There are already court challenges moving forward, right now, to do away with the natural institution of marriage.

Vote to protect marriage.  Vote FOR the amendment.

Marriage is, in principle, the union of one man and one woman coming together for the purpose of becoming a father and a mother.  That is a unique union.  The claim, that protecting this union is somehow wrongful discrimination, fails at the start.  Marriage is essentially about bringing the male and female sexes together and that fact is rationally relevant to the question. Because every law makes distinctions, there is nothing unjustly discriminatory in our law’s reliance on genuinely relevant distinctions.

The amendment does not change our current law nor does it change our common understanding of marriage.  It does not interfere with contract law, medical power of attorney, wills, etc., and it does not alter our domestic violence protections.

The myriad of problems that critics falsely claim will occur (if the amendment passes) would already be happening if those claims were true.  They are not.  We have the experience of thirty States that have gone ahead of us with similar amendments.  The amendment is clear and precise.  It protects and recognizes the unique union that is marriage and keeps the State out of it.

Vote to protect marriage in North Carolina.  Vote FOR the amendment.

The Marriage Amendment will limit the power of the State and prevent the government from creating and defining marriage.  This is the very reason that our founders built protections into our founding documents and made a way for them to be amended when needed.

Contrary to some of the misinformation spreading about amendment, the language and meaning of the Amendment are clear and precise.  The amendment is in harmony with Federal law regarding the definition of marriage.  Language was added to ensure that the amendment limits government only.  Private contracts, business partnerships and other legal arrangements are not affected.

The amendment is silent on private relationships and sexual choices.  Consenting adults will be free to continue in their choices and relationships as they were before the Amendment.

Government employers will still be able to offer employment benefits within households.  A city, for example, could allow an employee to pick another person in the household to be the beneficiary of their health insurance.  Private employers will not be affected, but the amendment will prevent the State from forcing a private company to provide such benefits.

Vote to protect marriage in North Carolina.  Vote FOR the amendment.

There is a lot of fear mongering and disinformation spreading about the amendment.  Facts on NC’s marriage protection amendment, also known as Amendment One:

The amendment does not change our law. It secures the current definition of marriage as between one woman and one man.  A Constitutional amendment is not a “big government” intrusion.  Quite the opposite, the Constitution belongs to the people.  This amendment will limit government intrusion and will prevent future changes without the consent of the people.

Thirty other states (yes, thirty!) already have marriage protections in their Constitutions:  Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin.  Many of these states have similar language as the NC amendment.  The language is not unclear, unusual or problematic.

There are many more points to cover.  Please seek the facts and be skeptical of attacks.  Protect marriage.  Please join me in voting FOR the marriage amendment.

Regardless of which direction we go, our laws and by extension our schools will teach the definition we choose.  Only one teaching will survive.  The law will teach that marriage is a natural institution not a creation of the state; an institution with a public purpose and a public meaning with the primary goal of bringing together a husband and a wife to become a father and a mother.

Or, if rejected, judges will define what marriage is.  Marriage will become a mere creation of the state; one that teaches, recognizes, and approves (or sanctions) private affairs and sexual choices of adults with the primary goal of fulfilling adult desires.

Only one definition will rule.  In the seven or eight states that currently have allowed judges to decide what marriage is, the natural institution view of marriage is being forced out or has already been forced out.  Public schools from High School down to Elementary have been mandated to teach the “state created” view including the state’s recognition and approval of sexual choices.  There is no opt-out.  The state view is taught whether or not the parents approve.

Protect marriage.  Vote FOR the marriage amendment.