North Carolina Bishops support Gay Marriage Ban

Bishops support gay marriage ban
Posted: Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2009
RALEIGH North Carolina's two Roman Catholic bishops joined dozens of religious leaders, conservative state lawmakers and traditional-values activists seeking an amendment to the state constitution banning gay marriage.
Bishop Michael Burbidge of Raleigh and Peter Jugis of Charlotte attended a news conference at the legislature in Raleigh on Tuesday.
Supporters – including Jugis and Burbidge – hailed the introduction of a bill in the Senate and one expected in the House that would amend the state constitution to define marriage as between a man and a woman. Proponents emphasized that North Carolina remains the only Southern state without such an amendment.
Similar legislation has been introduced in previous years, but Democratic leaders did not permit a vote.
North Carolina has a law against gay marriage, but one liberal judge can knock it down, supporters of the proposed amendment said. They warned of unhealthy family environments, teaching children that homosexuality is correct, forcing changes in inheritance law and ending marriage as God intended.
“Moms and Dads are not interchangeable,” said Sen. Jim Forrester, a Gaston County Republican and chief sponsor of the Senate bill.
(Raleigh) News & Observer and AP