Twin Cities Daily Planet (https://www.tcdailyplanet.net/author/andy-birkey/page/7/)
The Minnesota Department of Health is putting together “Healthy Minnesota 2020,” a statewide health improvement plan that aims to improve the health of Minnesotans. The words gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, HIV or AIDS are noticeably absent from the document.
Even a section about school safety does not touch on issues of sexual orientation or gender identity, or bullying.
Campaign finance reports for the groups supporting and opposing the anti-gay marriage amendment are out and the differences could not be more striking. Minnesota for Marriage, the group that supports the amendment, raised $588,000 while Minnesotans United for All Families came in with $3.1 million.Those numbers are since January of this year.Since the campaigns began, Minnesota for Marriage has raised $1.4 million. Minnesotans United for All Families has raised $4.6 million.The contrast becomes stark when looking at the individual donors that have given to each campaign over the last 6 months.Minnesota for Marriage raised $33,000 from 26 individual donors. Eighty-five percent of those donations were from Minnesota.Minnesotans United for All Families had 16,234 individual donors, 91 percent of which were from Minnesota.That contrasts with a statement by Minnesota for Marriage chairman John Helmberger earlier this week claiming that the resources by amendment opponents were coming from out of state.“Our opponents are raising money from same sex marriage activists across the country,” Helmberger said. “And although we have always expected that they will outspend us, as marriage protection opponents have in every other state dealing with this issue, we are confident that the people of Minnesota will come together to raise the resources necessary to win and not let our state’s definition of marriage be defined by activist judges or liberal out of state organizations.”In fact, for both sides, the majority of donors have been Minnesotans, but for Minnesotans United, more money has come from Minnesota as a percentage of individuals donors than it has for Minnesota for Marriage. Continue Reading
William Mitchell College of Law faculty voted on Wednesday to oppose a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage which will be on the ballot in November. In an email to faculty, staff and students, Eric Janus, Vice Dean of the school, the resolution was passed by a “substantial majority” of the faculty.“As you may have heard, this morning the Faculty of William Mitchell adopted a resolution opposing the proposed amendment to the Minnesota Constitution that would constitutionally define marriage as between one man and one woman (That definition is currently state law in Minnesota.)” wrote Janus. “While some Faculty members opposed the resolution, the resolution passed by a substantial majority of the Faculty.Janus was careful to explain that the resolution is not the college’s stance on the issue, just the faculty’s.“The faculty resolution expresses the sentiment that adoption of the constitutional amendment might hinder the school’s ability to maintain our culture with respect to LGBT employees and students,” wrote Janus. “Equally as important is our bedrock principle of academic freedom and freedom of expression. The Faculty’s vote does not establish or express an official position of the college on marriage, and every single one of our employees and students remains free to adopt and express her or his own views on the subject of marriage.”The resolution includes a statement acknowledging that some members of the William Mithcell community may disagree.“Many people of good faith support [the] Amendment [defining marriage as between one man and one woman], including some co-workers, students, and alumni, and they have every right to do so.”The resolution can be viewed here. Continue Reading
St. Louis Park joined Minneapolis, St. Paul and Duluth on Monday when the city council voted in favor of a resolution against the anti-gay marriage amendment slated for the 2012 ballot.
An attempt to repeal an anti-gay marriage amendment failed in a Senate committee on Wednesday. Rep. Mary Jo McGuire of Falcon Heights (pictured, above) attempted to amend a proposed — and controversial — voter ID constitutional amendment with language that would repeal the anti-gay marriage amendment. The effort failed along party lines.McGuire made the motion in the Local Government and Elections committee on Wednesday afternoon.“I’m giving you an opportunity to actually repeal something we already passed, a constitutional amendment on defining marriage, which I absolutely think should not be in our constitution,” she said.Committee Chair Ray Vandeveer, a Republican from Forest Lake, tried at first to prevent a vote on the amendment saying it was not germane. When pressed, however, a Senate lawyer said it could go through.Sen. Warren Limmer, a Republican from Maple Grove and the chief sponsor of the anti-gay marriage amendment last year, demanded that the vote be recorded in the Senate Journal.McGuire’s motion failed along party lines, 8 nos and 6 yeses.Two bills to repeal the anti-gay marriage amendment remain alive in both the House and the Senate, though it’s unlikely either will get a hearing from Republican committee chairs.“This fall, Minnesota voters will be asked whether we should amend our state’s constitution to ban marriage for loving, caring and committed same-sex couples,” McGuire said after the vote. “Leading up to the election, Minnesota families will be subjected to a negative and expensive campaign that threatens to marginalize one group of people and deeply divide our state. Continue Reading
A poll released by Public Policy Polling on Friday shows that both sides of the anti-gay marriage amendment are under 50 percent. 48 percent of voters said they support the amendment and 44 percent say they are opposed. The margin of error is 2.8 percent. 8 percent said they weren’t sure, a considerable number given Minnesota quirky ballot measure laws.The poll, conducted last Saturday and Sunday shows that 58 percent of those older than those age 65 would vote for the measure, 23 percent of Democrats intend to vote for it, as well as 50 percent of independents and 74 percent of Republicans. Minority voters are more likely to vote for the amendment at 51 percent to 48 percent of white voters.54 percent of voters under age 29 intend to vote against it, compared to 43 percent who intend to vote for it. Continue Reading
DFL legislators in the Minnesota House introduced a bill during the legislative recess on Friday to repeal a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage from the 2012 ballot. The bill faces high hurdles as the Republicans still control the House.Here’s text of the bill:H.F. No. 1885, as introduced – 87th Legislative Session (2011-2012) Posted on Jan 13, 2012A bill for an act relating to marriage; repealing a proposed amendment to the Minnesota Constitution recognizing marriage as only a union between one man and one woman;repealing Laws 2011, chapter 88. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:Section 1. REPEALER. Continue Reading
The Eden Prairie City Council approved an ordinance creating a domestic partner registry on Tuesday night. The city becomes the 18th in Minnesota to offer a domestic partner registry and passed overwhelmingly, except for Council Member Brad Aho, the council’s endorsed Republican member, who spoke against the ordinance for nearly 10 minutes before casting the lone vote against it.“Marriage strengthens our society and that’s why we honor and give it benefits specific to marriage. If the people of Minnesota choose to redefine marriage in the election year this year that really going to be addressed at the state level,” Aho said.However, contrary to his statement, the anti-gay marriage amendment slated for the 2012 ballot would not “redefine marriage” but would place a ban on same-sex marriage into the state constitution. If the ballot measure fails, same-sex marriage will remain illegal.Aho continued, “Local city government has no business trying to define this without a vote of all residents. This ordinance undermines the foundation of our society being based on marriage and infers that any relationship is equal to marriage between one man and one woman.”He then said that since married couples don’t have their marriages registered with the city, it is discrimination.“It is discriminatory against married people. Continue Reading
Jeff Wilfahrt has been a strong voice against a proposed amendment to the Minnesota Constitution banning rights for same-sex couples, and he intends to bring that voice to the Minnesota Legislature in 2013. Last week, he filed to run in his district in Rosemount.In a letter to friends and fellow advocated of LGBT equality, Wilfahrt explained his decision to run for office.“I turn to you hoping you recognize that my wife and I have put ourselves forward to advance the protection of the MN Constitution and keep discriminatory amendments out of that document. I intend to work for progressive causes here at the state level,” he said. “As you are aware last year in 2011 we lost our eldest son to an IED in Afghanistan. Had the GOP not put forward the Marriage Amendment for the 2012 ballot many of you would not know my name nor would you be receiving this beg letter.”Jeff and his wife Lori lost their son Andrew to an IED in 2011. Continue Reading
A slew of conservative Christian parents — and even an orthodox rabbi — implored the Anoka-Hennepin School District to purge schools of any mention of homosexuality and demanded that teachers teach