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Tami Fitzgerald of the North Carolina Values Coalition and Stuart Campbell of Equality North Carolina debate whether the state should be able to pass ...
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I felt fossil -- from the university of north Carolina at Chapel Hill itself let me ask the audience here how many -- you.
Think gay marriage should be legal means -- here.
How many viewed don't.
All right you're a liberal group typical you're not.
The normal North Carolina audience -- 'cause I know that.
There was just a -- 60% of North Carolina -- apparently disagree they recently voted in favor a constitutional amendment.
Make sure there won't be court approved gay marriage and with us now is Stuart Campbell from equality North America who fought against the amendment.
And -- Fitz Gerald from North Carolina values coalition.
You helped pass it so you one.
Why did you want to.
Well it's important for the people of North Carolina to be the once you define marriage not the courts.
In marriages they -- political institution were afraid some judgment just decide this is legal even though most people oppose it.
That's right it's happened in other say this happen in about six states the people of Iowa.
Never thought that would happen there and the courts redefine marriage for them the courts in Massachusetts and Connecticut redefine marriage.
And says I guess the attack on marriage has been through the judicial system.
In the -- let me -- -- the attack on marriage to say let gay people very true.
Expands marriage -- that -- tech there.
Why I think its audacious for a society that think they can redefine marriage married his pre political.
It existed outside of the say outside of the government for a long time.
And so for the government to impose an artificial definition.
On the people of the state is stay in her parents and marriage store bought.
I think you first have to realize that we are trying to redefine anything we're actually trying to join.
-- institution that we respect greatly.
There are over 11100.
Benefits -- the federal government conveys -- married couples.
Growing list of 100 benefits they let you get rid 1130.
So are you against gates.
We're not against gays in this -- the whole point this is this is not an anti gay -- this was not.
About why not let gays marry this was about protecting the traditional definition of marriage as between one man and one woman because.
Married -- -- the definition outside of government government has no right to redefine marriage.
You don't object to people make private contracts and say I consider myself married -- you.
No in fact they do that already in North Carolina and nothing in the amendment changed that.
There was this whole list of parade of horrible as that was supposed to happen after the marriage amendment passed according to the opposition.
And none of that has happened.
It was supposed to -- child custody.
And that's not happen.
It was supposed to have hurt the ability.
Though it's early yet.
Well idiots but so far about four months after the amendment passed none of this parade of horrible since half story.
It actually has much more than just marriage it's actually prohibits marriage civil unions and one of the concerns we have its domestic partnerships.
Because it states that only.
Something call domestic legal union is there anything legal -- North Carolina but no one's ever define what -- -- would you have.
The -- expand further should people be allowed to marry.
Three women.
Polygamy no and I think there are reasons why that doesn't make sense because -- what you are because our our country and the history of marriages between two individuals the history of our country is telling -- to -- in the closets there.
But -- you know and and that is not even a debate that.
-- having right now we're just want -- festival is the consenting adults should be allowed to get married.
When applicant.
I'm well you know that's something perhaps from -- organization to promote personally I'm actually after sitting just seeing.
-- gay and lesbian north Carolinians with the ability to get there.
The logic breaks down when you talk about the extent to which this private contract theory would would GAAP.
And so it that government has an interest in marriage because buried it is about the future of our country it's about the small children should.
It doesn't get away anyway well yeah.
That there's not a single person in this country who isn't gonna get divorced -- not married because they're gay neighbor paths and that it does that claim that it's an attack on marriage is is again -- ten -- Well the whole point is that the government's purpose in protecting marriage is to protect children.
Now children are -- natural result of natural marriage marriage between one man and one woman.
And so marriage is about trying to and it wasn't -- -- that they -- Eating their children are a lot of single parents around there're well as San.
In favor of laws that prohibit people who can't help children from getting -- if that's really the only point.
Then why do back about.
Children are the natural product from a marriage now there are exceptions to that rule and couples who are childless are not.
Are not prohibited from -- of course because.
Marriage is about procreation doesn't mean that those who can't -- -- are excluded from the institutions.
-- as it now.
That we have laws that there -- -- instead of circumstances.
Under which gays and lesbians can't procreate.
That is the point.
-- should be limited to only people they go through fertility test if that's going to be the only well that's.
Definition of marriage you miss the point entirely your point eight email points are right now I don't.
We have laws against.
We have laws that prevent the.
Eric exactly the state has an interest in regulating marriage because the state has an interest in promoting the natural family.
The finance should not be allowed the -- exactly in.
Presents are allowed -- -- in North Carolina -- -- yes it's funny states.
