LGBT Equality Rally Draws Thousands

OutFront’s justFair Lobby Day drew between 2,000 and 3,000 people to the State Capitol in St. Paul Thursday afternoon, according to event organizers and press accounts. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Minnesotans from Grand Rapids and Duluth to Rochester and Mankato brought family and friends along to support several bills this session that will benefit LGBT families. This year has seen unparallelled support from elected officials. As many as two dozen majority-party state legislators appeared before the crowd or sent remarks and support if they were absent because of a session vote. Here are a few samples of what speakers said to the crowd:

OutFront Minnesota Executive Director Ann DeGroot: “Welcome to OutFront Minnesota’s justFair Lobby Day… It is a new day. Someone this morning said to me ‘It’s so nice to not have to wear a sticker that says “Vote No.”

Former State Sen. Allan Spear, one of the first openly gay elected officials in the nation (he came out in 1974), spoke first: “It’s great to be here at the Capitol when we are able to lobby for positive things other than just come over here to prevent something terrible. We’re on the offensive not the defensive.”

Rep. Keith Ellison’s District Director Brian Elliot read a letter from Ellison: “We have a moral responsibility to teach future generations that love is the founding principle upon which a family and a community are built. Attempts to limit how we love or who we love do not contribute to building a healthy community and should have no place in our legislature.” He said Ellison is proud to be a freshman co-sponsor of the Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Bill and of the bill to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.

Rep. Karen Clark, the longest-serving openly lesbian elected official in the nation, spoke next: “[These bills] are our bread-and-butter issues. The reason I use the phrase “bread-and-butter issues” is this: The other day I was in a committee meeting and there were some folks who happened to be on the other side of these issues, although we do have Republican allies, and it’s very important you know that. They were carrying on and on about the dangerous gay and lesbian lifestyle and that we were bringing these issues that are poison pills to the legislature, and I had the opportunity to say to them, ‘But your poison pill is our bread-and-butter issue. Our right to have domestic partnerships in our community is a real bread-and-butter issue. So don’t be calling these a poison pill. These are what we need.’” Clark also mentioned that Keith Ellison is working with openly gay Rep. Barney Frank on an initiative for housing for elder LGBT people.

Rep. Neva Walker spoke about the fight for justice for all Minnesotans. “Guess What? Our day is here. Some keep saying that Democrats shouldn’t be pushing any biased or partisan legislation that will divide us as a state. Well, I’m happy to say that Democrats are with you and strong because it’s not about dividing us a state. It’s about time we come together as a full state and remember that all of us are citizens… Remember a couple of years ago? It was rough… It may have taken a little longer, but 2006 proved that we have justice on our side.” 

Sen. Scott Dibble introduced more than three dozen state legislators, mayors and advocates and then addressed the crowd: “You know why I love this country and why I love being a part of this community so much? Because look at all of you. You are at your state’s Capitol. You are within eyesight and earshot of your governor’s office right there in room 130.” That remark brought loud cheers from the crowd. “Today you are going into that Capitol and you’re sitting with your elected representatives. You are telling them your stories, our stories and what your expectations of them are… Minnesota is a place where we care for each other.”

Secretary of State Mark Ritchie spoke passionately about hospital visitation rights. “The reason I’m here today with such passion is because of one of the key issues really touches my soul. Those of you who have been in the hospital with a loved one on the brink of death and been able to hold that loved ones hand and pray and say goodbye know what that means, and that denial of a human right, or civil right. It’s not just unAmerican, it’s a denial of a spiritual right.”

Rep. John Marty said, “If I want to see family values in practice, I want to come to a GLBT rally. This is what family values are all about… We are going to do something [this session] that I cannot believe people in this state could possibly oppose, and that is to make sure that people have the chance to visit their loved ones when they are sick or in the hospital. When I’m in the hospital, I don’t have to fight to make sure my wife can come visit me. Everybody out here will speak in favor of my right to have that. If Gov. Pawlenty or his wife were in the hospital, every one of us will speak out for the right for them to have that. All we want is for all Minnesotans to have that right, and we’re going to win that fight this year, too.”