The facts: At a Graduate Student Social Work Association sponsored event, students were able to register to vote, in hopes of spreading awareness and support against Amendment.

Our opinion: One of the speakers claimed this amendment was solely used as a distraction from other pressing matters—citizens should take note of this and maintain focus on North Carolina’s social issues, while keeping up with the economic ones.  

The event Tuesday evening attempted to garner support against the amendment by highlighting the negative impacts it could have on the state. At the event Reverend William J. Barber II spoke about the proposed amendment claiming it was purposed in attempts to distract voters from pressing issues. North Carolina legislators are using this amendment as a ploy to cover the issues of economic crisis with a party-line vote for/against social injustice being written into our constitution.

Amendment One defines marriage between a man and a woman, and North Carolina voters will be able to weigh in on this proposed amendment May 8. If passed, the amendment would prevent all domestic unions, other than marriage between a nan and a woman.

However, with an Elon University poll showing 57 percent of North Carolina’s citizens support same-sex marriage, North Carolina legislators could be using this Amendment to cover up their bigger concern of an economic crisis: employment rates decreasing, educational funding being lowered and tax rates growing. Choosing an Amendment so controversial, which has citizens galvanized for debate, forces voters to stick with party lines when voting.

Voters should avoid falling prey to this ploy. Amendment One has the potential to significantly impact our society; however, we should take cognizance of the others issues as well. 

We could harness the same intensity of passion toward Amendment One and align it to other issues. Not replace, merely put forth an extra effort to a different issue.

With the debt ceiling increase becoming a continual process for our government, the General Assembly is cutting back where they feel it’s needed. These cuts will have a direct impact as to how much funding is given to education, which correlates to the cost of tuition. If for nothing else, student voters of N.C. State should recognize the need for economic change—if not for the good of the state, than for their, or their parents’, wallets.

As the current economic times yield 440,022 unemployed individuals as of last December, nearly 9.8 percent of North Carolinian voters need to come together—not based on party lines, but as North Carolinians—to force the hand of our legislators in solving our government’s fiscal irresponsibility. 

Don’t just stand passionately about one issue; look at the other factors affecting our environment. As a state, we need to deal with our social and economic climate in the upcoming elections before it reaches the point of no return.