Rochester paper opposes marriage amendment
Thursday, May 12, 2011 at 8:48 am
- 8 Comments
The Rochester Post Bulletin is the latest Minnesota newspaper to oppose the Republican’s constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. In a Wednesday editorial the paper argued that current Minnesota law on same-sex marriage is sufficient and a constitutional amendment is unnecessary. The Post Bulletin joins more than a dozen other papers throughout the state that have spoken out against the amendment.
Same-sex couples aren’t getting married here, nor are they lining up to challenge the law. Meanwhile, Minnesota’s health care system, public schools and courts are teetering on the edge of economic crisis. Legislators should keep their eyes on the prize.
Furthermore, we object on principle to the idea of legislating through the constitution. We elect public officials to run our state government, a job that includes setting taxes, allocating money and creating the laws we live by. Our legislators should do that job themselves, rather than delegating important decisions to the voters — and thus finding a way around the checks and balances that are inherent in our legislative process.
The Rochester paper joins papers in numerous other communities, including Winona, Duluth, Minneapolis, Albert Lea, New Ulm, Fairmont, Grant County, McLeod County, Mille Lacs and Mille Lacs County, Virginia, and the University of Minnesota that oppose the GOP measure.
Follow Andy Birkey on Twitter8 Comments
Comment posted May 12, 2011 @ 9:10 am
Ok, so a big number of newspapers are against this, no Republicans spoke in support of this on the floor, just why are we having to have this argument?
Comment posted May 12, 2011 @ 9:13 am
Scott, the Republicans need to have something to rile up The Base in 2012. You don’t want to leave base-riling to the last minute.
Comment posted May 12, 2011 @ 9:15 am
Because the GOP is playing hard ball politics with a subgroup of citizens so that a low voting subset of bigot voters get out and vote. Bullies never pick on those that are not relatively powerless because it would end up a fair fight. Typical cowardly behavior by the Republican Party.
If they had even the slightest interest in the sanctity of marriage they would have paid attention to Senator Goodwin’s anti-divorce amendment.
Comment posted May 12, 2011 @ 10:53 am
The Republicans while in the majority are attempting to get as much as they can chiseled in the granite of the constitution so that when they are voted back to the minority it will take that much longer to and be that much harder to reverse. Banning marriage equality will give them several more years of being able to discriminate while court challenges are in progress at state and federal level.
Personally I think the constitution should be a very minimalist document describing function of the government and rights of the people. Everything else should be through laws.
Comment posted May 12, 2011 @ 11:03 am
The amendment gives those who believe in the Biblical definition of marriage their first amendment rights. Many are opposed to the power of special interest groups to change what is what is currently constitutional.
Comment posted May 12, 2011 @ 12:15 pm
@retrntired-
When you impose your religious beliefs on others you undo the work of this nation’s founders and everyone that has ever fought or died for liberty on our behalf. Faith is not a fiat for oppression and the onus to distinguish between the two is on you. Are you strong enough?
Praise Jebus, God hates basic civics lessons, Amen.
Comment posted May 12, 2011 @ 1:01 pm
No one in the state legislature will come out on record in support of this amendment, but just wait, when it gets close to voting time all the out of state money will pour in. We will have all kinds of ads purporting the need for this amendment filled with people that claim to be from Minnesota but are actualy paid actors from New Jersey.
Remember that add for Bachmann against Clark with the guy Jim who claimed to be from the 6th but was from the east coast? Mark my words, it’s gonna get ugly here in good ol ‘sota. I don’t forsee too much tv watchin for me or my family.
Comment posted May 14, 2011 @ 7:04 pm
@retrntired: The right to swing your fists ends at my nose. And you can run your life how you see fit, but it doesn’t extend to running mine.
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