Thursday, April 5, 2012

NC Marriage Amendment On Ballot In May

NC Marriage Amendment On Ballot In May

Dems Worried It Will Pass

A Commentary by J. D. Longstreet


North Carolina has a republican controlled legislature, the first since the War Between the States.  And it is driving the democrats wild.

NC’s current governor, a democrat, is not seeking reelection after having observed the “handwriting on the wall,” and it now seems certain the GOP will take the Governor’s office, as well, in November.

One of the items driving the NC dems mad is the proposed “Marriage Amendment” to the NC state constitution.  Basically, it says marriage between one man and one woman is the ONLY kind of marriage to be recognized in North Carolina.

Understand that same-sex marriage is already banned in North Carolina by law or statute.  Problem is, an activist judge can overturn a statute (or law).  But a judge cannot overturn a constitutional amendment. 

It will appear on the NC ballot on May 8th.  The text of the measure reads as follows:

“Constitutional amendment to provide that marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this State.”

Now. If the measure passes it will add an additional section to Article 14 of the North Carolina State Constitution:  Section 6 will read thusly:

“Marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this State. This section does not prohibit a private party from entering into contracts with another private party; nor does this section prohibit courts from adjudicating the rights of private parties pursuant to such contracts.”

“Supporters of gay rights and same-sex marriage argue that the amendment should not be added to the state constitution. They also argue that the subject - "rights of a minority" - should not be up for a vote. Others argue that the proposed amendment may lead to more bullying of gay youth and invalidate domestic violence protections for unmarried couples.

Some lawmakers argue that the proposed amendment will hurt employment in the state. Rep. Larry Hall said, "Instead of creating an environment where we can create employment, attract entrepreneurs (and) attract talent, we're going to try to put a sign up to say, 'You are not welcome if you want to contribute to our society.”   (SOURCE).
A handful of the mainline Christian denominations in North Carolina are opposing the amendment.  And President Obama has voiced his dislike of the bill.  No surprise there.


Now, here’s the problem for democrats in North Carolina May 8th.   The problem, at first glance, may not register with you, but stay with me.


North Carolina’s black voters are expected to turn out, in droves, to vote for Obama in November.  But -- the Democratic Party desperately needs them to turn out for the May primary, as well.  If the “get out the vote” drive in the black community is successful, then it could very well result in passage of the Marriage Amendment. 
   
Now, here’s where it gets interesting:  Black voters in North Carolina, by and large, do not support same-sex marriage.  Blacks attend church in North Carolina, and like many of their white brothers and sisters who also attend church; they believe the teachings of the scriptures from which their pastors preach on Sundays.

As uncomfortable as it may be for some, the scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, speak out loud and long -- and as clear as crystal -- that homosexuality is a sin.  Conservative Christians, both black and white, in North Carolina believe that.  It is an integral part of their faith, their religion.


Public Policy Polling, which is based in Raleigh, North Carolina, released the results of a survey on Thursday March 29th in which they found there is, indeed, strong support for the proposed amendment to the North Carolina constitution.


P.P.P. surveyed 1,191 North Carolinians who stated they were likely to vote in the May 8th Primary.  The Marriage Amendment proposal will be on the primary ballot as a statewide referendum.

P.P.P. found that 58% of those polled said they would vote in favor of the amendment.  Only 38% told them they opposed the amendment.
 
Breaking the survey down a bit wore we find that roughly 76% of Republicans surveyed said they support the amendment while 48% of Democrats (who were surveyed) also support the amendment -- and -- 47% of Democrats, in the same survey, oppose the amendment.
 
But here is the part of the survey that has NC Democrats concerned:  The survey found that among black voters 61% are in favor of the amendment while only 30% oppose it.

You can now see how the heavy black voter turnout in May is more than a little worrisome for those who oppose the Marriage Amendment in North Carolina.  It is a something of a conundrum for the folks on the political left. 
   
The supporters of same-sex marriage, in order to convince blacks to vote against the measure, have mounted a campaign to convince NC voters that denying same-sex marriages is “discrimination.”   They’re claiming it is a civil rights issue. A portion of NC black folk will have none of it. In fact, they resent it.  Frankly, it also riles the white folk in Tar Heel country, too.   Also, it deeply irritates white Tar Heel voters when those opposing the Marriage Amendment accuse them of hate. 
       
In my opinion, the measure will be passed and the NC Constitution will be amended – because the people of North Carolina believe it is the right thing to do.

J.D. Longstreet

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Democrat Code Words for Socialism

Democrat Code Words for Socialism

Fairness, Fair Share, income inequality, etc

A Commentary by J. D. Longstreet

Wouldn’t it be nice if the Democrats would simply drop their façade and admit they have morphed into some sort of American breed of a socialist political party?

In the past few months, even years, my teeth have been set on edge when I have listened to their rhetoric about “fairness,” in this or that, and their use of the words “fair share” to drive a wedge between the American classes, and especially the words, or phrase, “income inequality” which seals the deal.  

When a nation seeks income equality it is assuming socialism as its core philosophy.  Income inequality is the clarion call for redistribution of a nation’s wealth. It is as simple and as basic as that.

In the past two decades I have slowly come to the realization that the dumbing down of Americans is near completion.  It has taken approximately 50 years to realize, but the leftist movement in America successfully infiltrated and gained control of America’s public education system.  Now we have a full generation and most of a second generation who have no clue what America is about.  They don’t have a clue what their freedom cost.  They don’t have a clue that the federal government was created by the states to serve the states as an agent.  They have been taught -- and they believe -- that the people of the states are subservient to the federal government.  They do not understand that the Bill of Rights is a protection for the American people from their federal government.  Those ten amendments restrain the federal government in the interest of the people. 

Most of our young Americans today don’t know the difference between the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.  Don’t believe me?  Ask ‘em!

I have mentioned in previous articles that as a solider in the US military I was trained to meet and combat socialism on the battlefield.  It was rightly recognized as an enemy of freedom.  It was recognized as a form of government that was destined to fail, but before its demise, it would enslave the people of any nation that was so utterly stupid as to even try it.  No nation has yet survived socialism.

Europe is teetering on the edge of complete disaster simply because they have run out of other people’s money with which to pacify their populace after decades of coddling and teaching them to depend on their government for their very existence.

The USSR is now a footnote in history.

Yet, despite the fact that America was nearly crushed under the weight of a mere sampling of socialism, the left persists in their socialist agenda for America.

In 2008, they managed to elect a socialist as President of the United States.  In 2010 the people of the political right in America successfully blunted the socialist left’s endeavor to shove America deeper into socialism.  Conservatives were successful in retaking a majority of the Congress.

Now we have a chance to solidify conservative control of the American government by refusing to reelect the socialist in the White House this November. 

It was clear after the President’s State of the Union address that their next step is to incite a class war in America.  The great-unwashed masses in America must be taught to hate the “patricians” and the “plutocrats” – the very people who financed -- and continue to finance -- America’s success as the greatest nation in the history of mankind. 

The wealthy Americans must be brought low and their wealth confiscated and redistributed to the – ahem – less fortunate among us.  That is what I like to refer to as: BOVINE SCATOLOGY!

Nevertheless, their efforts to incite class warfare has been more successful than most think. It ought to be.  It has been an underground movement for at least nine decades now.  With the left’s capture of the Oval Office the socialist were emboldened to rise to the surface and ram their agenda through the national legislature. 

But the right stopped them in 2010.  That, dear reader, is why we now see the President’s abuse of the power of the Executive Order.  Obama is intent on diluting democratic freedom in America by infusing socialism into every agency and administration under the control of the executive branch of the government.

Americans must retake control of their government in November and free it from the clutches of the socialist elite who have dipped their fangs into America’s bloodstream and are sucking her dry.

America needs a champion who will lead from the front.  A leader who take a stand on the deck of our sinking ship of state, much as the Father of the US Navy, Captain John Paul Jones, when his ship was blown to bits and sinking from enemy fire.  When asked if he was prepared to surrender Jones famously replied:  “I have not yet BEGUN to fight!” Against all odds, Jones won the battle and took the enemy ship.

THAT is the spirit we need, indeed, the spirit it will take to lead America out of the muck and mire of socialism, put her back on course, trim her sails, and stir for the safe harbor of capitalism and freedom.

It is a life or death decision we Americans will make in November -- the life or death of America.

J. D. Longstreet