Twin Cities Pride Parade!

Great turnout for the Twin Cities GLBT Pride Parade today!  Great to see so much support from the community and elected officials.  Take Pride Minnesota!

We Love You New York!

Congratulations New York! We love you! (Image: 123RF)

New York state became the sixth state to legalize same-sex marriage!  Way to go New York!  Minnesota loves you!  Kudos!

Minnesota’s Vote on Same-Sex Marriage

In 2012, voters in Minnesota will vote on a Constitutional Amendment banning Same-Sex Marriage in Minnesota.  There are many other states that currently have Constitutional Amendments banning same-sex marriage, but just because it has been done before elsewhere doesn’t mean it is a good idea.

In fact, banning same-sex marriage is a horrible idea.  First of all, it is outright discriminatory and same-sex marriage *should be* protected under the 1st Amendment’s clause outlining freedom of assembly.  Even that legalistic issue aside, a ban on same-sex marriage fails on moral grounds.  This line of argument was very elegantly stated by Minnesota DFL Representative Steve Simon (Hopkins/St. Louis Park) during a hearing on whether or not to put this measure on the 2012 ballot:

Lastly, a ban on same-sex marriage fails on practical grounds.  First of all, a ban on same-sex marriage is going to alienate same-sex couples already living in Minnesota and sends the wrong kind of message.  Secondly, I find it ironic that GOP state lawmakers who talk so much about wanting to stimulate the state’s economy are the same ones who pushed this measure through when all of the evidence (not just from the states but from around the world) indicates that bans on same-sex marriage are actually bad for the economy.  For more information, check out this article (and the podcast) from MPR’s Tom Scheck discussing the economic implications a ban on same-sex marriage would have on Minnesota’s already struggling economy: http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/04/28/economic-cost-of-same-sex-marriage-fight/