Obama speaks out against Minnesota marriage amendment
|
||
|
Seattle Gay News
click here to go to the main SGN website
posted Friday, April 13, 2012 - Volume 40 Issue 15 Obama speaks out against Minnesota marriage amendmentby Mike Andrew - SGN Staff Writer President Obama opposes Minnesota's proposed constitutional amendment barring same-sex marriage, his campaign said on April 9. 'While the president does not weigh in on every single ballot measure in every state, the record is clear that the president has long opposed divisive and discriminatory efforts to deny rights and benefits to same-sex couples,' said Obama for America spokesperson Kristin Sosanie. 'That's what the Minnesota ballot initiative would do - it would single out and discriminate against committed Gay and Lesbian couples - and that's why the president does not support it.' The measure was adopted by vote of the state legislature in May 2011, and will go on the November ballot for approval by voters. Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton - like Obama, a Democrat - vetoed the amendment even though his signature was not required to put it on the ballot. Minnesota's Democratic legislators, who voted against the measure last May, issued a statement welcoming the president's opposition. 'We are very happy to see President Obama's strong opposition to the anti-marriage amendment that will be on the November ballot here in Minnesota and we echo his sentiment,' they said. 'The proposed amendment would rewrite our constitution for the sole purpose of denying freedoms to a certain group of Minnesotans. Marriage is about love and commitment, and our state constitution should never be used to make it illegal for some Minnesotans to marry the person they love. Freedom means freedom for everybody - no exceptions, no exclusions.' The LGBT rights group Minnesotans United for All Families also celebrated Obama's statement. 'Minnesotans United for All Families is thrilled to see President Obama publicly opposing the proposed constitutional amendment to limit the freedom to marry,' they said in a statement. 'President Obama has spoken out time and again about his belief that Gays and Lesbians deserve the same legal rights as all Americans. This amendment would exclude Gays and Lesbians from the right to marry. It would use the constitution to tell Gays and Lesbians it's illegal to marry the person you love. The amendment does not represent the values Minnesotans hold dear - that marriage is about love and commitment, and that freedom means freedom for everyone. 'We're happy that President Obama and Minnesotans from all walks of life see this amendment for what it is - a government exclusion to a group of people simply because of who they are.' Gov. Dayton has continued to speak out against the proposed amendment. 'Any American should be able to love the person he or she loves. And that should be a right protected by the Minnesota Constitution and by the United States Constitution,' he said in a recent speech. 'But I had a dream over the weekend. And we'll see how prophetic my dream is. I dreamt that Minnesota would be the first state in the nation to reject this kind of measure. I think Minnesota's better than that.' A May 2011 poll by the Public Policy Polling Institute found that 72% of Minnesota voters favored some sort of legal recognition for same-sex relationships. Of those, 38% favored equal marriage rights, and 34% favored civil unions only. On the specific issue of the amendment, however, voters were evenly split. Forty-seven percent opposed the amendment barring marriage equality, but 46% supported it, indicating that voters who support civil unions are tending to break against equal marriage rights if forced into an up-or-down vote on the issue. |
next story | |
| Sen. Murray meets vets, discusses post-DADT problems ------------------------------
No R74 petitions in our churches, say Catholic priests
------------------------------
New report shows Hispanics more likely to support LGBT community
------------------------------
Psychological study suggests homophobes may be Gay------------------------------
Lambda Legal files federal suit for marriage equality in Nevada------------------------------
First indictment under federal hate crimes law------------------------------
New Maine poll shows majority favor marriage equality
------------------------------
Montana Supreme Court will hear domestic partnership case------------------------------
Obama speaks out against Minnesota marriage amendment
------------------------------
No executive order on contractor nondiscrimination, White House says------------------------------
OutServe announces Military Partners Group to co-sponsor D.C. summit------------------------------
Log Cabin Republicans elect three new board members------------------------------
Israel, the Gays, and Equality Forum
------------------------------
General Gayety: Catholics and Gay marriage: Schisms-R-Us------------------------------
The OutField: Lisa Howe has hope------------------------------
Felony charges in HIV drug scam
------------------------------
Spitzer retracts 2001 landmark ex-Gay studyBREAKING NEWS ------------------------------ ------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
Is Support for Gay Rights Still Controversial?------------------------------
Man faces murder charge over death of gay activist------------------------------
Five members of LGBTQ Advocacy Organization Arrested at Colorado Christian University
------------------------------ SEIU's Eliseo Medina Joins Americans for Marriage Equality ------------------------------ A fairer workplace in federal contracting ------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
|
||