Thank you for all your hard work. My political activism has grown up in a space where pamshouseblend.com and bluenc.com have been the go to blogs to participate in as a gay man in North Carolina throughout my 20s as someone who is passionate about LGBT equality and voting rights. I think about that, and I am glad for their having been go to blogs as a part of my growing into political activism.

I’m in neighboring Chapel Hill so I can’t give him a vote, but he definitely has my support! And here’s a plug for his campaign facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/damonseilscarrboro

The fact that it was spoken by this president made it sting more.

I feel sympathy for those who feel stung by hearing advocacy for equality for all, and what negative life influences must have happened to make anyone think that way. I think Harvey Milk had it right in saying all ”us’s” have to band together.

Consequently, civil rights struggles of women, LGBTQ Americans, Native Americans, and other minorities in this country have been eclipsed, ignored and even trivialized while educating the American public of other forms of existing oppressions.

As is often said, oppression olympics are a game no body can win.

I know in NC with our amendment fight, Rev Barber, head of the NC NAACP, was a major supporter for LGBT equality, and in turn the LGBT community showed up for HKonJ and other anti-voter suppression efforts that were primarily targeted at voters of color. It was a thing of beauty to see such cooperation and intersectional organizing. Even if we lost the amendment fight for now, those kinds of advances far out way any temporary change in the law.

Does the DOMA challenge include a challenge to the full faith & credit clause exception that DOMA carves out? Normally states have to recognize each others laws. I want to know if this DOMA challenge gets a favorable ruling, will that mean my marriage in Boston count in North Carolina where I live now? I think Pam is in the same boat of being legally married out of state, but living in a marriage discrimination state.

If a part of DOMA dies, does it all die? Does it have an implied or explicit severability clause?

Well said! Sounds like an awesome trip! With a new opening on the town council from someone moving up to county commissioner, I wonder if any LGBT folks will apply for the spot? I suspect I know who is going to get the seat, but seeing LGBT folks apply would be a good site IMO, especially from L & T categories of LGBT.

Very true!

Good news, but the big difference maker is, with 4 Supreme Court justices in their 70s and LGBT equality/discrimination courses piling up at their doorstep, whether it is Romney or Obama doing the appointing.

4 supreme court justices are in their 70s. Either Romney or Obama will be appointing judges who will consider choice, marriage, and many other issues.

The more pro-equality court cases piling up at the Supreme Court’s doorstep the better. But there are four Justices in their 70s, and either Romney or Obama is going to get to some appointing to SCOTUS in the coming years. Equality isn’t inevitable, but it is achievable.

Maybe the heterosexual religious community is a good target for winning pro-equality votes, but are there any ads that feature LGBT couples that are going on TV? (This is an open question to folks in all the states with marriage equality/discrimination votes on the ballot this Fall).

I dont know enough about the polling to say what ads are right and wrong, but it feels like for the past several losses weve had during election days our ads have been about putting straight people on TV, and putting LGBT people in online only ads(or at most embedded briefly in ads mostly featuring non-LGBT folks). Im wondering if or when that will ever change if not in 2012?

Or maybe Ive missed some ads and dont have an accurate enough impression of the ads going on TV?

Since the LGBT delegation was mentioned, I thought Id share a few pics from the NC LGBT delegation.

Head of the NC LGBT Democratic Caucus speaking in front of many of the NC delegation:
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/265298_10100851676200979_172929963_o.jpg

NCs first transgender Democratic delegate:
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/s720x720/527201_10100845495247659_972798389_n.jpg

Chapel Hill, NCs openly gay mayor in front of Orange County Dem Party Chair (also openly gay):
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/202770_10100853966136929_1129082907_o.jpg

Openly gay Representative from the triad area:
http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/615655_10100851676645089_1434263125_o.jpg

My husband and myself on the convention floor:
http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/290227_10100851678800769_1055082019_o.jpg

Because what Mitt Romney’s campaign was really missing was just not enough heterosexual white male multimillionaire social conservatives.

Because what Mitt Romney’s campaign was really missing was just not enough heterosexual white male multimillionaire social conservatives.

As a convention delegate, I’m happy about these moves. The majority of the delegates from my county (Orange County) here in North Carolina are gay. The party chair is a delegate, and is gay. The mayor of my town is a delegate and is gay. Myself of course. And another delegate is Rep. Verla Insko who is perhaps our strongest ally in the North Carolina House of Representatives.

Cool, glad to see this! As a North Carolinian, I know my precinct, county, district, and state dem party all passed resolutions supporting marriage equality. The only step left for the party is to officially support it nationally.

I’m looking even more forward to the national convention in Charlotte now. 3 of the 4 delegates from my county are gay.

I’ve been in Buncombe County and Dare County since the vote, and had a pleasant time both times. Black Mountain in Buncombe was very relaxing, in a cabin up there, and it was a kind of artsy small hippyish seeming town, and I really liked it, sort of like a mini-Asheville.

I’ve spent less time in Dare County because it was worked related, but it was nice too. And my car is decked out with rainbows, so there is no chance that people don’t know.

Knowing that the annual OuterBanks PrideFest happens in Dare County makes it seem like a more hospitable place too.
http://www.obxpridefest.com/

It sucks that the amendment passed, but NC is still our home. More people know more about LGBT issues now than they did in the past. How everyone reacts to the amendment is a personal decision at the end of the day, but for me this is still my state and I still plan to spend my time here.

One can vacation in NC’s mountains, swim in NC’s beaches, and visit NC’s cities’ cultural attractions without spending money in pro-amendment areas if one so desires:
http://i.imgur.com/iuNFx.png

My husband has a specific pair of cheap glasses which he ordered off the internet that are very small that he calls his 3D-glasses-glasses. As in, it’s the pair he can easily wear under the big 3D glasses. Helps for dealing with the double glasses scenario.