Triangle: Man walks to Capitol to protest amendment passage
Carolinas News Notes
by Lainey Millen Special Assignments specialassignments@goqnotes.com
Published: July 7, 2012 in Carolinas News Notes
RALEIGH, N.C. — Randy Gillis said he needed to clear his head after passage of Amendment One on May 8.
So, he trekked along 96 miles of backroads from his home in Sophia, N.C., to the General Assembly in Raleigh.
He did not like the way his state had “changed overnight” and “felt like an alien.”
He took off on June 9, arriving in the Tar Heel State capital five days later with 23 letters addressed to state Sen. Peter Brunstetter, one of the amendment’s architects, from people from around the state, both gay and straight, whose lives were impacted negatively by Amendment One, whichwaync.com reported.
His journey did not go without incident. He was attached three times by dogs, endured rain storms and blisters.
Wearing a T-shirt that said “GAY” painted on it and a similar banner across his backpack, he was stopped by police officers who informed him that the senator would be unavailable to meet with him due to budget discussion meetings. He gave the letters, along with one he crafted to accompany it, to Lt. Martin Brock of General Assembly police. Brock said he’d make sure that the senator received the package.
To read the letter, visit whichwaync.com/2012/06/21/a-letter-on-amendment-one/.


QNotes explores two urban homes and gardens in our "Springtime in the City" issue, plus news on openly gay candidates, legislative updates and regional news from the Carolinas and abroad.
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