N.C. same-sex amendment worries gay Dems

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Jan. 3 (UPI) -- The Democratic National Convention is to be held in Charlotte, N.C., four months after the state votes on a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.

Organizers expect Charlotte, North Carolina's largest city, to be welcoming, The Charlotte Observer reported. But they worry about the impact if the amendment passes.

"There's the potential that we're going to be greeted to the state with another one of those heinous marriage amendments," Jerame Davis, interim executive director of the National Stonewall Democrats, said. "That's definitely not putting out the welcome mat to LGBT people coming to the state."

President Obama gets high marks for ending the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy and for signing the Hate Crimes Prevention Act. A record number of gay delegates are expected to come to Charlotte, which recently elected its first openly gay City Council member.

"The LGBT community here in Charlotte was one of the biggest supporters for the city's efforts to land the DNC, and we look forward to welcoming all of our delegates to Charlotte in September," said Steve Kerrigan, the first open homosexual to serve as chief executive officer of the Democratic National Convention Committee.