NCFRW LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Grassroots Alert from Joyce Krawiec
jrkrawiec@aol.com

Marriage Amendment

August 17, 2011

We have been waiting and working for a very long time for a vote on a Marriage Amendment in NC. It is now time to turn up the heat. We need to make calls to legislators, email those legislators, write letters to legislators and mail to their home districts.

When speaking with legislators remember to stay positive and stay on message.

Strong majorities of Americans oppose gay marriage. Supporters of Same Sex Marriage (SSM) therefore seek to change the subject to just about anything: discrimination, benefits, homosexuality, gay rights, federalism, our sacred constitution. Our goal is simple: Shift the conversation rapidly back to marriage. Don't get sidetracked. Marriage is the issue. Marriage is what we care about. Marriage really matters. It's just common sense.

THE MOST EFFECTIVE SINGLE SENTENCE:

Extensive and repeated polling agrees that the single most effective message is:

"Gays and Lesbians have a right to live as they choose, they don't have the right to redefine marriage for all of us."

Language to avoid at all costs: "Ban same-sex marriage." It causes us to lose about ten percentage points in polls. Don't use it. Say we're against "redefining marriage" or in favor of "marriage as the union of husband and wife" NEVER "banning same-sex marriage."

It appears that we are safe in the Senate and we will concentrate our efforts on the House. The Legislators that we are contacting are as follows with some history on a few: I have called each one of these, more than once. I am identifying the conversation with the ones that I was able to reach.


Rep. William Brisson (Bladen and Cumberland Counties) new district will be parts of Bladen and Sampson counties also. William.Brisson@ncleg.net -(910) 862-7007 - Mailing address: P.O. Box 531, Dublin, N.C. 28332 - has sponsored marriage amendment and he is an absolute must to have with us. He has indicated that he will vote "yes" but we need to make certain he doesn't cave.

Rep. James Crawford - (Granville, Vance, Person) Jim.Crawford@ncleg.net- (252) 492-0185 Mailing address: 509 College St, Oxford, N.C. 27565 -has been a primary sponsor many times. I spoke with him and he told me that he has promised the governor he wouldn't vote against her again. (he voted for 7 veto overrides) He believes in the amendment and wants to see it passed. He may reconsider his commitment to the governor. I reminded him, respectfully, that he doesn't represent the governor, he represents his NC citizens within his district.

Rep. Beverly Earle - (Mecklenburg) Beverly.Earle@ncleg.net - (704) 333-7180 Mailing address: 312 S. Clarkson St., Charlotte, N.C. 28202

Rep. Elmer Floyd - (Cumberland) - Elmer.Floyd@ncleg.net (910) 488-6903 Mailing address: 207 Courtney St, Fayetteville, N.C. 28301

Rep. Rosa Gill - (Wake) - Rosa.Gill@ncleg.net - (919) 821-0425 Mailing address: 2408 Foxtrot Rd, Raleigh, N.C. 27610 - I spoke with her and she didn't seem to know that marriage was not already protected. She didn't think an amendment is necessary.

Rep. Ken Goodman - (Montgomery, Richmond, Scotland, Hoke, Robeson) Ken.Goodman@ncleg.net - (910) 997-2712 - Mailing address: 832 Williamsburg Dr, Rockingham, N.C. 28379 - I spoke with him. He said judges have not overruled the NC laws and he didn't think an amendment was necessary. He said he is libertarian enough to think that it's not the govt's business. Remind him that statutes can be thrown out by a judge, an amendment can't.


Rep. Charles Graham - (Robeson) Charles.Graham@ncleg.net - (910) 739-3969 - Mailing address: 479 Bee Gee Rd, Lumberton, N.C. 28358 - he is from a very socially conservative district, Lumbee Indian area.

Rep. Dewey Hill - (Brunswick, Columbus, Bladen, Robeson) - Dewey.Hill@ncleg.net - (910) 642-6044 - Mailing address: P.O. Box 723, Whiteville, N.C. 28472 - I talked with him and he appears to be solidly in favor of. He told me he plans to vote" for". We need to make certain he stays firm and thank him also.

Rep. Marvin Lucas - (Cumberland) - Marvin.Lucas@ncleg.net - (910) 497-2733 - Mailing address: 3318 Hedgemoor Cr, Spring Lake, N.C. 28390 - has never sponsored, his position is unknown.

Rep. Frank McGuirt - (Anson, Union) - Frank.McGuirt@ncleg.net - (704) 233-4618 - Mailing address: P.O. Box 613, Wingate, N.C. 28174 - he is a new legislator, appointed to fill a vacant seat. His old district is heavily Democrat, new district is heavily Republican so he needs to feel the heat. I spoke with him and he said he believes marriage is 1 man, 1 woman, but he doesn't think we need an amendment.

Rep. Marian McLawhorn - (Pitt) - Marian.McLawhorn@ncleg.net - (252) 524-3113 - Mailing address: P.O. Box 399, Grifton, N.C. 28530 - she has never sponsored, position unknown.


Rep. Annie Mobley - (Bertie, Gates, Hertford, Perquimans, Pasquotank) - Annie.Mobley@ncleg.net
(252) 332-5463 - Mailing address: 353 South Church Rd, Ahoskie, N.C. 27910 - I spoke with her. She is a possible YES but said she has some problems with the amendment. I asked what made her uncomfortable. She asked if I would call her back next week, she was going to a meeting and would be tied up this week...so she is, obviously, thinking.

Rep. Bill Owens - (Camden, Currituck, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Chowan, Tyrell) - Bill.Owens@ncleg.net
- (252) 335-0167 - Mailing address: 113 Hunters Trail East, Elizabeth City, N.C. 27909 - he has never cosponsored but indicated to me that he was leaning YES.

Rep. Garland Pierce - (Hoke, Robeson, Scotland, Richmond) - Garland.Pierce@ncleg.net - (910) 369-2844 - Mailing address: 21981 Buie St, Wagram, N.C. 28396 - has co-sponsored 3 times. Said he is in favor of amendment but would not commit to vote for it. He is a Baptist minister.

Rep. Timothy Spear - (Chowan, Dare, Hyde, Washington, Beaufort) - Tim.Spear@ncleg.net - (252) 797-4481 - Mailing address: 612 Mt. Tabor Rd, Creswell, N.C. 27928 - We must have him. He said he is a solid YES, but he will be under tremendous pressure.

Rep. William Wainwright - (Craven, Lenoir, Greene) - William.Wainwright@ncleg.net - (252) 447-7379 - Mailing address: P.O. Box 33, Havelock, N.C. 28532 - has never sponsored and his position is unknown. He indicated that he had not made a decision and that everyone should vote their conscience.

Rep. Winkie Wilkins - (Durham, Person, Granville) - Winkie.Wilkins@ncleg.net - (336) 599-7336 - Mailing address: 210 Fair Oaks Dr, Roxboro, N.C. 27574 - Indicated to me that he was leaning YES, but told someone else that he was probably NO.


Rep. Larry Womble - (Forsyth) - Larry.Womble@ncleg.net (336) 784-9373 - Mailing address: 1294 Salem Lake Rd, Winston Salem, N.C. 27107 - has never sponsored, position unknown. I spoke with him and he said he had not decided yet. He also said that we already had a marriage amendment. I explained that we did not.

Rep. Michael Wray - (Northampton, Vance, Warren, Halifax) - Michael.Wray@ncleg.net - (252) 535-3297 - Mailing address: P.O. Box 904, Gaston, N.C. 27832 - He has co-sponsored 3 times and has indicated that he is leaning YES.

WE MUST HAVE AT LEAST 4 OF THESE DEMOCRATS TO VOTE "YES" ON MARRIAGE AMENDMENT.

PLEASE CALL THEM AND EMAIL...IF YOU LIVE IN THEIR DISTRICT, OR KNOW SOMEONE WHO DOES, PLEASE GET AS MANY CONTACTS GENERATED AS POSSIBLE.

WE ALSO NEED LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. I HAVE PREPARED A SAMPLE AND WILL DO MORE. YOUR MEMBERS CAN JUST COPY AND PASTE OR EDIT AS DESIRED AND SEND IN TO YOUR LOCAL PAPERS.


TIME IS SHORT ON THIS ONE. WE MUST ACT NOW. WE HAVE A COALITION MEETING EACH MONDAY. I WILL UPDATE YOU AGAIN SOON.

Talking Points for Discussion and Letters:

NC is the only southern state that has not protected marriage in its' Constitution. Currently, our marriage statutes, that define marriage as between a man and a woman, can be overturned by a court.

Marriage is between a husband and wife. The people of [this state] do not want marriage to be anything but that. We do not want government or judges changing that definition for us today or our children tomorrow.

Marriage is uniquely beneficial to society because it is the foundation of the family and the basic building block of a civilized and productive society. Marriage benefits are overwhelming, according to all statistics. It is not merely a private contract, but a social institution of great public value to families, children, our economy and the entire state.

We all have heard the positive benefits of marriage to children: Lower poverty rates, less likely to commit suicide, less than half as likely to commit crime, less than half as likely to become pregnant out of wedlock, better development academically and socially, and the list goes on.


According to Heritage Foundation, marriage decline costs Americans $112 Billion per year. This should make marriage stability one of the most important issues facing America today.


Even if one doesn't believe the institution of marriage came down from Mt. Sinai carved in stone, we know in our hearts and minds, that marriage is the institution that defines a family and is the cornerstone for all of society.

It should be protected and nurtured.

NC Federation of Republican Women
Dena Barnes, President
www.ncfrw.com