ShyGuyInChicago
May 22nd, 2011, 12:05 AM
http://www.startribune.com/politics/statelocal/122401039.html?page=all&prepage=1&c=y#continue
After a passionate, solemn debate that lasted deep into Saturday night, the Minnesota House voted 70-62 to put a constitutional amendment on marriage before Minnesota voters. The proposal would define marriage as the union of one man and one woman.
With the Senate already having approved the bill, the question will be put on the election ballot in November 2012.
"I do not believe it is up to judges or even this body, but it should be up to Minnesotans," Rep. Steve Gottwalt, R-St. Cloud, sponsor of the bill, said during the debate. But he said his beliefs are not paramount: "It is not about what I think. It is about what we think as Minnesotans."
In personal, sometimes tearful speeches, opponents said the amendment is wrong.
"Members, I understand discrimination. I have experienced discrimination. And have felt discrimination," said Rep. John Ward, DFL-Brainerd, who often holds his microphone in a shrunken hand. "If you think there is a tiny bit of discrimination in this amendment, I beg you, I ask you, I implore you to vote no."
In an early action, members voted 71-61 to allow the debate to move forward for a full vote.
The proposal is likely to set off multimillion-dollar campaigns from both sides. It also would draw in national donors, operatives and attention, as did campaigns in several dozen other states that have voted on the issue.
Minnesota law already bans gay marriage, but backers of the proposal say only a constitutional amendment could keep courts from deciding the issue. An amendment also works around DFL Gov. Mark Dayton, who said he opposes it with "every fiber" of his being. Governors have no veto over constitutional amendments passed by a legislative majority.
In other states, marriage amendments have passed. But the mood on gay marriage may be changing. According to a recent Star Tribune poll, a slim majority in the state opposes the proposed amendment.
With Republicans now in control of the House, it had seemed a near certainty that lawmakers would approve the amendment earlier this year. The Minnesota Senate passed it two weeks ago, 37-27, with all Republicans and one Democrat voting yes.
Since then the situation in the House has become less clear.
Two Republicans -- Reps. John Kriesel and Tim Kelly-- publicly opposed the measure, and Democrats who were once supporters began backing off. Advocates for both sides pressured lawmakers. Social conservative activists and donors have made amendment passage a key priority and made that clear to the members they helped elect. Gay rights groups were equally adamant, prompting thousands of Minnesotans to camp outside the House chamber for days, chanting, singing and cheering.
Heightening the tension, on Friday, Bradlee Dean, a firebrand pastor, took to the House rostrum to give a two-minute opening prayer as a guest chaplain. His prayer and his history, which includes advocating for jailing gay people, set off a firestorm. In an emotional speech, House Speaker Kurt Zellers, R-Maple Grove, apologized and denounced Dean and his words.
The uproar cast the vote even further in doubt.
But Saturday afternoon, with a few hours notice, House leaders decided it was time to vote.
Quiet prevails
The usual din of conversation, laughter and paper rustling was absent during much of the debate. At one point during the critical vote to send the measure back to committee, the room fell dead quiet as the vote board lit up, except for the slow squeak of a chair.
Gottwalt sat quietly, intently listening to each speaker. For hours, only opponents spoke of their passionately felt views, telling of their own experiences with anti-Semitism, racial discrimination, military service, love, pain and values. Other than Gottwalt, no amendment supporters spoke.
DFL Sen. Roger Reinert came to the House floor to watch the proceedings. From the back of the chambers, he wrote a note to Rep. Kory Kath, a Democrat from a conservative district. Kath only recently decided to vote against the amendment. The note read: "I am proud of you Kory. -- Roger"
As they had all week, before the vote legislators moved single-file into the Minnesota House as hundreds of protesters lined the hall on both sides and loudly chanted "Just Vote No!" on the amendment.
State troopers lined the hall, making sure the legislators had enough room to move.
By late evening, as the House began the debate, opponents far outnumbered supporters, but Mark Fischer of Richfield stood outside the chamber with a sign reading "Protect Marriage in Minnesota."
"Those who want a 'No' vote, those who want a 'Yes' vote came about through the union of one man and one woman. And that union brings about the future of our society," he said. "I want to make sure the voice of the state at large is heard and not just the voice of those who are in the Twin Cities."
During the debate, the watching crowd hushe to listen.
Cari Trousdale, a nurse from St. Paul, broke into tears as she watched Rep. Karen Clark, who is gay, address the body on a television near the rotunda.
Her female partner embraced her as she cried.
"This is absolutely a human rights issue and a civil rights issue," Trousdale said.
This disgusts me.
After a passionate, solemn debate that lasted deep into Saturday night, the Minnesota House voted 70-62 to put a constitutional amendment on marriage before Minnesota voters. The proposal would define marriage as the union of one man and one woman.
With the Senate already having approved the bill, the question will be put on the election ballot in November 2012.
"I do not believe it is up to judges or even this body, but it should be up to Minnesotans," Rep. Steve Gottwalt, R-St. Cloud, sponsor of the bill, said during the debate. But he said his beliefs are not paramount: "It is not about what I think. It is about what we think as Minnesotans."
In personal, sometimes tearful speeches, opponents said the amendment is wrong.
"Members, I understand discrimination. I have experienced discrimination. And have felt discrimination," said Rep. John Ward, DFL-Brainerd, who often holds his microphone in a shrunken hand. "If you think there is a tiny bit of discrimination in this amendment, I beg you, I ask you, I implore you to vote no."
In an early action, members voted 71-61 to allow the debate to move forward for a full vote.
The proposal is likely to set off multimillion-dollar campaigns from both sides. It also would draw in national donors, operatives and attention, as did campaigns in several dozen other states that have voted on the issue.
Minnesota law already bans gay marriage, but backers of the proposal say only a constitutional amendment could keep courts from deciding the issue. An amendment also works around DFL Gov. Mark Dayton, who said he opposes it with "every fiber" of his being. Governors have no veto over constitutional amendments passed by a legislative majority.
In other states, marriage amendments have passed. But the mood on gay marriage may be changing. According to a recent Star Tribune poll, a slim majority in the state opposes the proposed amendment.
With Republicans now in control of the House, it had seemed a near certainty that lawmakers would approve the amendment earlier this year. The Minnesota Senate passed it two weeks ago, 37-27, with all Republicans and one Democrat voting yes.
Since then the situation in the House has become less clear.
Two Republicans -- Reps. John Kriesel and Tim Kelly-- publicly opposed the measure, and Democrats who were once supporters began backing off. Advocates for both sides pressured lawmakers. Social conservative activists and donors have made amendment passage a key priority and made that clear to the members they helped elect. Gay rights groups were equally adamant, prompting thousands of Minnesotans to camp outside the House chamber for days, chanting, singing and cheering.
Heightening the tension, on Friday, Bradlee Dean, a firebrand pastor, took to the House rostrum to give a two-minute opening prayer as a guest chaplain. His prayer and his history, which includes advocating for jailing gay people, set off a firestorm. In an emotional speech, House Speaker Kurt Zellers, R-Maple Grove, apologized and denounced Dean and his words.
The uproar cast the vote even further in doubt.
But Saturday afternoon, with a few hours notice, House leaders decided it was time to vote.
Quiet prevails
The usual din of conversation, laughter and paper rustling was absent during much of the debate. At one point during the critical vote to send the measure back to committee, the room fell dead quiet as the vote board lit up, except for the slow squeak of a chair.
Gottwalt sat quietly, intently listening to each speaker. For hours, only opponents spoke of their passionately felt views, telling of their own experiences with anti-Semitism, racial discrimination, military service, love, pain and values. Other than Gottwalt, no amendment supporters spoke.
DFL Sen. Roger Reinert came to the House floor to watch the proceedings. From the back of the chambers, he wrote a note to Rep. Kory Kath, a Democrat from a conservative district. Kath only recently decided to vote against the amendment. The note read: "I am proud of you Kory. -- Roger"
As they had all week, before the vote legislators moved single-file into the Minnesota House as hundreds of protesters lined the hall on both sides and loudly chanted "Just Vote No!" on the amendment.
State troopers lined the hall, making sure the legislators had enough room to move.
By late evening, as the House began the debate, opponents far outnumbered supporters, but Mark Fischer of Richfield stood outside the chamber with a sign reading "Protect Marriage in Minnesota."
"Those who want a 'No' vote, those who want a 'Yes' vote came about through the union of one man and one woman. And that union brings about the future of our society," he said. "I want to make sure the voice of the state at large is heard and not just the voice of those who are in the Twin Cities."
During the debate, the watching crowd hushe to listen.
Cari Trousdale, a nurse from St. Paul, broke into tears as she watched Rep. Karen Clark, who is gay, address the body on a television near the rotunda.
Her female partner embraced her as she cried.
"This is absolutely a human rights issue and a civil rights issue," Trousdale said.
This disgusts me.