North Carolina ruling trashes archaic “morality”
The American Civil Liberties Union of North
Carolina today applauded a state court decision declaring the state’s
201-year-old ban on cohabitation to be unconstitutional.
The American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina today applauded a state court decision declaring the state’s 201-year-old ban on cohabitation to be unconstitutional.
The ACLU had filed the case on behalf of Debora Hobbs, an unmarried woman who lost her job as a 911 dispatcher with the Pender County Sheriff’s Office simply because she chose to live with her unmarried boyfriend.
“I am absolutely thrilled with the court’s decision,” said Hobbs. “I just didn’t think it was any of my employer’s business whether I was married or not, as long as I was good at my job, and I am happy that no one else will ever have to be subjected to this law. I couldn’t believe that I was being given this ultimatum to choose between my boyfriend or my livelihood because the Sheriff was enforcing a 201-year-old law that clearly violates my civil rights.”
In February 2004, shortly after starting her job as a dispatcher for the Pender County Sheriff’s Office, Hobbs was told that she would be required to marry her partner, move out of the house they shared together, or leave her job.
Ignorant voters who leave laws like this on the books — are as useless as the demagogues who try to keep them in place.
Posted: Fri - July 21, 2006 at 05:50 AM