Regardless of your leanings on Gay marriage, the recent attempt to force an amendment to North Carolina’s constitution on the issue is at least a waste of time.

More than likely it is also political pandering to conservatives.

Considering the evidence, one could question whether some conservative groups aren’t just trying to whip the masses into a frenzy to increase their political power.

About 3,000 conservatives showed up on the streets of Raleigh Tuesday in support of a statewide vote to push for a constitutional amendment defining marriage as being between a man and a woman.

Hellooooo?

It’s already state law.

State law defines marriage as one created by “consent of a male and female person.” Seems pretty clear cut.

A constitutional amendment would be more difficult to change than this statute, but the current environment in North Carolina doesn’t seem to offer much easy change of that particular law.

Even if you oppose Gay marriage, why would you feel the need to demand a constitutional amendment in this place, in this time when thousands of jobless people are on the verge of going hungry and homeless?

Most likely it is irrational, homophobic fear that drives conservatives to beat their chests about the issue.

So they stir up their constituents, spend countless hours bending the ears and arms of legislators for an answer that really has no question. It’s already the law.

Democrats buried the proposal in four committee reviews, an unheard of number of steps for passing a measure. A constitutional amendment is a huge change, worthy of significant review, but in truth, Democratic leaders are using politics, also.

They are burying the measure in committee because doing so is the most expedient way of moving on to the state’s urgent business -- finding a way to help their constituents obtain food, shelter, heat and healthcare in an economic crisis ballooning to more than $3 billion in state deficit.

They could spend countless hours debating Gay marriage and fending off accusations that they are the devil’s spawn.

They could spend their time that way or they could spend it trying to find a way to make sure the state’s hungry and homeless are fed and housed. They could spend it trying to find ways to encourage jobs that would feed, and house and provide health care to state residents.