Opinion Statement by Rev. Taylor Mills

5/6/12

Statement on “Amendment One”

I’m not in the habit of making a dedicated statement as a pastor on a political issue.  The only other times that I have done this authority are September 11^th and during the lead-up to the Iraq War.  So it is with prayerfulness and care that I write a word as a pastor about “Amendment One,” currently before the voters of North Carolina.

(As a quick aside, there is a common misconception in the public that because of the doctrine of the separation of church and state, churches and pastors cannot make political statements.  In fact, however, there is no law against churches or pastors making political statements.  What does exist on the books is a regulation that prohibits churches from endorsing political candidates for office if they want to maintain their tax-exempt status.  I am making no endorsement of any political candidate.)

Now, what I want to tell you is that I will be voting against Amendment One.  Here, in brief, are my reasons:

·         Chiefly, as a life-long North Carolinian I believe that Amendment One moves the State of North Carolina further away from being the kind of place I would like to see it be: a place where all persons are welcomed and have full rights, regardless of their sexual orientation. 

·         Additionally, I will be voting against Amendment One because it is poorly written and has harmful unintended consequences.  These may include:

o   Harms to Children: A child of an unmarried parent could lose their health care coverage, a child could be taken away from one parent if something were to happen to the other parent, and Amendment One threatens existing child custody and visitation rights.

o   Harms to Women: Amendment One could take away domestic violence protections for all unmarried women, and domestic violence protections could only apply to married couples.

o   Harms to Unmarried Seniors: Single or widowed senior couples could be forced to marry to keep their legal protections which could cause them to lose their pensions, health care, and social security benefits that they have been earning in their lifetimes.

In every church there are always some folks who want me to say more things like this and some other folks who want me to say less.  But if I were to say nothing, then I would be falling short of the high mark set by my predecessors in this office who spoke up when very important issues came before the people. 

Thank you for your receptiveness to my statement, whether you agree with me or not.  Please join me in being in prayer over the next several days as we go to the polls to register our votes.

-Rev. Taylor Mills