The New York Times on Monday
came out against Amendment One, North Carolina's proposed gay
marriage ban.
The paper chided Republicans for their
gung-ho approach to putting the measure up for a public vote on May
8.
“In their zeal, lawmakers got
careless with the wording of the measure, known as Amendment One,”
the
paper's editorial board opined. “It would constitutionally
prohibit recognition not just of same-sex marriages, but of other
legal arrangements like civil unions and domestic partnerships. That
could harm all unmarried couples, imperiling some children's health
insurance benefits, along with child custody arrangements and
safeguards against domestic violence.”
“Opponents of marriage equality have
never been able to show any evidence that any harm is caused to
heterosexual marriages by granting all American adults the right to
marry as they choose – because there is no such evidence.”
“With little more than a week to go
before the May 8 contest, and early voting under way, North
Carolinians need to consider whether they really want to inflict this
gratuitous bigotry on their fellow citizens and their children.”
(Related: Gay
marriage foes push for North Carolina ban in churches.)