CUCC's Open and Affirming Task Force (ONATF) invites the people of CUCC to sign a letter thanking Governor McCrory for his veto of the Magistrates Recusal for Civil Ceremonies (SB2). On Sunday, June 7, after worship, Suzette Roach will be at a table in the fellowship hall with a letter for your signature (for letter text, see below). Although the ONATF does not know if the NC General Assembly will override the governor's veto, we think it is important to thank him for his action.
On Thursday, May 28, Governor McCrory issued the following statement:
"I recognize that for many North Carolinians, including myself, opinions on same-sex marriage come from sincerely held religious beliefs that marriage is between a man and a woman. However, we are a nation and a state of laws. Whether it is the president, governor, mayor, a law enforcement officer, or magistrate, no public official who voluntarily swears to support and defend the Constitution and to discharge all duties of their office should be exempt from upholding that oath; therefore, I will veto Senate Bill 2."
Text of the letter for your signature
Dear Governor McCrory:
Thank you for vetoing SB2. We agree that public employees must uphold the constitution of our state and serve all North Carolinians without bias.
For us, this law is personal. We count among our members couples and families – gay and straight – who enrich our life together and join the work of serving the community. In their daily lives they are living examples of God’s love. We grieved and were angered that some of these couples might face a magistrate who was given legal permission to treat them differently than other couples.
As people of faith, we value the tradition of civil disobedience for reasons of conscience in the face of unjust laws. In civil disobedience, one knowingly breaks the law and suffers the consequences in order to change the law. One does not seek a personal exception from the law. We also recognize conscientious objection to war. Of the options for conscientious objection, none include selecting which tasks in an assignment to perform. We will pray for the North Carolina magistrates who are struggling with laws affirming marriage equality; we know how hard it is when conscience and work collide. However, we do not recognize that they have a right to retain their jobs while performing them with bias.
With your veto, you upheld justice in our state and you made a difference in our lives. Thank you.
Sincerely,
- submitted by the Open and Affirming Task Force
On Thursday, May 28, Governor McCrory issued the following statement:
"I recognize that for many North Carolinians, including myself, opinions on same-sex marriage come from sincerely held religious beliefs that marriage is between a man and a woman. However, we are a nation and a state of laws. Whether it is the president, governor, mayor, a law enforcement officer, or magistrate, no public official who voluntarily swears to support and defend the Constitution and to discharge all duties of their office should be exempt from upholding that oath; therefore, I will veto Senate Bill 2."
Text of the letter for your signature
Dear Governor McCrory:
Thank you for vetoing SB2. We agree that public employees must uphold the constitution of our state and serve all North Carolinians without bias.
For us, this law is personal. We count among our members couples and families – gay and straight – who enrich our life together and join the work of serving the community. In their daily lives they are living examples of God’s love. We grieved and were angered that some of these couples might face a magistrate who was given legal permission to treat them differently than other couples.
As people of faith, we value the tradition of civil disobedience for reasons of conscience in the face of unjust laws. In civil disobedience, one knowingly breaks the law and suffers the consequences in order to change the law. One does not seek a personal exception from the law. We also recognize conscientious objection to war. Of the options for conscientious objection, none include selecting which tasks in an assignment to perform. We will pray for the North Carolina magistrates who are struggling with laws affirming marriage equality; we know how hard it is when conscience and work collide. However, we do not recognize that they have a right to retain their jobs while performing them with bias.
With your veto, you upheld justice in our state and you made a difference in our lives. Thank you.
Sincerely,
- submitted by the Open and Affirming Task Force