Obama: Opposed to traditional marriage amendment in North Carolina

Washington, D.C. - President Barack Obama on Friday issued a statement in opposition to a proposed constitutional amendment which would define marriage as a heterosexual union in North Carolina.

The Obama campaign called the amendment discriminatory in a statement, the News & Observer reported.

"While the president does not weigh in on every single ballot measure in every state, the record is clear that the president has long opposed divisive and discriminatory efforts to deny rights and benefits to same sex couples," said Cameron French, spokesman for the North Carolina campaign.

"That's what the North Carolina ballot initiative would do – it would single out and discriminate against committed gay and lesbian couples – and that's why the president does not support it."

Evan Wolfson of Freedom to Marry applauded the president's comments.

"The White House's strong restatement of President Obama's opposition to anti-gay measures such as the proposed discriminatory constitutional amendment in North Carolina is one more reason voters should reject such ugly attempts to divide Americans and put obstacles in the path of people seeking to take care of their loved ones in sickness and in health and in tough economic times," Wolfson said in a statement. "It is wrong to deny loving and committed couples the freedom to marry, wrong to smuggle in language that would bar not only marriage but all other forms of recognition for families such as civil union or partnership, and wrong to write discrimination into the constitution. Freedom to Marry applauds the president and urges voters in North Carolina and throughout the country to stay true to the Golden Rule of treating others as we ourselves would want to be treated."

If approved on May 8, the amendment would bar North Carolina from recognizing the relationships of gay and lesbian couples with marriage, civil unions and possibly domestic partnerships.