Living in no man's land...

Dear North Carolina,

Your hateful, bigoted, homophobic, backwards laws will not stop me from loving the only person I have ever truly loved.  I fully embrace the love of my family and friends who have given me hope that not all of your citizens are complete and total morons.  I turn my back on you.  Just because I occupy space here doesn't mean I have to acknowledge your existence.

The disenfranchised.

Lyrics by Melanie Safka

Lay down, lay down, lay it all down.
Let your white birds smile up
At the ones who stand and frown.
Lay down, lay down, lay it all down.
Let your white birds smile up
At the ones who stand and frown.

We were so close, there was no room.
We bled inside each other's wounds.
We all had caught the same disease
And we all sang the songs of peace.

Lay down, lay down, lay it all down.
Let your white birds smile up
At the ones who stand and frown.
Lay down, lay down, lay it all down.
Let your white birds smile up
At the ones who stand and frown.

So raise the candles high
'Cause if you don't we could
Stay black against the night.
Oh raise them higher again, 'cause if you
Do we could stay dry against the rain.

Lay down, lay down, lay it all down.
Let your white birds smile up
At the ones who stand and frown.
Lay down, lay down, lay it all down.
Let your white birds smile up
At the ones who stand and frown.

We were so close, there was no room.
We bled inside each other's wounds.
We all had caught the same disease
And we all sang the songs of peace.
Some came to sing, some came to pray.
Some came to keep the dark away.

So raise the candles high
'Cause if you don't we could
Stay black against the night.
Oh raise them higher again, 'cause if you
Do we could stay dry against the rain.

Lay down, lay down, lay it all down.
Let your white birds smile up
At the ones who stand and frown.
Lay down, lay down, lay it all down.
Let your white birds smile up
At the ones who stand and frown.

You gotta lay down, lay down, lay it all
Down. Let your white birds smile up
At the ones who stand and frown.
Lay down, lay down, lay it all down.
You gotta let your white birds smile up
At the ones who stand and frown.

Lay down, lay down, lay it all down.
Let your white birds smile up
At the ones who stand and frown.

And, we lit candles in the rain...

Our house is filled with candles of love, hope, and peace with energies directed towards the defeat of Amendment One. Please join us in lighting a candle, say a prayer, and direct those positive energies to those who are still in line ready to vote against this evil, evil piece of legislation. Stand with them in love! 

Amendment One

Today, I only want to talk about one thing.  It's a BIG thing.  It affects my family and the families of thousands of North Carolinians.

Today, the citizens of North Carolina are voting to enshrine discrimination in the state Constitution.  It just sounds ugly because it is.  The Amendment, as it appears on the ballot is as follows...

What this "referendum" is not telling you is that this amendment negatively affects more than just my inability to marry my partner.  It's about straight people and gay people losing their insurance benefits, domestic violence protections being lessened (see Ohio's attempt at this same amendment), and child custody issues could be made a million times worse.  And, yes, then there's the part about gay marriage, or as I like to call it marriage.

There are already two laws on the books in North Carolina that make it impossible for me to marry my loving partner of eight years.  Why do we need a constitutional amendment cementing bigotry, hatred, and fear into state law?  The answer is because there are people who live in this state who cannot take their noses out of their bibles and take their cues from hateful "preachers".

Now, there are good people out there who are Christians.  Two hundred local clergy have come together to stand up on the side of love.  The Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina has stood up on the side of love.  Local Jewish Temples have stood on the side of love.  But, there are also some very bad people out there who would pervert God's name for their own ugly purposes.  These are the people who are mean and evil and think that discrimination in ordained by God.  God instructed, "Love thy neighbor."  Buddha gives us "Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful."  The Pagans believe "Harm none; do what ye will."  All measure up to "Do unto others as you would have done unto you."  If you do not want to be discriminated against, don't do it to others.

We voted AGAINST Amendment One.  We hope that YOU will do the same!  North Carolina's polls are open until 7:30pm.  Please make your voice heard and your vote count.

The rest of the country is watching, and waiting, along with us.  Let's show them that we are made of...love and hope!